Join us LIVE as we go in depth with former guest and current lawyer Kolby Reddish to further discuss the case involving CSA claims, and the potential legal outcome, of Judge Brent Basden in Washington’s Clallam County under investigation following serious allegations of LDS bias and misconduct in family court cases.Click here to watch on YouTubeFormal ComplaintFollow Kolby’s new Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@LetsDisagreeShowSubscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: This podcast provides a platform for guests to share their personal experiences and opinions. The views expressed are solely those of the guest and do not necessarily reflect the views of the hosts or producers. Any allegations discussed are unverified and represent personal accounts only. All individuals mentioned are presumed innocent unless proven otherwise. The podcast assumes no legal responsibility for statements made by guests.**See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Warren Jeffs, the polygamous prophet of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, who is currently in prison, has been “leading” his saints in questionable directions. Including not allowing married couples to be intimate and not allowing anyone to marry. We now have credible intel that the FLDS is preparing to start marriages again. This comes with reports of FLDS girls who disappear from their “apostate” parents’ homes immediately after their 18th birthday and cutting off all contact, as they are moved to different locations run by the cult. More information by Sam & Melissa from @GrowingUpinPolygamy  Click here to watch on YouTubeFollow Sam and Melissa!YouTube:  @GrowingUpinPolygamy  Website: https://www.growingupinpolygamy.com/Instagram: @growing_up_in_polygamyEmail: growingupinpolygamy@gmail.comSubscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: This podcast provides a platform for guests to share their personal experiences and opinions. The views expressed are solely those of the guest and do not necessarily reflect the views of the hosts or producers. Any allegations discussed are unverified and represent personal accounts only. All individuals mentioned are presumed innocent unless proven otherwise. The podcast assumes no legal responsibility for statements made by guests.**See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In 2002, 14-year-old Elizabeth Smart was kidnapped at knifepoint from her bedroom in Salt Lake City by Brian David Mitchell and his accomplice, Wanda Barzee. She was held captive for nine months, survived repeated SA, and was forced to live in camps across Utah while being disguised in public. In 2003, she was finally recognized by alert bystanders and rescued, leading to the arrest and conviction of her captors.Today, Elizabeth Smart is a survivor, author, and chiId safety activist. She founded the Elizabeth Smart Foundation, which focuses on preventing chiId abuse, supporting victims, and promoting recovery. She also works as a public speaker, advocates for legislation to protect children, appears in media to raise awareness, and has written books including her most recent “Detours”. She is married, has children, and continues to be a prominent voice for survivor empowerment and child safety.Click here to watch on YouTubeElizabeth’s book: DetoursFind Elizabeth on social media!IG: https://www.instagram.com/elizabeth_smart_officialWebsite: https://www.elizabethsmart.com/ Foundation:  elizabethsmartfoundation.orgSubscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: This podcast provides a platform for guests to share their personal experiences and opinions. The views expressed are solely those of the guest and do not necessarily reflect the views of the hosts or producers. Any allegations discussed are unverified and represent personal accounts only. All individuals mentioned are presumed innocent unless proven otherwise. The podcast assumes no legal responsibility for statements made by guests.**See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Mormonism has been a hot topic in pop culture the past couple years and not necessarily in a good way. Following the fame of the hit tv show “Secret Lives of Mormon Wives”, the self proclaimed creator of #momtok , center of the swinging drama and “queen bee” of the group, Taylor Frankie Paul was awarded the coveted role of “Bachelorette”. The entire season was filmed and set to premiere tomorrow March 21st, but on Thursday March 19th, the show was pulled by ABC executives following video evidence of a violent encounter between Taylor and her ex Dakota. Join Shelise and @TheAmandaRaeGrant who give details about the situation and their opinions on it. Click here to watch on YouTubeFollow Amanda Rae!YouTube:  @TheAmandaRaeGrant      IG: @amandaraegrantSubscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" ChannelSupport C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: This podcast provides a platform for guests to share their personal experiences and opinions. The views expressed are solely those of the guest and do not necessarily reflect the views of the hosts or producers. Any allegations discussed are unverified and represent personal accounts only. All individuals mentioned are presumed innocent unless proven otherwise. The podcast assumes no legal responsibility for statements made by guests.**See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

BREAKING: Former reality TV TLC's "19 Kids and Counting" star Joseph Duggar is facing a CSA charge in Florida, almost five years after his brother Josh, who also starred in the TLC show, was convicted of downloading CSA images. Joining us is Eric from @PreacherBoys Podcast to give us the full scoop. Click here to watch on YouTubeWatch our original interview with Eric hereFind and support Eric!Website: https://www.preacherboyspodcast.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PreacherBoysFB: https://www.facebook.com/preacherboysdoc/IG: @preacherboysdoc TikTok: @preacherboyspod Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" ChannelSupport C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: This podcast provides a platform for guests to share their personal experiences and opinions. The views expressed are solely those of the guest and do not necessarily reflect the views of the hosts or producers. Any allegations discussed are unverified and represent personal accounts only. All individuals mentioned are presumed innocent unless proven otherwise. The podcast assumes no legal responsibility for statements made by guests.**See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Escaping a cult and finding peace on the outside is one thing, but what happens when you feel obligated or even required to go back into the same environment that harmed you for so long? Amanda Rae was born and raised in The Order, a polygamous offshoot of Mormonism known for its incestuous marriages. Barely an adult, she escaped and made it her mission to expose the Order while helping other members find their way out. However, a death in the family led her back into the belly of the beast, where she had been shunned and cut off, forced to face the people and places that left physical and emotional scars. Click here to watch on YouTubeFind Amanda:YouTube: @TheAmandaRaeGrant     IG: @amandaraegrantSubscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" ChannelSupport C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: This podcast provides a platform for guests to share their personal experiences and opinions. The views expressed are solely those of the guest and do not necessarily reflect the views of the hosts or producers. Any allegations discussed are unverified and represent personal accounts only. All individuals mentioned are presumed innocent unless proven otherwise. The podcast assumes no legal responsibility for statements made by guests.**See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A raw and powerful coming-out story from the beloved American Idol finalist traces David Archuleta’s journey from closeted Mormon teen to global pop star to openly queer man, revealing the hidden pressures of fame, the weight of religious expectations, and the courage it takes to live authentically. At just seventeen, David Archuleta rose to national fame as the runner-up on American Idol season seven, captivating millions with his angelic voice. Behind the scenes, however, he was struggling with a truth he feared would destroy everything: he was attracted to men—and a devout member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. As David matured, he struggled with obsessive religious perfectionism, shame around sexuality, and deep internal conflict about being gay within the LDS Church. His missionary experience and therapy helped him recognize patterns of emotional abuse and unhealthy conditioning. Despite direct conversations with top church leaders, he felt they lacked understanding of LGBTQ issues and often avoided confronting the harm caused by church policies. David recounts what it was like growing up with a domineering father who controlled every aspect of his career and reveals the emotional abuse and inner turmoil that he says plagued his childhood. Ultimately, David reached a breaking point and experienced a powerful moment of self-acceptance, allowing him to embrace his identity, step away from rigid beliefs, and redefine spirituality on his own terms. His story highlights themes of autonomy, healing, faith, mental health, and the courage to live authentically.Click here to watch on YouTubeDavid’s book “Devout: Losing My Faith to Find Myself”Find David on Social media!FB: https://www.facebook.com/davidarchuletaIG: https://www.instagram.com/davidarchie/Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: This podcast provides a platform for guests to share their personal experiences and opinions. The views expressed are solely those of the guest and do not necessarily reflect the views of the hosts or producers. Any allegations discussed are unverified and represent personal accounts only. All individuals mentioned are presumed innocent unless proven otherwise. The podcast assumes no legal responsibility for statements made by guests.**See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Born into the secretive and highly controlled world of the Twelve Tribes, Meleah never knew life outside the group. From her earliest memories, every part of her existence was regulated—what she wore, what she thought, how she spoke, and even how she played. Childhood was not a time for imagination or freedom. It was training. In this isolated communal society, children were raised to obey instantly and without question. Play was replaced with productivity. Even family bonds were fragile, as parents could be sent away at any moment, leaving children to be raised and disciplined by strangers within the community.As Meleah grew older, she began to see the cracks in the system. She realized that the utopia she had been promised was built on fear, manipulation, and silence. At just 17, she made the terrifying decision to escape. But freedom came with its own challenges. Thrust suddenly into the modern world, she faced overwhelming culture shock, loneliness, and the painful process of rebuilding her identity from nothing.Click here to watch on YouTubeWatch our interview with Meleah's sister, RebeccaFind Meleah on social media!The Sister Act Podcast website (submit questions or episode request): https://thesisteractpodcast.com/IG: https://www.instagram.com/theunscripther/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheSisterAct25Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: This podcast provides a platform for guests to share their personal experiences and opinions. The views expressed are solely those of the guest and do not necessarily reflect the views of the hosts or producers. Any allegations discussed are unverified and represent personal accounts only. All individuals mentioned are presumed innocent unless proven otherwise. The podcast assumes no legal responsibility for statements made by guests.**See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

At 15 years old, Rebecca was a highly devout member of the Twelve Tribes— an isolated cult compound that had strict gender roles, extreme corporal pun*shment and high religious expectations. She was hand- selected to marry one of the leader’s sons, in an attempt to shackle him to the group. After struggling with fertility for a few years (which came with its own shaming and blaming), she got pregnant and things were looking better. However, one day her husband tried to escape with a 17 yr old teen girl and once caught, Rebecca was forbidden to see him or even speak to him. She was taken to Georgia where she was isolated during her pregnancy and forced to give birth on a sailboat in the middle of summer. It would take months before she was allowed to reconnect with her husband again. Click here to watch on YouTubeWatch pt 1 of Rebecca's interviewWatch our interview with Rebecca's sister, MeleahFind Rebecca on social media!The Sister Act Podcast website (submit questions or episode request): https://thesisteractpodcast.com/IG: https://www.instagram.com/rebecca_thesisteractpodcastFB: https://www.facebook.com/people/Rebecca-NicholsTT: https://www.tiktok.com/@thesisteractpodcastYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheSisterAct25Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: This podcast provides a platform for guests to share their personal experiences and opinions. The views expressed are solely those of the guest and do not necessarily reflect the views of the hosts or producers. Any allegations discussed are unverified and represent personal accounts only. All individuals mentioned are presumed innocent unless proven otherwise. The podcast assumes no legal responsibility for statements made by guests.**See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Drawn to the Twelve Tribes in the 1970s by its promise of spiritual purity, communal support, and moral family values, Rebecca’s parents became deeply embedded in a system that demanded complete obedience and surrender of autonomy. Rebecca was one of the oldest of the second generation in the cult, which meant a lot of experimentation was done to determine the fate of other children. At 15 years old—a highly devout member— she was chosen to marry one of the leader’s sons, to attempt to shackle him  to the group. Her wedding included group reenactments complete with demons, running from the woods, a crowning ceremony and unwavering submission as an “unworthy woman”. She thought she could escape her abusive and highly controlled childhood with daily corporal punishment by getting married. The reality was far worse. Click here to watch on YouTubeWatch pt 2 of Rebecca's interviewWatch our interview with Rebecca's sister, MeleahFind Rebecca on social media!The Sister Act Podcast website (submit questions or episode request): https://thesisteractpodcast.com/IG: https://www.instagram.com/rebecca_thesisteractpodcastFB: https://www.facebook.com/people/Rebecca-NicholsTT: https://www.tiktok.com/@thesisteractpodcastYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheSisterAct25Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: This podcast provides a platform for guests to share their personal experiences and opinions. The views expressed are solely those of the guest and do not necessarily reflect the views of the hosts or producers. Any allegations discussed are unverified and represent personal accounts only. All individuals mentioned are presumed innocent unless proven otherwise. The podcast assumes no legal responsibility for statements made by guests.**See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Elise Delamare recounts her experience growing up and serving in the Assemblies of God, describing a progression from sincere spiritual calling into a high-control, ab*sive ministry environment. Systemic issues such as authoritarian leadership, intense emotional and physical “boot camp” training, fear-based obedience, boundary violations, s*xual misconduct mishandled by leadership, and psychological manipulation was framed as spiritual discipline. Over time, these practices led to trauma, burnout, and loss of personal autonomy. The culture and leadership structures allowed ab*se to persist unchecked, ultimately prompting her to leave and advocate for awareness, accountability, and healing for others with similar experiences. Click here to watch on YouTubeFind Elise on social media!TT: https://www.tiktok.com/@truth.in.the.sanctuary IG: https://www.instagram.com/truth.in.the.sanctuary/  Share your AG story: https://aganonymous.com/ Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: This podcast provides a platform for guests to share their personal experiences and opinions. The views expressed are solely those of the guest and do not necessarily reflect the views of the hosts or producers. Any allegations discussed are unverified and represent personal accounts only. All individuals mentioned are presumed innocent unless proven otherwise. The podcast assumes no legal responsibility for statements made by guests.**See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

At 15, Maria’s parents willingly gave her to Russian cult leader Sergey who would marry her off to a man she despised. At 16 she was alone, hidden in a swampy woodland at the commune without electricity or running water, struggling to survive and raise her newborn in a tent during winter. She details everything she had to do to get food and water against all odds.  Click here to watch on YouTubeWatch our initial interview with MariaFind Maria on Social Media!Substack:  https://myworldprism.substack.com/IG: https://www.instagram.com/myworld_prismSubscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: This podcast provides a platform for guests to share their personal experiences and opinions. The views expressed are solely those of the guest and do not necessarily reflect the views of the hosts or producers. Any allegations discussed are unverified and represent personal accounts only. All individuals mentioned are presumed innocent unless proven otherwise. The podcast assumes no legal responsibility for statements made by guests.**See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It started when Maria’s mother was kidnapped and taken to Canada before somehow convincing her parents to give marital consent. Maria would end up being one of 11 children who were moved over and over from different Amish and Mennonite settlements. Maria’s father was a wannabe cult leader and stirred up trouble wherever he went. Homemade preaching tapes sent out to the world would attract predators into Maria’s home. One of them being a Russian man named Sergey, a cult leader himself. At 15, Maria’s parents willingly gave her to Sergey to marry off to another man. At 16 she was alone, hidden in a swampy woodland without electricity or running water, struggling to survive with a newborn.  Click here to watch on YoutubeWatch our follow up LIVE with MariaFind Maria on Social Media!Substack:  https://myworldprism.substack.com/IG: https://www.instagram.com/myworld_prismSubscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: This podcast provides a platform for guests to share their personal experiences and opinions. The views expressed are solely those of the guest and do not necessarily reflect the views of the hosts or producers. Any allegations discussed are unverified and represent personal accounts only. All individuals mentioned are presumed innocent unless proven otherwise. The podcast assumes no legal responsibility for statements made by guests.**See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jaden Jeffs was born into the polygamous offshoot of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints where his father would become the Prophet. Jaden takes us inside the mind of his father, Warren Jeffs, and gives us insight into his increasingly twisted “revelations” from prison. Watch our initial interview where Jaden talks about his childhood and early adult years following orders from his father that would eventually push him over the edge. Click here to watch on YouTubeWatch our initial interview with JadenFind Jaden on Social Media!YT: https://www.youtube.com/@JadenJeffsIG: https://www.instagram.com/jadenjjeffs100/Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: This podcast provides a platform for guests to share their personal experiences and opinions. The views expressed are solely those of the guest and do not necessarily reflect the views of the hosts or producers. Any allegations discussed are unverified and represent personal accounts only. All individuals mentioned are presumed innocent unless proven otherwise. The podcast assumes no legal responsibility for statements made by guests.**See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jaden Jeffs was born into the polygamous offshoot of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints where his father would become the Prophet. Drastic changes would ensue, splitting up families, demanding perfection and keeping the children working instead of playing. Jaden takes us inside the mind of his father, Warren Jeffs, and gives us insight into his increasingly twisted “revelations” from prison. His life would be toyed with for over a decade being sent from place to place due to his supposed righteousness until Jaden finally said enough is enough. Click here to watch on YouTubeWatch our follow up LIVE with JadenFind Jaden on Social Media!YT: https://www.youtube.com/@JadenJeffsIG: https://www.instagram.com/jadenjjeffs100/Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: This podcast provides a platform for guests to share their personal experiences and opinions. The views expressed are solely those of the guest and do not necessarily reflect the views of the hosts or producers. Any allegations discussed are unverified and represent personal accounts only. All individuals mentioned are presumed innocent unless proven otherwise. The podcast assumes no legal responsibility for statements made by guests.**See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

People can already guess that there are struggles that come with being a plural wife, however most don't know the dangers the lesser favorite wives and their children have to endure. We go into very real situations from The Order (the polygamist Mormon sect in Utah) with someone who escaped the cult. Click here to watch on YouTubeWatch Pt 2 on Amanda's channelFind Amanda:YouTube:  @TheAmandaRaeGrant         IG: @amandaraegrantSubscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: This podcast provides a platform for guests to share their personal experiences and opinions. The views expressed are solely those of the guest and do not necessarily reflect the views of the hosts or producers. Any allegations discussed are unverified and represent personal accounts only. All individuals mentioned are presumed innocent unless proven otherwise. The podcast assumes no legal responsibility for statements made by guests.**See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Olivia Marie Plath was on 7 seasons of TLC’s Welcome to Plathville. Today she will answer your questions and open up about her life before, during and after the show. Click here to watch on YouTubeWatch our initial interview with OliviaFollow Olivia on social media!IG: https://www.instagram.com/oliviamarieplath/Website: OliviaMariePlath.com Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: This podcast provides a platform for guests to share their personal experiences and opinions. The views expressed are solely those of the guest and do not necessarily reflect the views of the hosts or producers. Any allegations discussed are unverified and represent personal accounts only. All individuals mentioned are presumed innocent unless proven otherwise. The podcast assumes no legal responsibility for statements made by guests.**See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

You may know Olivia Marie Plath from TLC’s Welcome to Plathville, but do you know her story before being on the show? Olivia describes what her fundamentalist life was like in a home where her father sexualized her and her sisters, corporal punishment wasn’t optional and her mother, despite severe health issues that could take her life, was forced to continue getting pregnant. Her sincere hope to be saved led her down a path to courtship with Ethan where she would marry into an even more strict and controlling environment. Boundaries didn’t exist to the Plath family and things would progressively get worse and worse throughout their marriage. She finally put an end to it all and now she is vocal about things that weren’t allowed to be shown on the show. Click here to watch on YouTubeWatch our follow up LIVE with OliviaFollow Olivia on social media!IG: https://www.instagram.com/oliviamarieplath/Website: OliviaMariePlath.com Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: This podcast provides a platform for guests to share their personal experiences and opinions. The views expressed are solely those of the guest and do not necessarily reflect the views of the hosts or producers. Any allegations discussed are unverified and represent personal accounts only. All individuals mentioned are presumed innocent unless proven otherwise. The podcast assumes no legal responsibility for statements made by guests.**See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Raised in a conservative, fundamentalist Christian environment, Monte Mader’s home life was filled with being forced to memorize Bible verses or risk extreme corporal punishment. A scholar of the Bible, she later publicly deconstructed those beliefs and now focuses on challenging dogma and exploring cultural and historical topics.  Today we discuss some of the main talking points fundamentalist’s use to harm and oppress others and dispute them using the Bible itself. Click here to watch on YouTubeFind Monte Mader on social media!IG:  https://www.instagram.com/montemader/Website: https://montemader.com/https://linktr.ee/MonteMaderWatch our initial interview with MonteSubscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: This podcast provides a platform for guests to share their personal experiences and opinions. The views expressed are solely those of the guest and do not necessarily reflect the views of the hosts or producers. Any allegations discussed are unverified and represent personal accounts only. All individuals mentioned are presumed innocent unless proven otherwise. The podcast assumes no legal responsibility for statements made by guests.**See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Raised in a conservative, fundamentalist Christian environment, Monte Mader later publicly deconstructed those beliefs and now focuses on challenging dogma and exploring cultural and historical topics. Her home life was filled with being forced to memorize Bible verses or risk extreme corporal punishment. Her mom left the family of 6 children early in Monte’s childhood and was replaced by a sadistic stepmother who kept her and her brother in the basement for 2 years along with other harsh punishments. Even though Monte was being bred to be a housewife with strict gender roles, once her father recognized her off-the-charts intelligence, he quickly switched gears and wanted her to become a Supreme Court Justice to enact and even overturn policy for the agenda of extreme fundamentalist ideology. After a tumultuous engagement that ended in betrayal and disaster, Monte continued to deconstruct when she realized she had been lied to about what the Bible actually says from a Scholastic POV. Now she uses her platform with millions of followers to debate against those who try to use the Bible’s words to harm and oppress others. Click here to watch on YouTubeFind Monte Mader on social media!IG:  https://www.instagram.com/montemader/Website: https://montemader.com/https://linktr.ee/MonteMaderSubscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: This podcast provides a platform for guests to share their personal experiences and opinions. The views expressed are solely those of the guest and do not necessarily reflect the views of the hosts or producers. Any allegations discussed are unverified and represent personal accounts only. All individuals mentioned are presumed innocent unless proven otherwise. The podcast assumes no legal responsibility for statements made by guests.**See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Brian Recker is a former Evangelical Pastor who spent about eight years in ministry before stepping away from traditional evangelicalism. He grew up as the son of a Baptist preacher and attended the fundamentalist Bob Jones University. Now, he speaks up about a love-centered relationship with God as interpreted by the Bible and shares why it’s common for people to fall into Authoritarian based control when they are already in a fear-based or high control religion. Click here to watch on YouTubeWatch our initial interview with Brian hereBrian’s Book:  “Hell Bent: How the Fear of Hell Holds Christians Back from a Spirituality of Love”Follow Brian on social media!IG: https://www.instagram.com/berecker/Substack: https://brianrecker.substack.com/Brian’s link tree: https://linktr.ee/bereckerSubscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: This podcast provides a platform for guests to share their personal experiences and opinions. The views expressed are solely those of the guest and do not necessarily reflect the views of the hosts or producers. Any allegations discussed are unverified and represent personal accounts only. All individuals mentioned are presumed innocent unless proven otherwise. The podcast assumes no legal responsibility for statements made by guests.**See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Brian Recker is a former Evangelical Pastor who spent about eight years in ministry before stepping away from traditional evangelicalism. He grew up as the son of a Baptist preacher and attended the fundamentalist Bob Jones University. Instead of pastoring a local church in the traditional sense, Brian now speaks, writes, and teaches about a more inclusive, love-centered Christian spirituality. By removing pun*shment from Christianity’s center, Brian boldly reimagines the core questions of faith, such as why Jesus lived and d*ed, and what it means to be “saved.” He emphasizes following Jesus without fear of hell, and focuses on compassion, empathy, and justice in spiritual life.Click here to watch on YouTubeBrian’s Book:  “Hell Bent: How the Fear of Hell Holds Christians Back from a Spirituality of Love”Follow Brian on social media!IG: https://www.instagram.com/berecker/Substack: https://brianrecker.substack.com/Brian’s link tree: https://linktr.ee/bereckerSubscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: This podcast provides a platform for guests to share their personal experiences and opinions. The views expressed are solely those of the guest and do not necessarily reflect the views of the hosts or producers. Any allegations discussed are unverified and represent personal accounts only. All individuals mentioned are presumed innocent unless proven otherwise. The podcast assumes no legal responsibility for statements made by guests.**See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In the Old Colony Mennonites in Texas where JT was raised, education was only a priority up until 8th grade or age 13. After he escaped into the Military as soon as they would take him, he quickly realized he was either lied to or important information was left out. He ended up getting his GED at 21 years old. Learn how he navigated the "English" world with limited knowledge and a drive to succeed. Click here to watch on YouTubeWatch our initial interview with JTFollow JT on social media!IG: https://www.instagram.com/jtguenter/TT: https://www.tiktok.com/@jt_guenterSubscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: This podcast provides a platform for guests to share their personal experiences and opinions. The views expressed are solely those of the guest and do not necessarily reflect the views of the hosts or producers. Any allegations discussed are unverified and represent personal accounts only. All individuals mentioned are presumed innocent unless proven otherwise. The podcast assumes no legal responsibility for statements made by guests.**See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In Western Texas is an Old Colony Mennonite settlement where John Guenter grew up. His mother converted and ended up being one of the most strict members there. He was bullied and abused constantly for being gay, even though he wouldn’t even fully understand his orientation until later in life. He was under threat of being kidnapped and taken to an unlicensed facility in Mexico where they sent people to be “fixed” for various reasons.  Aside from the terror of being separated from family and sent to another country, it was well known that the Mennonites in Mexico had ties with the Cartel. He realized it wasn’t safe for him to remain in the settlement and escaped by joining the military as soon as he was able. Click here to watch on YouTubeWatch our follow up live with JT  Follow JT on social media!IG: https://www.instagram.com/jtguenter/TT: https://www.tiktok.com/@jt_guenterSubscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: This podcast provides a platform for guests to share their personal experiences and opinions. The views expressed are solely those of the guest and do not necessarily reflect the views of the hosts or producers. Any allegations discussed are unverified and represent personal accounts only. All individuals mentioned are presumed innocent unless proven otherwise. The podcast assumes no legal responsibility for statements made by guests.**See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Following up our incredible interview with Lilia Tarawa, today we go LIVE with her to further discuss what it was like escaping the Gloriavale cult.  Founded by her grandfather, who was inspired by the Amish in the US, Gloriavale became an isolated community in New Zealand that implemented communal living, strict gender roles and even identical uniforms for its members. The numbers grew rapidly, especially since birth control wasn’t allowed. Lilia showed promise in leadership skills as a chiId, but was quickly shot down in an hours-long public shaming by her own grandfather. When her friends were being arranged to marry men they didn’t know or like, she realized she needed to escape. Learn how her whole family was able to leave Gloriavale and the struggles they faced afterwards. Click here to watch on YouTubeWatch our initial interview with LiliaBook:  “Daughter of Gloriavale:  My Life in a Religious Cult”Find Lilia on social media!Podcast: “Brandbreaker with Lilia Tarawa”TT: https://www.tiktok.com/@liliatarawaFB: https://www.facebook.com/msliliatarawaIG: https://www.instagram.com/liliatarawa/Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: This podcast provides a platform for guests to share their personal experiences and opinions. The views expressed are solely those of the guest and do not necessarily reflect the views of the hosts or producers. Any allegations discussed are unverified and represent personal accounts only. All individuals mentioned are presumed innocent unless proven otherwise. The podcast assumes no legal responsibility for statements made by guests.**See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Lilia Tarawa was raised in an isolated community in New Zealand started by her grandfather, called Gloriavale. Inspired by the Amish in the US, he implemented communal living, strict gender roles and even identical uniforms for its members. The numbers grew rapidly, especially since birth control wasn’t allowed. Lilia showed promise in leadership skills as a chiId, but was quickly shot down in an hours-long public shaming by her own grandfather. When her friends were being arranged to marry men they didn’t know or like, she realized she needed to escape. Learn how her whole family was able to leave Gloriavale and the struggles they faced afterwards. Click here to watch on YouTubeWatch our follow up LIVE with LiliaBook:  “Daughter of Gloriavale:  My Life in a Religious Cult”Find Lilia on social media!Podcast: “Brandbreaker with Lilia Tarawa”TT: https://www.tiktok.com/@liliatarawaFB: https://www.facebook.com/msliliatarawaIG: https://www.instagram.com/liliatarawa/Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: This podcast provides a platform for guests to share their personal experiences and opinions. The views expressed are solely those of the guest and do not necessarily reflect the views of the hosts or producers. Any allegations discussed are unverified and represent personal accounts only. All individuals mentioned are presumed innocent unless proven otherwise. The podcast assumes no legal responsibility for statements made by guests.**See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

No electricity, no running water, no indoor plumbing.  Lovina Zook grew up in one of the strictest Amish settlements started by her own family. Highly demanding gender roles were enforced leaving Lovina with no other choice than to marry a relative and become a busy housewife, or be considered an old maid at 24. She had high ambitions and knew she had to escape and trade her entire family and community to be free to live her dreams. Her stardom has grown exponentially on social media where she teaches others how to cook and bake like she did while in the Amish. Join us to find out how she managed to do it and any struggles she faced along the way. Click here to watch on YouTubeWatch Lovina's initial interviewFind Lovina on social media!YT: https://www.youtube.com/@lovina_zook/videosIG: https://www.instagram.com/lovina_zook/TT: https://www.tiktok.com/@lovina_zookWebsite: https://socialsbylovina.com/Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

No electricity, no running water, no indoor plumbing.  Lovina Zook grew up in one of the strictest Amish settlements started by her own family. It was common to marry cousins as most people there were related by blood and a woman would be considered an “old maid” if still single by 24 yrs old. Lovina discusses the hardest parts including struggling with mental heath, strict rules and not receiving any love or affection from parents of family members. As soon as she turned 18, she ran away in the middle of the night with the intention to become more than the Amish would ever allow. Lovina would then find a massive following on social media. Click here to watch on YouTubeWatch our follow up LIVE with Lovina answering your questionsFind Lovina on social media!YT: https://www.youtube.com/@lovina_zook/videosIG: https://www.instagram.com/lovina_zook/TT: https://www.tiktok.com/@lovina_zookWebsite: https://socialsbylovina.com/Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**00:00:00 Intro00:03:17 Lovina's Amish settlement00:06:01 How leadership is determined00:10:52 Strict dress code00:17:18 Importance of covering hair in Amish tradition00:20:42 What family like was like for Lovina00:26:30 Lack of affection within the household00:34:17 Hygiene standards within the community00:42:38 Why she ran away00:48:52 Marrying cousins & s*xual repression00:55:46 Smuggl*ng books00:58:10 Why Lovina didn't want to be baptized01:04:25 When Lovina left01:15:29 Difficulties after leaving01:28:01 How her parents treated her after leaving01:33:15 Linda, listenSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Surviving Mormonism is a new limited series hosted by Real Housewife of Salt Lake City Heather Gay where she interviews people with harrowing stories of how the LDS church failed them. It is a heartbreaking series that reveals the reality of a systemic problem that is not only covered up by church officials, but amplified by their only true intentions…avoiding lawsuits and avoiding bad media. Thousands of people have shared their stories of abuse and coverups at the hands of their leaders who were supposed to protect them. In a church that claims to be the one true church of God, their priorities of protecting their assets over their most vulnerable members, leaves us all bewildered and angry. Episode by episode, Alyssa Grenfell and Shelise recount these stories as shown on the show and give their thoughts as former Mormons. Click here to watch on YouTubeCheck out Alyssa interview’s with Shelise on her Channel:  https://youtu.be/YEoxZu4Q8WsFind Alyssa on social media!YT: www.youtube.com/@alyssadgrenfell/IG: https://www.instagram.com/alyssadgrenfellTT: https://www.tiktok.com/@alyssadgrenfellThumbnail Photo of Alyssa provided by Ilana Panich-Linsman websiteSubscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**Chapter Marks00:00:00 Intro00:03:52 Who is Heather Gay00:07:20 How Mormon critics of the Church are shut out and silenced00:11:28 Did Alyssa feel she knew enough about the truth behind Mormonism when she served a mission trip00:13:43 Mormonism equates secrets with spirituality00:17:24 Bishops are instructed to call the law firm instead of report SA cases00:21:35 The church doesn't recognize being gay (David Matheson)00:45:37 Nick Jones, the former Bishop, who stepped down for moral reasons00:51:16 CW: CSA Cover up- Episode 301:00:40 Cognitive dissonance from the church members01:07:41 How dissenters and critics have changed LDS policy01:15:29 The insane ending to the show!01:19:09 Linda, ListenSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In 2017, Miranda signed up for classes at Tara Yoga Centre in London — a studio associated with the larger network Atman federation (also sometimes called MISA in other countries). At first, the classes were marketed as esoteric or tantric yoga — spiritual practices about inner work, self-improvement and body awareness. As time went on, students were encouraged to date the teachers, blurring lines and creating a toxic power dynamic. Only the true seekers attended the many expensive retreats, which groomed her into desiring a tantric session with the all powerful Guru nobody had met. Slowly, things would become more sexual in nature and those who didn’t participate were seen as prude. After demonstrating her devotion, she was sent to meet the Guru in Paris at an undisclosed location with blacked out windows and other women coming and going blindfolded. She would then be forced into a “spiritual initiation” with the Guru which left her feeling empty and confused. After the ritual, most women were taken to another location where they were told to liberate the world, they needed to be Cam girls. In November 2023, Bivolaru was arrested in France along with many associates. Authorities accused him and the group of kidnapping, trafficking, and sexual exploitation of women under the guise of spiritual practice. Miranda continues to speak out about her experiences.Click here to watch on YouTubeFind Miranda on Social Media!IG:  https://www.instagram.com/gracefullawakenings/https://www.facebook.com/usyogaacademy US Branch atmancultalert.orghttps://atmanyogafederation.orghttps://atmancultalert.org resources in multiple languages with media on the organization to dateSubscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**Chapter Marks00:00:00 Intro00:03:33 Miranda's experience telling her story00:10:07 Group background00:14:11 How Miranda got involved00:15:46 When Miranda realized what she'd gotten into00:26:03 Miranda's experience at the retreat00:36:19 Meeting the "spiritual guide"00:54:05 Noticing red flags01:12:21 How Miranda felt after leaving01:15:40 Miranda's deconstruction01:21:30 Prosecution01:27:29 What brings Miranda joy now01:32:22 Linda, ListenSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Alexandra struggled with her parents’ treatment of her, as well as suffering SA which led to a deterioration of her mental health. When she asked her parents for help, she was either dismissed or laughed at. When she was finally given some psychiatric care, it didn’t last long before her parents chose to instead hand over custody and ship her to Utah during winter for a wilderness camp. What was supposed to last 8-10 weeks went on for 13, deep in the snowy mountains with only a tent and utensils they cleaned with dirt. Compliance was expected and mental health ignored. However, even after Wilderness camp was over, she wouldn’t be permitted to go home. Instead she was taken to another facility for 6 months where her will was further broken and symptoms ignored. Now, Alexandra is a Youth Rights Activist who advocates about the troubled-teen system— typically residential treatment centers, wilderness-therapy programs, “boot camps,” and therapeutic boarding schools aimed at adolescents deemed “at risk,” “troubled,” or having behavioral, emotional, substance-use, or academic issues.  She calls for awareness and reform speaking out about her time in TTI on social media.  Less than a week ago (after 4 years)  she has unmasked.Click here to watch on YouTubeFollow Alexandra on social media!Instagram: IG @trail.seasoning TikTok: @trailseasoning Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**Chapter Marks00:00:00 Intro00:05:31 Alexandra's background00:08:55 Dealing with a SA experience00:11:31 How Alexandra's parents reacted to her as*ault00:22:13 Why her parents sent her away00:23:26 Getting k*dnapped00:26:32 Experience at the wilderness camp00:28:25 Strip searched and pan*cking when reality sets in00:34:02 Daily life at camp00:43:21 The food they had to eat00:47:38 "Therapy" at camp00:53:12 Alexandra thought she was free after wilderness camp....00:56:11 The second program Alexandra was forced into01:08:33 They trained them like dogs01:13:25 What returning home was like01:23:41 How Alexandra's parents have taken accountability01:25:31 How Alexandra is doing now01:27:39 Linda, listenSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Alexandra struggled with her parents’ treatment of her, as well as suffering SA which led to a deterioration of her mental health. Her parents then took drastic measures by paying for her to be kidnapped and taken to a wilderness camp in the dead of Utah winter. They were forced to hike every other day further into the mountains carrying a 60 pound backpack with very little food and warmth for 13 weeks straight. When hazardous conditions resulted in sores on their bodies, they would be asked to strip down in a tent where photos would be taken and sent off. Alexandra will share the detrimental effects during college while deconstructing her total of 9 months in the TT industry and we will further discuss better alternatives. Now, Alexandra is a Youth Rights Activist who advocates about the troubled-teen system— typically residential treatment centers, wilderness-therapy programs, “boot camps,” and therapeutic boarding schools aimed at adolescents deemed “at risk,” “troubled,” or having behavioral, emotional, substance-use, or academic issues.  She calls for awareness and reform speaking out about her time in TTI on social media.  Less than a week ago (after 4 years) she has unmasked. Click here to watch on YouTubeWatch Alexandra's initial interviewFollow Alexandra on social media!Instagram: IG @trail.seasoning TikTok: @trailseasoning Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Raised in the “Holy War” and recruited as a soldier for Jesus, Philip Boltz, son of famous Christian singer Ray Boltz, was deeply invested in changing the world. He went on multiple mission trips abroad, ready to give everything, including his life for the cause. However, the goal to become a martyr was closer than he realized, when an emergency surgery leading to severe infection and medical neglect in India led him to be hospitalized. Ron Luze, the mega pastor leading this enormous teen-based corporation, even praised him for his valiance. This would cause him to double-down in his faith and be spiritually ready to go back to India the next year. More about Teen Mania can be found in the new docu-series Shiny Happy People: A Teenage Holy War, of which he is a part. Click here to watch on YouTubeTikTok: @suprfil Website: https://www.philboltz.comSubscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**Chapter Marks00:00:00 Intro00:03:12 Phil's experience being part of the documentary & his religious upbringing00:08:50 Phil's introduction to Teen Mania and mission trips00:17:26 Appendectomy in India00:23:08 Phil's infection and near de*th experience after surgery00:30:41 Leadership's responsibility for the safety of youth00:34:34 The Honor Academy and LTE's00:39:32 Abnormal patterns and practices in the organization00:51:05 Phil's teenage evangelizing and his stance now on high-control groups00:59:41 The beginnings of Phil's deconstruction01:05:52 Phil & who he is today01:09:20 Final thoughts and Phil's "Linda Listen"See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Liz Boltz Ranfeld, who was featured in the recent Shiny Happy People 2 documentary, was fully immersed in the “Teen Mania” lifestyle. She went on several overseas mission-trips that caused more fear and guilt due to the inability to faith heal on the spot, however it opened her eyes to other cultures that were being labeled as “demonic”. Her father was a well known Christian singer/song writer, Ray Boltz, which put all eyes on her to be a perfect example. Fully blind to the harms being caused at Teen Mania, she only started deconstructing after her parents forbid her from doing the full time-year-long-internship after her brother nearly died and she was stranded overnight at a busy airport with no help from the organization. Her father later came out as gay just as their whole family was doing away with Christian Fundamentalism and she would end up being one of the most critical voices against TM.Click here to watch on YouTubeFind and Support LizTikTok @lizboltz IG @liz_boltz_ranfeldWebsite https://www.lizbr.com/Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**Chapter Marks00:00:00 Intro00:03:19 Liz' upbringing and childhood 00:05:06 First impressions of Acquire the Fire00:11:21 Liz' mission trips00:21:30 Liz' parents influence00:27:07 Teen Mania00:32:03 How Columbine affected Liz00:35:24 Liz' begins to question Teen Mania00:42:32 Why Liz wasn't able to continue with Teen Mania00:47:57 Liz' deconstruction00:52:34 Recovering Alumni blog00:55:02 Growing from the experience01:00:13 What Liz hopes people get out of the documentarySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

CW: Mentions of CSA, SA, ED & Suicide Ideation.  Sochil Martin was born and raised in the worldwide church known as La Luz del Mundo. At age 9 she started to become groomed to be a concubine to the Apostle who was their living prophet on Earth. Her own aunt took her to him, because that’s what had happened to her and her family as young girls. They were not only expected to comply, it was considered a great blessing to be chosen and used. They were then considered an “unconditional” which meant their life was not their own and all choices would be made by the Apostle, including who they would eventually marry. However, even after marriage, the SA would not end. It wasn’t until Sochil’s husband rang the alarm that what was happening was not ok, that Sochil realized her adolescence was a horrible lie. Sochil then went on to help put some of the leadership in jail which will be covered in a livestream with her. Click here to watch on YouTubeFind Sochil on social media:IG:  @sochilmartin.healing Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**Chapter Marks00:00:00 Intro 00:04:56 La luz del mundo00:18:51 Sochil's upbringing00:28:32 The draw of the church00:39:12 What unconditional means in LDM00:47:36 CW: Mentions of ED00:58:48 How Sochil was paired with her husband01:11:26 Sochil's husband finds out what's going on 01:17:34 Trying to warn parents to no avail01:23:22 Linda, ListenSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Born into the Church of Immortal Consciousness, Danny Rensch spent his childhood navigating the isolated confines of a cult. Despite psychological manipulation, physical abuse, and neglect, he persevered. An international chess master and world-class commentator, Rensch’s remarkable journey led him to being the face of Chess.com, one of the largest online gaming platforms in the world. Rensch recounts his life, starting from the moment he discovered chess in the summer of 1995, all the way up to being at the center of the most explosive cheating scandal in chess history.  He chronicles the traumas of being “special” in a cult that forced separation from his mother. Mentored by an alcohol*c, Russian chess master, he found solace alongside suffer*ng in his obsession for an ancient game, and chess became his only escape. Rensch rose through the chess ranks until a medical emergency nearly took him out of the game forever. And it almost did, until Chess.com came along.Deeply heartfelt, keenly reflective, and haunting, today Danny dives further into the details of his book, Dark Squares, and the never-before-told story of Danny Rensch’s resilience, survival, and his enduring love for the game that saved him. Click here to watch on YouTubeDanny's Book Amazon: Dark SquaresFollow Danny on Social Media!IG: @dannyrensch Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**Chapter Marks00:00:00 Intro00:04:54 Background on the Church of Immortal Consciousness00:10:53 Danny's chiIdhood & his parents' relationship00:20:43 First experiences with chess00:25:52 When chess started taking off for Danny00:29:31 Danny's relationship with his mentor, Igor00:33:29 Being given his spiritual purpose to play chess00:39:54 Connections to the movie Searching for Bobby Fischer00:44:49 Sacrificing the relationship with his mother00:54:48 Balancing intuition and belief01:00:39 Living two lives01:07:46 Medical issues & turning to subst*nces01:18:46 The hero of Danny's story01:25:58 Overcoming the mysoginy taught by the cult01:30:48 Founding Chess.com01:38:47 Triggering moments from the Queen's Gambit01:43:00 Danny's life now01:47:24 Full circle moment with Searching for Bobby Fischer01:51:53 Danny's Linda ListenSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Mandi Pagliarini was put into a recovery program at 15 yrs old and would quickly be handed over to multiple predators by the leader until she left at 22. She realized years later that not all forms of abuse feel the same, and has dedicated her work to teaching parents how to speak to their children and teens to help keep them safe. Every parent should have these important conversations at age appropriate times and Mandi is here to discuss the ways to do that. Click here to watch on YouTubeWatch Mandi's initial interview hereFind and Support Mandi!IG @mandiptalkspredators https://www.instagram.com/mandiptalkspredators/Substack: https://mandiptalkspredators.substack.com/https://linktr.ee/mandipagliariniSubscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sarah Hartshorne gives the exposé on what REALLY happened on one of the hottest reality tv shows of its time, America’s Next Top Model. We did a deep dive interview with her, but today we focus in on some of the more disturbing parts of her time on Season 9 including waiving their rights to a camera free shower. Girls had no choice but to be moldable clay when it came to their identity, looks and sometimes their name. Even when a look change was the choice of production, they were sometimes judged and mocked for it later in the show. Identities, self esteem and boundaries crumbled all for the hope of making it to “the top”.Click here to watch on YouTubeWatch her full interview hereFind Sarah!Book: You Wanna Be on Top? A Memoir of Makeovers, Manipulation, and Not Becoming America's Next Top ModelWebsite: https://www.sarahbhartshorne.com/IG: https://www.instagram.com/sarahbhartshorne/Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

(CW: Mentions of Eating Disorder) Sarah Hartshorne, a fan favorite America’s Next Top Model contestant pulls back the curtain on the iconic but deeply flawed reality competition show, exposing the manipulation and chaos behind the scenes. Tyra Banks’s America’s Next Top Model was a cultural phenomenon with more than six million weekly viewers at its peak. Over its fifteen-year run, the show captured the glitz of the early aughts as well as its most toxic attitudes—from the glamorous but often questionable photo shoots to the cutting feedback from its highly respected if out-of-touch judges. But as its fans have grown up and as the next generation discovers ANTM, they’ve also begun to reckon with the enduring ways that the show has affected their body image and self-esteem.Sarah Hartshorne would have never guessed that her first foray into modeling would start with being blindfolded alongside three dozen other girls on a charter bus winding through Puerto Rico. Cycle 9’s only plus-size contestant takes us into the heart of the unforgiving auditions; the labyrinthian cruise ship the girls weren’t allowed to enjoy; and, of course, the L.A. “model house” teeming with hidden cameras and elaborately constructed tensions. As the season unfolds and the producers’ interview questions about her weight and her opinions of the other girls become increasingly pointed, Hartshorne uncovers the destabilizing methods employed to film “reality.”  Why didn’t the house have a microwave or a dishwasher? Why did girls regularly faint during eliminations? Why is it that the girls had their most meaningful conversations in closets? Sarah Hartshorne dissects the iconic show.Click here to watch on YouTubeFind Sarah!Book: You Wanna Be on Top? A Memoir of Makeovers, Manipulation, and Not Becoming America's Next Top ModelWebsite: https://www.sarahbhartshorne.com/IG: https://www.instagram.com/sarahbhartshorne/Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.*See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

CHAPTER MARKS NOT AVAILABLEMandi Pagliarini was thrown into Alcoholics Anonymous as a teen when her parents caught her drinking, and overreacted. She was lured into loving summer boarding camps with cute boys and fun activities, so immediately following high school graduation, the thought of being full time boarded with the group sounded fun and necessary for her health. Unfortunately, a bait and switch quickly happened when she realized that in this particular group, all sponsors and authority lead directly to the man at the top named Mike. He started micromanaging every single aspect of their lives including specific diets, where they went and even, who he thought they should be sleeping with. Young teens were given to 30+ year old men for “their own good” and this included Mike himself who was in his 50s. If compliance was not given, they were berated in front of the whole group. Mandi’s parents were still under the impression that she needed to be there, even though she had nothing close to resembling alcoholism, so she was left feeling alone and afraid of the outside world. After attempting to leave twice, it finally stuck and after drastically overcorrecting, she found her way. Click here to watch on YouTubeFind and Support Mandi!IG @mandiptalkspredators Substack: https://mandiptalkspredators.substack.com/Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today Shelise takes the hot seat to be interviewed by husband and co-producer Jonathan Rosales. A brief discussion about Mormonism and the various shapes it can take in people’s lives gives more context to why Shelise feels it is a cult/high control group. They discuss the light hearted aspects of leaving the cult bubble such as being out of the loop with pop culture. Then, for the first time, Shelise goes into depth about the CSA from her past and how it not only affects her daily life, but her life as a host who platforms other trauma survivors. Other hardships with running the channel while going through intense personal challenges are spoken of in detail which leads them to extreme gratitude for their audience and community who has gathered to support their guests and the cause. Click here to watch on YouTubeSubscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**Chapter Marks00:00:00 Intro00:05:08 Why Shelise feels she's a Cult Survivor, having left Mormonism00:11:22 Does Shelise feel more "connected" to society now that she's more caught up on pop culture?00:18:36 What it feels like for Shelise to be Agnostic00:22:21 Did Shelise ever think she would interview Cult Survivors for a living?00:28:27 How Shelise handles the trauma offload from hosting interviews each week?00:30:59 Shelise discusses the ab*se she experienced from her father00:34:18 What's it been like for Jonathan having to be a container for Shelise00:34:40 Moments Shelise broke down after conducting interviews00:39:52 Does Shelise have a relationship with her father now?00:51:30 Confronting the ab*se from Shelise's father, now that Shelise & Jonathan have a daughter00:54:55 Shelise & Jonathan discuss their m*scarriage01:02:25 Being pregnant while interviewing Cult Survivors01:04:13 Jonathan on producing Cults to Consciousness01:10:28 Did Jonathan feel they would be successful in the beginning?01:13:10 The time Shelise had psychic readings done01:17:35 Jonathan & Shelise on filming their own documentary01:23:23 C2C Officially launches Channel Memberships!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Carah Burrell and Ryan Fisher have continued to cover the Tim Ballard scandal since it was leaked two years ago that he had plans to become the new LDS prophet and take over the government through white nationalism. He was using his “connections” with the now deceased apostle Ballard (no relation) to bolster his cause at Operation Underground Railroad, which evidence has now suggested it was all a ruse, including allegedly luring women into SA situations by Tim during their “raids”. The LDS church responded swiftly with an ex-communication, severing his membership and ego. He has since been trying to appeal that decision multiple times, however, simultaneously alleging that the LDS church is full of Satanic Ritual ab*se of children and denouncing leadership. Click here to watch on YouTubeFind and Support Carah and Ryan:Carah's YT: https://www.youtube.com/@CarahBurrellCarah's LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/nuancehoeThe LATEST Video on Tim: https://youtu.be/q3F-lBMaGw4?si=pEkCtD9k_bdGX5lu Original interview on Last Dispensation:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knWZW93jvjkJulie Green Rant: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yTBLjtbwbADonorbox: https://donorbox.org/thanks-for-the-amazing-content-carah-let-me-help-you-keep-it-fundedVenmo: CarahB: https://account.venmo.com/u/CarahB Patreon exclusives: https://tinyurl.com/3r2jurckLet's get in touch! timmydidwhatpodcast@gmail.com or thenuancehoe@gmail.comRyan's Info!Substack: https://ryanfisherak78.substack.com/IG: https://www.instagram.com/ryanfisherak78/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NephiteExplorerSubscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Following our incredible interview with Rosei Quartz, today we go LIVE with her to further discuss her time with her threatening Adventist husband. Rosei was born a Seventh-Day Adventist where her father eventually became a charismatic and highly performative pastor in the church. She attended private Adventist schools and was constantly the center of her father’s fake sermons. Rosei’s mother got chronically ill and was ignored, being told her symptoms were made up for attention. She ended up passing suspiciously and Rosei’s father was married again 4 months later. Rosei ended up in an Adventist marriage which ended up being extremely toxic. Upon asking for a divorce, she was called a witch and even “hexed her husband with COVlD”. He then threatened to disappear her into Adventist conversion therapy if she tried to leave. Escaping and fearing for her life, she frantically grew a social media following in hopes it would protect her.Click here to watch on YouTubeWatch the intiial interview with RoseiFind Rosei on social media:Twitch: twitch.tv/roseiquartzIG: @roseiquartzofficial  Discord:  https://discord.gg/MZqsvXUZHNTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@roseiquartzSubscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

NO TIMESTAMPS FOR THIS EPISODERosei Quartz was part of the Seventh Day Adventist church in Canada where her father became a very performative and charismatic Pastor. It never felt authentic to Rosei and things got worse when he started using stories (which were most likely fabricated) about her in his very public sermons. This put an unwelcome target on her back as a chiId that stuck with her throughout her years in the church. When her mother became chronically ill, it was believed that she was either making it up for attention, or just wasn’t being faithful enough to be well. Rosei watched helplessly as her mother withered away before her eyes, even losing her teeth to this unknown cause. What’s worse, her mother suspiciously passed when Rosei was at college and years later she found out through her autopsy that she died of a fentanyl overdose. Lies upon lies built even though an adventist marriage until she finally escaped it all. Click here to watch on YouTubeWatch our LIVE with RoseiFind Rosei on social media:Twitch: twitch.tv/roseiquartzIG: @roseiquartzofficial  Discord:  https://discord.gg/MZqsvXUZHNTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@roseiquartzSubscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As a teenager, devoted to her faith, Carrie Saum felt being born a woman was a punishment. Her mother was a strongly devout Christian woman who implored on Carrie that if she didn’t go to Russia on a teen mission trip, Russians would go to Hell and their blood would be on her hands. These teen trips were mostly run by other young adults who put the kids in ill*gal and morally questionable situations. However, nothing was off the table when it came to showing your devotion to God. In fact, dying a martyr is what Carrie assumed would happen to her. She didn’t realize she had any other choice. Now she is committed to exposing the “Honor Academy” for what it is/was. A way to exploit teens for their time, money and labor, to create an army of unquestioning, obedient adults. Click here to watch on YouTubeFind Carrie on social media:TT: https://www.tiktok.com/@carriesaumIG: https://www.instagram.com/carriesaumSubscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**Chapter Marks00:00:00 Intro00:03:51 Carrie's part in the documentary00:08:15 Carrie's upbringing00:13:53 Acquire the Fire00:20:52 Carrie drops out of college to join the internship program00:28:58 What it was like when Carrie's parents moved out of state00:32:17 Carrie's time in Russia00:42:56 The Honor Academy00:55:36 Columbine00:59:24 ESOAL01:10:09 How the martyr mindset affected Carrie01:19:07 After deconstruction01:21:49 What brings Carrie joy 01:23:24 Linda ListenSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Amy Duggar, cousin to the famous Duggar family from TLC’s “19 Kids and Counting” exposes what life was REALLY like on and off the big screen. Her own childhood was plagued by a narcissistic and cruel father who would constantly take her on a roller coaster of ups and downs. Her grandfather (Jim Bob & her mother’s father) was also a character that parents knew could not be alone with their kids. However, there was even a time in her childhood when her grandfather lived in her home.  Today we zoom in on life in an abusive home, the chaos and the confusion, in contrast with the life of luxury on camera and what that did to her mental health. Click here to watch on YouTubeWatch our initial interview with AmyAmy’s Book: Holy Disruptor: Shattering the Shiny Facade by Getting Louder with the TruthIG: @amyrachelleking TT: https://www.tiktok.com/@amyrkingSubscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

TIMESTAMPS UNAVAILABLE FOR THIS EPISODEAmy Duggar, cousin to the famous Duggar family from TLC’s “19 Kids and Counting” exposes what life was REALLY like on and off the big screen. Her own childhood was plagued by a narcissistic and cru*l father who would constantly take her on a roller coaster of ups and downs. Meanwhile, her uncle Jim Bob’s family seemed to have everything together. Perfectly behaved children combined with an ideal and picture perfect lifestyle left her desiring a home as loving and wholesome as theirs. However, once she was invited into their family on a more regular basis (when the producer saw money signs in Amy’s outspoken personality) the facade slowly faded when she realized her cousins were never allowed to have “negative feelings” or speak critically of other family members. Even if that meant sacrificing their own safety. She would learn the true character of one of her best friends and cousins, Josh Duggar; a secret that would shock the world. Click here to watch on YouTubeWatch our LIVE with Amy answering your questionsAmy’s Book: Holy Disruptor: Shattering the Shiny Facade by Getting Louder with the TruthIG: @amyrachelleking TT: https://www.tiktok.com/@amyrkingSubscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Thembi Buthelezi came to America from South Africa, becoming very successful in New York City. Her sister back home was deeply involved in a cult there, who told her she could syphon her sister’s life through magic and sacrifice. Thembi’s life started falling apart the minute her sister arrived in her home and she knew something was wrong. Thembi distanced herself from her sister, went to ministerial school and ended up in Los Angeles at the famous mystical church called Agape. Little did she know, she would end up falling for the charms of a charismatic South African “Prophet” who was preaching at Agape on healing ancestral trauma. The same cult leader her sister had been involved in. A trip to Ghana to the cult headquarters would end up revealing a dark world riddled with secret sex magic and coercive techniques to trick white American women into giving up their marriages, fortunes and mind to the cult. The damage done took Thembi years as a buddhist nun to unravel and piece her life back together. Now, she is determined to warn everyone about this false prophet.Click here to watch on YouTubeFind and Support ThembiYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thembibuthelezi/Website: https://www.thembibuthelezi.comSubscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**Chapter Marks00:00:00 Intro00:04:12 Thembi Introduces Herself and Her Background00:08:50 Comparisons Between Churches in Africa vs America00:13:44 The Areas of Your Life The Cult Targets00:18:21 When Thembi Was Initially Targeted By the Cult & Her Sister's Involvement00:25:32  Thembi’s First Introductions to the Cult & Her Spiritual Journey00:34:09 Thembi’s First Introductions to the Leader of the Cult00:38:41 Beginning Initiations into the Cult & Recognizing Strange Behaviors00:43:23 What the Cult Leader Asked Thembi To Do - S*xual Rituals & Other Cult Practices00:48:08 More of the Witchcraft Practices Present in the Cult00:50:30 The Cult's Tactics to Increase Followers00:55:38 Sat*nic Practices Within the Cult00:59:07 The Goals of the Cult01:02:51 CW: Mentions of Human Sacr*fice, the Darker Aspects and Practices of the Cult01:10:01 CW: Mentions of Su*cide, How Thembi Escaped the Cult's Influence and Her Time as a Bhuddist Nun01:16:38 Thembi’s Healing and Beginning to Expose the Cult01:24:04 Thembi’s Life Today01:26:28 Final Thoughts and Linda ListenSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Charlotte Hayes was adopted as a baby to Seventh-Day Adventist parents who used the doctrine to h*rm her in unimaginable ways. She was forced to eat raw vegan, not given adequate nutrients and kept dang*rously thin, while the rest of the family ate normally. On top of that, CSA started happening at age 7 and she was told it was to prepare her for being a wife. Charlotte will further discuss her former mother’s obsessions with the health doctrine of SDA and how she weap*nized against Charlotte.Click here to watch on YouTubeWatch pt 1 of Charli's initial interviewWatch pt 2 of Charli's initial interviewFind Charlotte on social media:tiktok: @charli.hayes IG @charlihayes_  Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Charlotte was adopted as a baby to Seventh Day Adventist parents who used the doctrine to harm her in unimaginable ways. More details on her childhood can be found in part one linked below. Finally, at 18 years old, she enlisted a couple friends through Snapchat to help her escape just days before her former father, who made threats on her life for exposing his abuse, returned home. With only a bag of clothes, an erased iPad and a notebook with handwritten contacts, she did her best to survive in a world she had been completely sheltered from. Including confronting her former parents in an attempt to get more of her belongings, then falling into another predatory living situation. Click here to watch on YouTubeWatch pt 1 of Charlotte's interviewFind Charlotte on social media:tiktok: @charli.hayes IG @charlihayes_  Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**Chapter Markers00:00:00 Intro00:02:05 Recap00:03:38 Charlotte plans her escape00:19:39 Finding work after running away00:26:42 Returning to her old church00:28:46 CW r*pe00:32:57 Moving away from her strict diet00:35:06 Living with another secret pred*tor00:36:19 Confronting her former parents after escaping00:44:02 Deconstructing fear and shame00:50:25 Charlotte leaning into her s*xual preferences00:56:58 Meet Hadley00:57:29 What brings Charlotte joy now01:03:09 Linda, listenSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

CW: CSA, rape.  Charlotte Hayes was adopted as a baby to Seventh-Day Adventist parents who used the doctrine to harm her in unimaginable ways. She was forced to eat raw vegan, not given adequate nutrients and kept dangerously thin, while the rest of the family ate normally. On top of that, CSA started happening at age 7 and she was told it was to prepare her for being a wife. When signs of physical abuse caught the attention of her public school, they got CPS involved, but the system was a colossal failure and only made it worse at home. She even reported the violence to an SDA pastor who then reported it to the higher councils of the church, but they did nothing. Click here to watch on YouTubeWatch pt 2 of Charlotte's interviewFind Charlotte on social media:tiktok: @charli.hayes IG @charlihayes_  Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**Chapter Markers00:00:00 Intro00:03:23 Charlotte’s adoption into an SDA family00:09:18 Strict upbringing00:15:21 Adopted to be h*rmed00:16:38 TW: CSA from her adopted father00:20:30 How purity culture at church mentally clashed with CSA at home 00:25:46 Charlotte's experience in public school00:33:14 Teachers started to notice signs of ab*se00:42:23 Being gay in strict purity culture00:45:54 Experience at boarding school00:50:54 Washing each other's feet at school...00:54:08 Charlotte's breaking point01:02:21 Plotting the escape01:07:29 Linda listenSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

CW: CSA. Jacinta LeGore was born and raised in the Jehovah’s Witnesses. After being forced to confess that she had been CSA’d, then subsequently punished for it, it lead her down a shame spiral. Feeling worthless, she decided to get married at 16 to hopefully heal the part of her that the Elders and her parents thought was “impure”. The marriage ended up being another painful situation which ended in being disfellowshipped. She was immediately cut off from her family and friends, with no real lifeline in the outside world. When Jacinta became pregnant, her parents expected to see the chiId, because a loophole states that if someone has never been baptized, one does not have to shun them. However, they were still actively shunning Jacinta, treating her less than human, so she cut off all contact. Jacinta’s parents threatened her with “grandparents’ legal rights” when she would no longer let them see her daughter, even though she was disfellowshipped and cut off herself. The final straw came when  she picked up her daughter from her parents’ and the person who ab*sed her was there. Now she is navigating life, choosing to keep toxic relationships far from her and her daughter for her own mental health. Click here to watch on YouTubeFind and support JacintaIG @piercingsbyjacintah Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**Chapter Markers00:00:00 Intro00:03:11 Jacinta’s Strict ChiIdhood in the JW's00:08:15 CW: CSA, Damaging Experiences as a ChiId00:13:23 CW: CSA, Jacinta’s Judicial Process experience00:19:30 Punishment & Choosing to Get Married at 1600:23:55 Life After Getting Married00:27:43 The End of Jacinta’s Marriage and Being Disfellowshipped00:34:10 Shunning Jacinta has Received From Her Parents00:38:21 Persecution Complex of High Control Groups00:42:10 The Aftermath of Setting Boundaries With Parents00:45:54 Deconstructing the JW's00:49:36 How Jacinta is doing now00:53:52 Linda, listen00:55:10 Final thoughtsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Alissa Watson comes back to update us with some news of her father. She was a devout Jehovah’s Witness through adulthood, marriage and two children, despite a birthing scare that could’ve taken a dark turn if she ended up needing a blood transfusion. Her husband knew his wife was not allowed to receive blood due to the strict doctrine around it, but he was not willing to lose his wife over it. This sent him down a deeply researched deconstruction path which ended up leading them both out of the religion. However, one cannot simply leave the faith and maintain their life as they know it. Friends, family, church members and any devout JW is forced to implement strict shunning. Overnight, they lost everyone. Alissa shares how her father asked for a meeting (2 years after cutting her off) and how reality set in when she realizes his true intentions. Click here to watch on YouTubeCatch C2C on Alissa’s channelWatch Alisa’s initial interviewFind Alissa on Social:YouTube: @athomewithalissa https://www.youtube.com/@athomewithalissaIG: @athome_withalissa  https://www.instagram.com/athome_withalissaTikTok: @athomewithalissa https://www.tiktok.com/@athomewithalissaSubscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**Chapter Marks00:00:00 Intro00:04:11 Background on the JW's and Alissa's story00:07:34 The JW's shunning practices00:12:34 Atributes of high-control groups00:17:43 The day-to-day of being shunned00:23:58 Alissa's complicated communication with her father00:30:21 Alissa confronts her father00:36:31 Discussing CSA in the JW faith 00:44:10 Doubling down on shunning00:50:22 Family relationships & the effect on Alissa's children since leaving00:55:31 Alissa's husband's experience since leaving 01:01:28 Updates and final thoughtsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

TIMESTAMPS UNAVAILABLE FOR THIS EPISODECW: CA, mentions of suicide- Jamie Mustard was born into one of the most influential fringe movements in the 1970s: Scientology. Raised on a mythos of spaceships and made to believe that it was his life’s purpose to help save the world, he was determined to survive—not only unsurvivable neglect but also the impossible physical and psychological gauntlet of extreme poverty and illiteracy. Children were kept in animalistic conditions away from their parents and hardly kept alive until they were deemed “useful” by Scientology. At which point ensued extreme, dangerous labor and endless hours of Scientology classes to keep their “ethics up”. The last straw was being punished for his bosses wrongdoings at 19 when he was sent aboard a cruise liner for hard manual labor for months. Once he learned they had intent to send him back yet again, he made his quick yet calculated escape for freedom. Uneducated and illiterate, he worked hard and with the guidance and support of kind educators, managed to graduate from a prestigious UK university in economics. He’s a true testament to what one can achieve after all odds are stacked against them. Click to watch on YouTubeWatch Jamie on Soft White UnderbellyJamie’s book: ChiId X: A Memoir of Slavery, Poverty, Celebrity, and ScientologyBen Bella BooksJamie’s work - website: https://www.iconist.ltd/IG: @jamie_mustard  Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

After an amazing discussion with Jenna Miscavige, we knew we had to come back and further discuss what led her out of her Scientology marriage. Even further, we will explore the tactics that set former Scientologists up for failure when it comes to relationships after the cult. A real and raw conversation about the hardships faced when raised in a militaristic, emotionless prison like environment. Click here to watch on YouTubeWatch Jenna's initial interview hereFind Jenna on social media:YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/@JennaMiscavigeIG: https://www.instagram.com/therealjennamiscavige/Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

TIMESTAMPS UNAVAILABLE FOR THIS EPISODEJenna Miscavige was born into and grew up in Scientology. Her uncle, David Miscavige, is the leader of Scientology. Jenna details her nearly parentless life as a number in the militaristic conditions where they kept the children. Her mother was a high ranking member, so when she saw how she lived in what felt like royal conditions compared to her, she doubled down in her beliefs with the intention of also being able to live the same lifestyle in the upper ranks. Things definitely started to spiral when Jenna found out both of her. Parents were no longer Scientologists and she would then be punished for that. Marriage seemed like the first step towards any loving and meaningful relationship (a glimpse of joy in her house of horrors), but even then her plans were disrupted time and time again due to who she was in relation to the leader. Her escape was long and drawn out with Scientology never truly leaving her and her husband alone. Learn more about her life in her memoir Beyond Belief: My Secret Life Inside Scientology & My Harrowing Escape as well as on her YouTube Channel linked below. Click here to watch on YouTubeFind Jenna on social media:YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/@JennaMiscavigeIG: https://www.instagram.com/therealjennamiscavige/Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Following our incredible interview with Melissa Duge Spiers, today we go LIVE to confront the question...  Is Seventh-Day Adventism a Cult? Melissa grew up in the shadow of control, silence, and secrets inside the insular fundamentalist sect, Seventh-Day Adventist Church. From being beaten for resisting a childhood home perm to seducing a forbidden public school athlete in her parents’ bed to reclaim her autonomy, Melissa’s early years were shaped by repression, shame, and religious programming. Her escape from the SDA church launched her into a life of risk. When Melissa learned that a family member was a serial chiId predator shielded by the church, her world imploded. But this revelation was only the beginning.Click here to watch on YouTubeWatch her initial interviewFind Melissa on Social Media!HOLY DISOBEDIENCE memoirIG: https://www.instagram.com/the.glory.whole/Personal IG: https://www.instagram.com/melissadugespiers_writerSubstack: https://substack.com/@melissadugespiersemail: the.glory.whole.memoir@gmail.comSubscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

TIMESTAMPS UNAVAILABLE FOR THIS EPISODECW: mentions of eating disorders, female GM, CSA, SA.  Melissa Duge Spiers grew up in the shadow of control, silence, and secrets inside the insular fundamentalist sect, Seventh-Day Adventist Church. From being beaten for resisting a childhood home perm to seducing a forbidden public school athlete in her parents’ bed to reclaim her autonomy, Melissa’s early years were shaped by repression, shame, and religious programming. Her escape from the SDA church launched her into a life of risk. When Melissa learned that a family member was a serial chiId predator shielded by the church, her world imploded. But this revelation was only the beginning.Click here to watch on YouTubeWatch our follow up LIVE with Melissa hereFind Melissa on Social Media!HOLY DISOBEDIENCE memoirIG: https://www.instagram.com/the.glory.whole/Personal IG: https://www.instagram.com/melissadugespiers_writerSubstack: https://substack.com/@melissadugespiersemail: the.glory.whole.memoir@gmail.comSubscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

TIMESTAMPS UNAVAILABLE FOR THIS EPISODECW:  CA, DV, Mentions of CSA Material & Suicidal Attempts/Ideation.  Zett Espinoza was born into a professional criminal family in Los Angeles. Her mother struggled with mental illness and that often left the children neglected and afraid. Initiated into gang life around 12 years old, Zett’s father was conditioned for illegal activity. He started an illegal empire and employed his children to avoid his own fingerprints on the horrific materials they were packing. He was constantly running from the law and even escaped prison at one point which led him to cross into Mexico and force his children to take on new identities. Zett and her siblings had no choice but to fall into line and continue the criminal activity into their adult years. Zett managed to escape that life, but not without serious threats from her father who is still to this day at large. Click here to watch on YouTubeWatch Zett on Soft White Underbelly - “A Fugitive Childhood"Follow Zett on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/@ZettEspinozaSubscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

CW: Suicidal ideation, self harm.  Born in the 1970s in Wisconsin, Arno grew up in a turbulent environment with alcohol, fighting, and family dysfunction around him.  As a teenager, he was angry, rebellious, and looking for belonging. That led him toward white power skinhead culture in the late 1980s. He became a founding member of a major U.S. skinhead gang and the lead singer of a hate-metal band that glorified racism and violence. Eventually, cracks began forming in his extremist worldview and a few things shifted him away from hate: Becoming a father, kindness from people he was supposed to hate and burnout from violence — he saw friends go to prison, die, or spiral into addiction, and he realized the path only led to destruction. By the mid-1990s, he walked away from the white power movement.In 2011, Arno helped found Life After Hate, an organization dedicated to helping people leave extremist movements and rebuild their lives.  He became a public speaker, sharing his story in schools, prisons, and communities around the world.His memoir My Life After Hate (2010) details his radicalization and transformation.Click here to watch on YouTubeFind and Connect with Arno:Website:  www.mylifeafterhate.comIG: @ArnoMichaelis LinkedIn: @ArnoMichaelisParental resource: parents4peace.orgIf you are concerned about someone’s extreme beliefs or behaviors, Parents for Peace has a free and confidential helpline at 844-49-PEACE (844-497-3223) or email at help@parents4peace.org Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**Chapter Marks00:00:00 Intro00:03:21 Why Arno Decided to Share His Past; His Backstory00:06:31 Arno’s ChiIdhood & The Beginnings of His Anti-Social Behavior00:12:25 How Arno’s Self-Esteem & Tactics He That Would've Benefitted Him as a Boy00:18:05 Arno’s Group's Interaction with Other White National*sts00:23:14  How Arno Used His Natural Leadership Abilities Throughout His Life and As Part of H*te Groups00:26:37 How Arno Became Familiar with White National*st Ideologies00:33:05 Life After Moving Out of the House at 1600:39:11 The Specifics of How Arno Adopted Rac*st Ideologies00:47:13 CW: Rac*sm, Arno Shares the Beginning Steps of Him Leaving the Sk*nhead Group and Ideologies00:48:57 CW: Attempted Su*cide, self h*rm00:52:33 CW: Attempted Su*cide, self h*rm, Having a Daughter While Still in the White National*st Group00:55:18 CW: Su*cidal ideation, self h*rm00:59:44 Arno Explains His Self-Destructive Attitudes and What Eventually Led him Out of the Sk*nheads01:07:26 Arno Shares Some of the Kindness Seeds People Planted Along the Way that Were Contrary to His Ideologies01:15:32 Arno’s Famous "McDonald's Story"01:23:51 What Arno is Doing Now And How He Helps Get People Out of Extrem*st H*te Groups01:27:01 Arno’s Interactions with Daryl Davis01:31:23 Final Thoughts and Linda ListenSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

CW:  SA, ED, Suicidal Ideation.  Growing up Ultra Orthodox in an extremely abusive home, left Tzivya Murrin completely unprepared for the outside world. She tried to get help multiple times to get away from her parents, but the system failed her. Once she finally got someone on the outside to listen, hands were held out to pull her out of her dangerous situation. However, some of those hands lead her right back into chaos and destruction. Find out how she was finally able to find peace and stability after a long tumultuous life. Click here to watch on YouTubeWatch Pt 1Find Tzivya on social media: https://www.instagram.com/tzivyateemurrin/FB: https://www.facebook.com/tzivya.murrin.medicaid.plannerhttps://www.facebook.com/SensibleSeniorPlanningSubscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

CW:  CSA, CA, ED, Suicidal Ideation.  In a system that keeps victims silent in their pain, perpetrators go unchecked and are further emboldened to inflict harm. Tzivya Murrin was trapped in this system. No matter what she did, her parents found reason for extreme punishment. She asked for help multiple times from her community and instead was handed right back to her abusers. Time and time again the system failed her and she was forced to live a childhood rife with every type of abuse imaginable. Click here to watch on YouTubeWatch pt 2Find Tzivya on social media: https://www.instagram.com/tzivyateemurrin/FB: https://www.facebook.com/tzivya.murrin.medicaid.plannerhttps://www.facebook.com/SensibleSeniorPlanningSubscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**Chapter Marks00:00:00 Intro00:03:44 Tzivya's sect of Judaism and its teachings against non-Jews00:12:31 Tzivya's family structure and dynamic00:16:40 CW: CA, The patterns of ab*se around getting good grades00:23:28 Tzivya's community turning a blind eye00:28:53 CW: CA, Tzivya's taking risks to lessen her ab*se00:34:38 CW: CA, CSA, The start of Tzivya being CSA00:39:30 CW: CA, CSA, Su*cidal Ideation, The extreme pun*shment Tzivya received for cheating00:45:07 Tzivya's mother 00:48:47 CW: CA, CSA, ED, When Tzivya's mother started ab*sing her00:54:02 The ways Tzivya's mom tried to control her body and food00:58:05 CW: CA, CSA, ED, Tzivya's first attempts to talk to others about the ab*se01:06:06 The continued control during and after high school01:11:29 The teaching to not report within Tzivya's sect of JudaismSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Targeted violence hit a Mormon church in Michigan which claimed at least 5 lives. The same day, it was discovered that the LDS prophet had passed away at 101 years old. A weekend full of grief. We will discuss the events, hold space for those lost and talk about what might be next with the new prophet Dallin H Oaks. Joining us to speak on the history of Oaks is Bryan from True Mormon Quotes. Click here to watch on YouTubeFollow Bryan on IG: http://www.instagram.com/true_mormon_quotesAP article: https://apnews.com/article/mormon-church-shooting-michigan-dcb79ee701b0b8076bf73e30e10ba2b7Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Tamara was a new mom seeking connection and community in a scary world where simplicity was romanticized. She was introduced to the Twelve Tribes by a family member and after some love bombing on some overnight trips, she was hooked. She convinced her husband to sell all they owned including their home and even clothes to leave society and move their family into a single bedroom in a communal TT home. Her son Emmet was less than 2 years old and he would come to live a difficult life in the strict boundaries of the cult. Tamara would come to regret her decision after the bait and switch had become clear, but it was too late. She went on to have more children and wouldn’t leave the cult with her family until 14 years later. Tamara and her son Emmet talk about what it was like going through it together. Click here to watch on YouTubeTamara's Interview Pt 1Tamara's Interview Pt 2Find Tamara!FB: Tamara Mathieu Author IG: https://www.instagram.com/tamaramathieu4/Book: All Who BelievedClick here to watch Emmet’s interview Follow Emmet on social media:Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/milwalkietalkieTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@milwalkietalkieYouTube: https://youtube.com/@milwalkietalkieSubscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Just before Emmet Mathieu was 2 years old, his mother Tamara longed for community and simple living, so she convinced her husband to permanently move into the Twelve Tribes commune. Immediate regret set in, but it was too late. Forced to conform to extreme chiId discipline, Emmet was punished every day just for doing developmentally normal things. Immediate compliance was mandatory and if not given he would be punished with the “rod”. He wasn’t allowed to have independent play, speak to other children, and was put to work as young as a toddler. Emmet explains how he learned to cope and the struggles he faced after his family escaped in his late teen years. Click here to watch on YouTubeFollow Emmet on social media:Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/milwalkietalkieTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@milwalkietalkieYouTube: https://youtube.com/@milwalkietalkieSubscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**Chapter Marks00:00:00 Intro00:03:53 Emmet's summary of the 12 Tribes00:08:07 CW: CA, Emmet's standout chiIdhood memories00:16:36 Toxic productivity and schooling in the community00:27:03 Friendships and secretly communicating with other chiIdren00:32:41 Starting work as a chiId00:36:08 Seeing the outside world, and the instability within the cult00:45:53 Emmet's involvement with teaching chiIdren, and moving to Florida00:51:30 Emmet's feeling he's carried with him since leaving & life in Florida00:56:50 Emmet's family leaves the cult01:01:13 Working, finishing school, and navigating high school sports01:08:10 Dating and meeting girls01:12:18 Gaming, streaming, and sharing his story01:16:17 Emmet's Linda Listen and final thoughtsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

After joining what Tamara Mathieu thought would be a wholesome, down to earth, communal family group in August of 2000, things quickly went downhill— she immediately regretted her decision.  At 23 years old, Tamara, her husband and their 17-month-old son gave up EVERYTHING to join the Twelve Tribes worldwide religious organization.  In return they received a militaristic, impossible-to-please hierarchy, where she worked constantly and had to employ harsh discipline on her children. Fourteen years went by and enough was enough. Find out how her family finally escaped the Twelve Tribes and learned how to once again be “of the world” with no jobs, money or housing. Click here to watch on YouTubeWatch the interview with Tamara's son, EmmetWatch pt 1Find Tamara!FB: Tamara Mathieu Author IG: https://www.instagram.com/tamaramathieu4/Book: All Who BelievedSubscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**Chapter Marks00:00:00 Intro00:19:12 The "Prison of Specialness" & meeting good people00:23:22 What adolescence looks like inside vs outside the 12 Tribes00:30:47 The struggles adapting to living in the outside world00:36:31 Repercussions on Tamara's family after leaving the community 00:45:13 The Yellow Deli's00:52:58 Food in the 12 Tribes00:56:21 Tamara's passions and joys & adjustments she's still making01:03:55 Tamara's Linda Listen and final thoughtsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Lured into the TWELVE TRIBES (Yellow Deli) CultTIMESTAMPS UNAVAILABLE FOR THIS EPISODETamara Mathieu was a new mother in a scary world where Columbine had just happened. Romanticizing a simple life and craving safety for her family, she began visiting the Twelve Tribes. She noticed a village raising the well behaved chiIdren, homemade food and happy families. Feeling alone, isolated and overwhelmed at home with her baby, she spent more and more time at their compounds. She was welcomed with open arms, given gift baskets and the women loved her chiId. It felt like home. She convinced her husband to leave his high paying job, sell their home and all their belongings and completely leave their modern life behind to move into the Twelve Tribes. Assigned one bedroom for their family, everything changed once they moved in. Work became excruciating, chiId discipline expectations were extreme and Tamara would see her husband even less than before. Regret set in, but it was too late. She wouldn’t escape the community until 14 years later.Click here to watch on YouTubeWatch pt 2Watch the interview with Tamara's son, EmmetFind Tamara!FB: Tamara Mathieu Author IG: https://www.instagram.com/tamaramathieu4/Book: All Who BelievedSubscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Featured in the Shiny Happy People 2 doc-series, Cindy was deep in evangelical nationalism when she was hired as head of PR to silence whistleblowers from the Honor Academy at Teen Mania. She was told they were simply disgruntled chiIdren who were lying to defame the massive enterprise. Years later, she would realize, not only were the alumni telling the truth, but the upper management knew about the tort*re the chiIdren went through and did nothing to stop it, or change their practices for the following group. In fact, it was all part of the system to break the will of the interns and mold them into warriors for Jesus so they could penetrate all facets of society and create a Christian nation. Once Cindy’s eyes were opened, she took all their insider financial information to a news station to blast the story to the world. Click here to watch on YouTubeEmail Cindy:  CindyMallette@gmail.comWatch the interview with Mica RingoSubscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Mica Ringo was heavily invested in Teen Mania and went through the whole program completely ignoring xyr inner voice of authenticity. Being yourself was never an option in a group that specifically molds teens to be extremist warriors for Jesus. The program was grueling and even abusive in an attempt to break down the character of teens coming in.  Mica would go on to create the Recovering Alumni blog which would lead to the fall of Teen  Mania Ministries!Click here to watch on YouTubeFind Mica on social media:IG: https://www.instagram.com/mx.micaringo/Website: https://www.micaringo.comWatch the interview with Cindy Mallette, the person hired to silence MicaSubscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**Chapter Marks00:00:00 intro00:05:46 Mica's upbringing00:09:38 Things that lead Mica on the path towards Team Mania00:15:27 Navigating Mica's s*xuality within purity culture00:17:53 Mica's involvement in Team Mania00:27:36 The Honor Academy00:45:09 Mica's blog00:56:55 Mica's Marriage & deconstruction01:09:44 Mica goes to the press01:15:04 Linda, listen01:16:12 What brings Mica joy nowSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

TIMESTAMPS UNAVAILABLE FOR THIS EPISODECelebrating 250 episodes with these 5 incredible women!  We explore ways in which different Amish and sometimes Mennonite settlements had the same methods of control and even ab*se. We cover their rules, restrictions, medical allowances (or lack thereof), why CSA is rampant and how the perpetr*tors are often protected rather than truly held accountable. The stories and wisdom are beautifully shared amongst survivors supporting each other. They also share ways in which they believe women can take back their power in or outside a cult and gain clarity and freedom.Click here to watch on YouTubeFind and support our guests!Lizzie HershbergerSwartzentruber AMISH: The Unknown SINISTER Side of the Strictist Settlement Swartzentruber AMISH: Seeking JUSTICE Against the Strictest SettlementResources: https://www.theplainpeoplespodcast.com/resourceHer book: “Behind Blue Curtains: A True Crime Memoir of an Amish Woman’s Survival, Escape, and Pursuit of Justice” Website: https://www.lizziehershberger.com/IG @lizzie.hershberger Naomi SwartzentruberAMISH: How Growing Up in the Strictest Settlement Led to Dr*gs and S*x Work Naomi’s book:  The Amazing Adventures of an Amish Stripper IG & TT:  @AmishInspiration https://www.instagram.com/AmishInspirationhttps://www.tiktok.com/@amishinspirationFB: https://www.facebook.com/share/1Aq4Tw6q9h/?mibextid=wwXIfrElizabeth HiltyAMISH: Her Unlicensed Midwives Used Veterinary Tools Connect with Elizabeth on FacebookMeg Delagrange-Belfon“Sins of the Amish” Doc: Darker Details than They Were Willing to Release on TV Her artwork: https://www.coloringspirit.com/Her Blog: https://blendedmix.life/IG: @coloringspirit Plain Anna Mary BylerAMISH Woman "Sinned" by Taking Her Brothers to Court for SA Mary's Website: https://www.themisfitamish.com/amishresourcesIG @plainrainbows_mary Mary's Book: Reflections and Memories of An Amish Misfit: "My therapist says that’s not true, but I digress" Fb: https://www.facebook.com/Mary.A.Byler/TikTok: the.misfit.amishSubscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Following up our initial interview with the incredible April Ajoy, we go LIVE with her to further discuss her upbringing as a Christian Nation*list, in which they drilled into teens a persecution complex that would put their life on the line as a declared “believer”. Fresh off the heels of “Shiny Happy People: Teenage Holy War”, April is a successful content creator and podcast host, sharing stories from her past and how she flipped a 180 in her thinking and way of life.Click here to watch on YouTubeWatch April’s initial interviewFind April:Book: Star-Spangled Jesus IG: https://www.instagram.com/aprilajoy/Podcast: The Tim and April ShowSubscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Last month the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints lost an appeal to remain blameless in the case of two bishops not reporting egregious acts of CSA in the state of Arizona.  Today we go in depth with former guest and current lawyer Kolby Reddish to further discuss the case and potential legal outcome.Click here to watch on YouTubeCheck out our interviews with Kolby:  Mormon Church SUED for Not Reporting Unspeakable Confessions (the Verdict) ft. Kolby ReddishMormonism On Trial: Ex-Mormon Lawyer Challenges Truth ClaimsHow a Mormon Lawyer Lost His Faith Ft. Kolby ReddishSubscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

After escaping the COG cult in Australia with her husband, Maria Esguerra spent years in higher education so she could become a psychologist and better understand her past. Her mission now is to help other survivors of high control groups and people, move through their trauma and find healing in understanding. She is even doing her best to help legally forge a path for those who are victims of coercive control and help the courts understand that crimes are not always so black and white. Our discussion covers the ways in which children's wiring is not only affected, but hijacked, when growing up in dangerous and or high control cults. Click here to watch on YouTubeFind and Support Maria!The Olive Leaf Network: Linktr.ee https://linktr.ee/MariaesguerraIG @cultpsyc TikTok: @mariaesguerra13 FB: https://www.facebook.com/maria.esguerra.75436DeCult: www.decult.netSubscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Fresh off the heels of “Shiny Happy People: Teenage Holy War” we sit with April Ajoy.  She wouldn’t have called herself a Christian Nation*list when she performed her original song “America Say Jesus” on the Jim Bakker show, or when she participated in Jesus Marches across America. April just considered herself a good Christian: faithful, and determined to make America a Christian nation once again. But as her view of the world widened, and she was faced with loss, grief and confronting beliefs, she began to take a closer look at the ideology she fiercely defended and preached herself. A successful content creator and podcast host, April shares stories from her past and how she flipped a 180 in her thinking and way of life. Click here to watch on YouTubeFind April:Book: Star-Spangled Jesus https://www.amazon.com/dp/1546006680IG: @aprilajoyPodcast: The Tim and April ShowSubscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Featured in the new and second season of Shiny Happy People, Dani was determined to live a life dedicated to Jesus as a young teen. She attended Acquire the Fire events in her early years which eventually led her to officially joining the Teen Mania Honor Academy program. She spent years paying thousands to work for free to travel on a bus and put on these huge events weekends at a time. She would even hang lights as crew, before putting on hour long productions as an actress and singer. At the height of her seniority, someone in the town snitched on her for kissing a boy and her whole world came to a screeching halt. Her friends were no longer allowed to see or speak with her and her unpaid, yet highly coveted position at the Honor Academy was stripped away. Learn more about her journey of working her way back in, with a heavy heart, before finally unraveling it all years later. Click here to watch on YouTubeFind Dani on social media:IG: @daniroccamusicIG: @theworldinlights TT: @danirocamusic Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Isolated within a world of a strict Independent Fundamental Baptist, Drew McCoy was more than invested in his beliefs. He would proselytize to anyone who needed God, even if it meant sacrificing his social status amongst non-believers. The closest he came to breaking the rules as a teen was hanging out with non-church friends who would smoke we*d in front of him.  A health scare drew him even closer to his faith and he attended a very strict Christian college that required even more time and devotion than his childhood. Everything came into question, however, when his family bought hard into Young Living Essential oils.  It became religion to them.  Drew did his research and found glaring issues with the founder, but when he confronted his family about it, they gave cultish responses that left him uneasy.  He had no idea that his entire reality was about to come into question. Click here to watch on YouTubeWatch Drew's Cult Leader confrontationFollow Drew on Youtube:  https://www.youtube.com/@GeneticallyModifiedSkepticDrew’s Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/gmskeptic/Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**Chapter Marks00:00:00 Intro00:03:46 Drew growing up as an Independent Fundamental Baptist00:06:15 The IFB uses the Bible as historical and scientific evidence00:10:21 Growing up as the "good kid" in Sunday school00:13:10 13 year old Drew defends the bible at skate camp00:17:31 What it was like for Drew being homeschooled and going to church youth group00:22:27 Was Drew ever worried about going to Hell?00:27:42 Drew didn't realize he was being indoctrinated with white supr*mecy propaganda00:34:32 Drew wanted many chiIdren because of the Quiverfull verse00:36:53 How the IBLP made an appearance in Drew's IFB experience00:39:54 What college was like for Drew00:44:32 When Drew started to feel that the environment may have been creating manufactured spiritual experiences00:48:03 Drew explains "Collective Effervescence"00:52:49 Drew's family's involvement in a pyramid scheme created a divide with him01:07:56 Drew's re-interpretations of what he once knew to be "true"01:15:19 Why Drew started his YouTube channel01:22:59 Is Drew's wife still a Christian?01:25:45 Linda, listenSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Lebaron group fled the US after being excommunicated from the Mormon church for still practicing polygamy. While in Mexico, the group split and the Ervilite side started implementing blood atonement in an attempt to wipe out the other. Pamela Jones grew up in fear that the Ervilites would come for them any moment. To escape the extreme abuse, she got married at 15, not realizing she was entering into the Ervilite family. Her husband went on to marry 5 other women while keeping her and her family in forced poverty, even restricting water. Today we speak with two of Pamela's daughters who give us their perspective on the cult and fleeing to the US to start a new life.Click here to watch on YouTubeWatch part 1 of Pamela’s interviewWatch part 2 of Pamela’s interviewFind Pamela!Pamela’s website: www.Pamelaspeaks.livePamela’s book:  The Dirt Beneath Our Door https://www.pamelaspeaks.live/bookPamela’s Podcast:  Wicked Confessions Uncensoredhttps://www.wickedconfessionsuncensored.com/Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: This podcast provides a platform for guests to share their personal experiences and opinions. The views expressed are solely those of the guest and do not necessarily reflect the views of the hosts or producers. Any allegations discussed are unverified and represent personal accounts only. All individuals mentioned are presumed innocent unless proven otherwise. The podcast assumes no legal responsibility for statements made by guests.**See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In the Vampyre community that Father Sebastiaan was the head of, it was sometimes the case that the group rituals and spiritual practices were manipulated into something far more insidious. Khassa and Ashra describe what happened at the group ceremony called Babylon. They were each told something different by Father Sebastiaan about the intention of the ceremony concerning Khassa’s role. In the end, Khassa was severely compromised by him and left questioning everything. Click here to watch on YouTubeWatch Khassa + Ashra's interviews:https://youtu.be/R3SbSxyFews?si=JgIM7Uw8sLKM7l8Chttps://youtu.be/nivycAxCicE?si=du7_tIyQB03UNQTgFollow Khassa + Ashra on social media: IG: https://www.instagram.com/liana_elizabeth_omar/IG:  https://www.instagram.com/ashraduvide/Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: This podcast provides a platform for guests to share their personal experiences and opinions. The views expressed are solely those of the guest and do not necessarily reflect the views of the hosts or producers. Any allegations discussed are unverified and represent personal accounts only. All individuals mentioned are presumed innocent unless proven otherwise. The podcast assumes no legal responsibility for statements made by guests.**Chapter Markers00:00:00 Intro00:03:38 Ashra's upbringing00:06:09 Ashra's introduction to occult practices00:08:30 Factors that may have contributed to her involvement with Vampyrism and Sebastiaan00:11:13 Getting involved with the Vampyre community and Father Sebastiaan00:18:24 Ashra's relationship with Father Sebastiaan00:24:23 Understanding how people can be susceptible to these kinds of groups00:26:08 How the relationship with Father Sebastiaan began devolving into something dark00:32:04 How women were treated by Father Sebastiaan00:37:53 How monogamy was viewed within the group00:42:49 Feeding practices between Ashra and Father Sebastiaan00:47:59 How Ashra was explo*ted by Father Sebastiaan00:51:18 The hold Father Sebastiaan has on people in the cult00:54:20 The final straw for Ashra00:59:47 Why Ashra decided to come forward and tell her story01:06:12 How Ashra is doing now01:08:59 Linda, ListenSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ashra was looking for a sense of community and understanding when she came into contact with Father Sebastiaan, the most public face of the Vampyre community. Eager to learn from him, she entered into a mentor/mentee relationship. Things would eventually devolve into conversations about sex magick and rituals that he wanted her to be a part of. She didn’t realize she was being gro*med to be one of his many girlfriends. He would go on to tell her what to wear and confessed he liked dressing his girls like dolls. Ashra would also end up being exploited for her labor, expected to proofread and edit one of his manuscripts for free. After leaving and being lured back in, she would finally make her escape in 2024. Click here to watch on YouTubeFollow Ashra on social media: IG: @ashraduvide Watch Khassa and Ashra's follow up LIVE interviewSubscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: This podcast provides a platform for guests to share their personal experiences and opinions. The views expressed are solely those of the guest and do not necessarily reflect the views of the hosts or producers. Any allegations discussed are unverified and represent personal accounts only. All individuals mentioned are presumed innocent unless proven otherwise. The podcast assumes no legal responsibility for statements made by guests.**See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Growing up, Khassa’ Kaikesi's mother felt plagued by her abilities as a medium. Even though Khassa came from a long line of Magickal practitioners, when she started understanding her own gifts, she was left with no support and felt isolated. She was bullied for her practices and attended 4 different high schools because of it. Once introduced to Vampyrism, the spiritualism resonated and she found herself meeting “the face” and fang master of the Vampyre community, Father Sebastiaan. He quickly showed romantic interest, but Khassa tried to keep her distance as she sensed something was off about him. Serious about her practice and interested in building a community, she set aside her fears about him to help create the inner circle. After a few years, things would take a dark turn and lines between spirituality and self serving ego would be blurred, leaving Khassa as one of many women who would be taken advantage of in more ways than one. For the first time, Khassa steps into the light to expose the inner workings of Father Sebastiaan’s Vampyre community.Click here to watch on YouTubeFind Khassa on social media: IG: https://www.instagram.com/liana_elizabeth_omar/Watch Khassa and Ashra's follow up LIVE interview: https://www.youtube.com/live/t3jPKLfNhKA?si=ZJ66QhPV88vtQFEcSubscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: This podcast provides a platform for guests to share their personal experiences and opinions. The views expressed are solely those of the guest and do not necessarily reflect the views of the hosts or producers. Any allegations discussed are unverified and represent personal accounts only. All individuals mentioned are presumed innocent unless proven otherwise. The podcast assumes no legal responsibility for statements made by guests.**See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

After 34 years of being abandoned, neglected, and brainwashed, Pamela Jones and her nine children escaped a fundamentalist cult out of Mexico and fled to a new life in the US. She had 2 cars and nothing more than $5 and two credit cards which she didn’t know how to use. Her biggest challenge was acclimating to a life of leadership and tasks she was never allowed to do in the cult. Getting the courage to order food at a drive through was her first huge undertaking. Pamela shares her struggles with helping her children learn in a public school, finding ways to feed and shelter her family, including almost joining an even more insidious polygamous group, and slowly finding her voice and value as a woman. She would go on to found a multimillion-dollar business, Exclusive Services by MyGirls, and has shared her story across the country to show how someone who came from nothing can truly have everything. Her family has grown to include 32 grandchildren, keeping Pamela busier, and more fulfilled, than ever.Watch part one (linked below) to learn more about her life growing up in isolation, hiding from a bl*od thirsty rival church and getting married off at 15 to escape her own familial abuse. Click here to watch on YouTubeWatch pt 1Watch part 3 with Pamela and her daughtersFind Pamela!Pamela’s website: www.Pamelaspeaks.livePamela’s book:  The Dirt Beneath Our Door https://www.pamelaspeaks.live/bookPamela’s Podcast:  Wicked Confessions Uncensoredhttps://www.wickedconfessionsuncensored.com/Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**Chapter Marks00:00:00 Intro00:05:26 Discovering How To Live in America00:10:14 Practicing Reading & Writing00:15:12 The Order Cult Almost Recruits Pamela!00:22:59 The Struggles of Putting Her ChiIdren in Public Education00:28:17 Starting Her Business & How Her Influence Caused More Women to Leave00:37:25 Deconstructing the Religion00:43:53 Realizations After Leaving the Cult00:51:11 The Steps Pamela Continually Took to Heal 00:55:56 CW: CSA from her brother00:59:08 The Ways Cult Survivors Choose to Heal01:04:53 The Beginning of Pamela’s Business & Where It's at Now01:12:29 Finding Love After Being So Mistreated in Pamela’s First Marriage01:23:40 Pamela's Shares About Her ChiIdren01:29:50 Final Thoughts and Linda ListenSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Pamela Jones was born in Los Molinos, Mexico to members of the Church of the Firstborn of the Fullness of Times,  a fundamentalist, misogynistic cult. She was the 11th of her abusIve father’s 57 biological children and 2nd of her mother’s thirteen children and it was from that moment on that Pamela held one single belief:  She existed for one reason and one reason only,  to be her eventual husband’s handmaid and to bear him as many children as possible.  Fast forward to age 10, Pamela was forced out of school to help her mom care for her 12 children,  giving her nothing more than a fifth-grade education.At age 15, Pamela married David Lebaron, the grandson of cult founder Alma Dayer LeBaron Jr.  and was pregnant 17 times in 18 years. After 9 childbirths and 8 miscarriages, Pamela felt she had enough children to make it to heaven, a fundamentalist belief. One day, she awoke her nine children to escape the neglect and ab*se from her husband, and make their way to the United States to start a new life.Click here to watch on YouTubeWatch part 2 of Pamela’s interviewWatch part 3 with Pamela and her daughtersFind Pamela!Pamela’s website: www.Pamelaspeaks.livePamela’s book:  The Dirt Beneath Our Door https://www.pamelaspeaks.live/bookPamela’s Podcast:  Wicked Confessions Uncensoredhttps://www.wickedconfessionsuncensored.com/Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**Chapter Marks00:00:00 Intro00:10:31 CW: Murd*r, Pamela Explains the Practices of Blood Atonement and How it Impacted Her ChiIdhood00:15:08 Pamela Talks about the Raid on Los Molinos & Her Role of a Mother from an Early Age00:22:15 CW: CA,  The Ways Pamela’s Father Controlled and Ab*sed Her00:28:14 Pamela Shares More About Her Father 00:33:58 Pamela’s Father’s Reaction to Her Meeting Her Husband00:39:30 How Quickly Pamela’s Husband Changed on Her00:43:44 Pamela’s Husband's Actions and Infidelity00:49:09 How Pamela Was Treated as a Polygamous Wife00:54:16 Pamela Makes Plans to Leave Her Husband and the Cult01:02:30 CW: Mentions of R*pe, Pamela’s Father Supports Her Against Her Husband01:09:48 Pamela’s Escape Story01:18:12 Pamela’s Experiences After Leaving Mexico & The Fear that Gripped Her01:26:01 Final Thoughts and Linda ListenSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Demetria is a survivor of an Oregon New Age group called TwinRay. She describes her journey into spirituality after reading Eckhart Tolle's works and being drawn to an online guru who claimed to have achieved spiritual liberation and later claimed he wasn’t even human. He introduced a woman (a former actress) to the leadership and claimed they were 'twin rays' with special spiritual knowledge. Demetria paid these self appointed Gurus $17,000 extra for life coaching and they put her on an all-fruit and charcoal pudding diet for 6 months, on top of charging $9,000 retreats where attendees were given a mysterious 'elixir’, later discovered to be DM.T. Once everyone was in an elevated state and under the influence, they would then make sales pitches for expensive products and future retreats. It was clear that the Twin Rays were living in luxury while their followers were exploited, used for labor, and not given a second thought. Click here to watch on YouTubeFollow Demetria on Substack: Demetriam.substack.comSubscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Feeling worthless as a young single adult in the Mormon church, Katie was sucked into a relationship with a “worthy priesthood holder” from her ward. Once he discovered her SA, a trauma that others were blaming and shaming her for, he claimed he could cure her using OneTaste’s Orgasmic Meditation. Vulnerable and left in the dark with all things sex related, he groomed her into thinking she needed these sessions with him to release her trauma. Unbeknownst to Katie, OneTaste was another cult who was pushing harmful ideas about SA, exploiting women and much worse. These harmful practices and ideologies combined with his predatory nature, led him to steal her virginity while she was unconscious having a seizure. He later admitted to purposely impregnating her so she would be forced to marry him. Barely 18, with no real support, Katie was left picking up the pieces while continuously being monitored and berated by the Mormon ran Brigham Young University’s honor code office. Click here to watch on YouTubeWatch pt 1 of Katie’s interviewSubscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Born and raised in a Mormon majority town, Katie was doing her best to be the most righteous and worthy Mormon she could be. Everything came crashing down when she was blamed by her mother and shamed by her bishop for being SA’d. They claimed her “purity was tainted” and she needed to repent. Upon graduation, she went to the Young Single Adults ward, where she was primed to be targeted by a “worthy priesthood holder” who tried to lure her into an orgasm cult with promises to “fix” her sexual trauma. Click here to watch on YouTubeWatch pt 2 of Katie’s interviewSubscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.*See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Amanda Rae joins us to talk about the ways in which her former polygamous cult weaponizes ignorance and purposely withholds information about reproduction to keep women submissive to their husband. Click here to watch on YouTubeWatch Pt 2 on Amanda's channel:  https://www.youtube.com/live/Q_vdflUQ69Y?si=oyE3eTaPp0QMpbimFind Amanda:YouTube:   @TheAmandaRaeGrant         IG: @amandaraegrantSubscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Daryl Davis has spent decades infiltrating and befriending not only Klan members but Klan leaders, even going as far as to attend their rallies. On a quest to do nothing more than explore racism and gather information for his book, Klan-Destine Relationships, Daryl Davis eventually became the recipient of numerous robes and hoods given to him by Klan members who rescinded their beliefs after coming to know him. He had inadvertently stumbled upon a successful method of forming friendships between sworn enemies. His methods have made him the center of controversy in some circles where he is considered “politically incorrect,” but after proving his methods work, he has made supporters out of his detractors.As a race relations expert, Daryl Davis has received acclaim for his book, Klan-Destine Relationships and his work in race relations from many respected sources including CNN, NBC, Good Morning America, The Learning Channel, National Public Radio, The Washington Post, The Baltimore Sun and many others. He is also the recipient of numerous awards including the highly prestigious Elliott-Black Award and the Bridge Builder Award presented by the American Ethical Union and Washington Ethical Society respectively, to name a few.  Filled with exciting encounters and sometimes amusing anecdotes, Daryl Davis’ impassioned lectures leave an audience feeling empowered to confront their own prejudices and overcome their fears, seeking to build a bridge and forge peace with their most unlikely adversaries.Click here to watch on YouTubeFollow Daryl:IG:  @realdaryldavis Website:  https://www.daryldavis.com/Daryl’s book:  The Klan WhispererSubscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**Chapter Marks00:00:00 Intro00:06:12 Daryl’s First Time Experiencing Rac*sm00:10:43  The Question Daryl’s Tried to Answer His Entire Life 00:15:42 Daryl’s Thoughts of Why Someone May Join A Group Like the Kl*n00:24:55 Daryl Shares About His First Positive Interaction with a Kl*n Member00:33:39 Daryl Explains the Hierarchy and Organization of the Kl*n00:38:15 Daryl’s Efforts to Interview Members of the Kl*n and Gives Some Definitions of Their Beliefs00:42:57 Daryl Speaks on the State of Civil Rights for POC and Women in the US and Among the Kl*n00:49:36 Daryl Tells of His Methods for Changing Peoples Perspectives & The Justifications Some Kl*n Members Use00:55:55 Daryl’s Perspective On How to Change Someone's Faulty Perspective01:02:43 Daryl’s Interactions with a Major Kl*n Leader and His Family01:09:06 More Interactions with Kl*n Members and Some More Background on the Systematic Rac*sm in America01:18:30  Why Daryl Still Feels Safe While Attending Kl*n Rallies and Events01:23:36 The Significance of Cross Burning in the Kl*n and about Their Supposed Christian Faith01:28:44 How Faulty Information Makes Its Way into Belief Systems01:34:14 Linda, listenSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Isolated in the Apostolic United Brethren, Janae’s father went unchecked when exploiting the nature of the religious group. With 4 wives and over a dozen children, he misused his power to control them all. “Life lessons” laced in traumatic experiences would leave the girls feeling helpless, scared and vulnerable without him, even when he was the true source of danger. Essentially acting as a cult leader within an already restrictive cult, Janae’s father took advantage of the system which had lasting negative effects. Click here to watch on YouTubeFind and Support Janae!IG: @janaedubose  Facebook: Janae DuBose Book:  “In The Cult Next Door”Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**Chapter Marks00:00:00 intro00:04:07 How the AUB split from the mainstream LDS church00:08:43 Hierarchy in the church and how Janae’s father affected their family's place00:10:34 What Janae's father was like and how he got involved with the AUB00:13:18 How Janae's father exploited AUB rules for his benefit00:14:48 CW: CA Janae's father's man*pulation and ab*se tactics00:25:31 Janae's mom's reaction to her chiIdren's ab*se and how the AUB predisposed her to marrying Janae's father00:30:03 CW: CSA Janae's father's openness about his pred*tory behavior00:33:05 How Janae's father's lack of self awareness led to a projection of his own feelings and issues00:35:20 The use of other religious beliefs in the household00:37:07 CW: SA How their father's ab*se affected the boys and their relationships with their sisters00:40:06 The cycle of ab*se (or lack thereof)00:41:43 The constant vulnerability in the house00:43:22 Inability to understand AUB00:46:57 Janae’s feelings on being a plural wife 00:48:54 Janae's mother's search for answers led them to mainstream Mormonism00:56:03 CW: r*pe - Janae’s past left her vulnerable after escaping 01:01:41 Learning to stand in your power as a woman 01:04:13 How people from ab*sive situations can be targets for other ab*sers in the future01:08:47 Finding safety in yourself and life after a cult01:16:16 What makes Janae happy today01:17:50 Linda, listenSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In the Apostolic United Brethren, a break off from the mainstream Mormon (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints), polygamy is not only expected, but a requirement to get into the highest level of heaven per the original prophet Joseph Smith. Women are also expected to “multiply and replenish the Earth”.  In this 2nd part to Emily’s interview, she delves into what it was like getting married at the age of 17, realizing her father was in fact “evil”, her reaction to him rising up as “Prophet” of the AUB, as well as what her deconstruction process has been like, and what’s it’s been like speaking out in recent years. Click here to watch on YouTubeWatch pt 1 of Emily’s interviewWatch Emily’s sister, Melanie’s interviewMelanie’s liveFind Emily on social media!YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Good-Enough-444IG: @good_enough_444  Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**Chapter Marks:00:00:00 Intro00:03:51 Emotional damage from purity culture after CSA00:06:01 Was Emily pushed into getting married at a young age?00:12:12 Emily's parents told her and her siblings they all lived polygamy in their own ways00:16:08 How much Emily knew about s*x Ed and getting pregnant at 1800:19:28 When Emily started to deconstruct00:24:54 Has Emily discussed what happened to her with her chiIdren?00:31:07 What made Emily decide to tell her story00:37:13 The "Without a Crystal Ball" interview00:39:34 What brings Emily joy now00:46:53 Emily's kind words about C2C00:50:41 Linda, listenSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In the Apostolic United Brethren, a break off from the mainstream Mormon (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints), polygamy is not only expected, but a requirement to get into the highest level of heaven per the original prophet Joseph Smith. Women are also expected to “multiply and replenish the Earth”. Emily’s mother (the second wife) had 11 chiIdren and had to work 3 jobs to put what little food on the table she could. Even with the best of intentions and all the love she gave her chiIdren, it often left them hungry, delirious and malnour*shed. Emily was babysitting infants and toddlers at just 7 years old with no milk to properly care for them. On top of this, the man who would later become the prophet of the AUB, her father, would come home and rage on all his chiIdren. An emotional and physical tort*re that left them scared and scarred for years to come.Click here to watch on YouTubeFind Emily on social media!YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Good-Enough-444IG: @good_enough_444  Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**Chapter Marks00:00:00 Intro00:04:00 Emily explains the AUB00:06:42 Rac*sm when it's convenient00:12:19 Emily's family unit- How many moms/sister wives?00:16:37 CW: Depictions of CA- How Emily's father treated his chiIdren00:21:10 How their father's ab*se affected them long term00:27:13 Did Emily's mother try to step in to help?00:30:23 Core memory babysitting infants at 7 yrs old00:35:39 Limited access to food00:38:49 Effects of malnour*shment00:40:21 CW: CSA- why there is a high rate of CSA in the AUB00:51:13 Emotional dam*ge from purity culture after CSASee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Born in 1968, Sarito spent her formative years constantly on the move with her mother, a young hippie in search of spiritual meaning. At just nine years old, what was intended to be a brief summer trip to India took an unexpected turn. Sarito and her mother joined the ashram of Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, transforming that fleeting visit into a seven-year journey within the commune—first in Pune, India, and later in the notorious city of Rajneeshpuram in Central Oregon. While in the commune, Sarito was submerged in a world where devotion and freedom clashed with man*pulation, s*xual misconduct, and neglect. After the fall of Rajneeshpuram in 1985, sixteen-year-old Sarito was abruptly thrust into the “real world.” In her book “In the Shadow of Enlightenment” is the gripping story of Sarito’s chiIdhood inside the Osho Rajneesh cult—one of the most controversial spiritual movements of the 20th century.Click here to watch on YouTubeFollow Sarito on social media:Sarito’s memoir “In the Shadows of Enlightenment” Website: https://www.saritocarroll.comFB: https://www.facebook.com/saritocIG: @saritocarroll TikTok: @saritocarroll_authorSubscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**Chapter Marks00:00:00 Intro00:04:59 How Life Has Been Since the Release Of Sarito’s Book00:07:09 Sarito’s Family's Introduction to the Cult00:10:52 The Beginning of Sarito’s Time in India as a ChiId & Some of the Cults Practices00:17:50 CW: CSA, the Highly S*xual Nature of the Cult and the Attention Sarito Received00:21:15 Specifics About the Cult Leader00:25:59 The Cult Leaders Teachings on Materialism and Wealth00:32:30 The Us vs Them Mentality of the Cult00:36:58 CW: CSA, the Cult Settling into Oregon & the Beginning of Sarito Being Gr**med00:41:54 CW: CSA, More Details About the Gr**ming Sarito Received00:49:48 The Tumult of Growing Up without any Structure or Role Models00:53:23 The Excellent Organization of the Commune & Its Settling in Oregon01:00:50 The Stark Contrast in Wealth and The Cult Leader's Interactions with its Members01:10:40 The Conflict Between Different Members of the Cult & The Demise of the Cult01:15:58 Sarito’s First Steps Outside of the Cult at 1601:21:54 Sarito’s Interactions with The Cult After Leaving and Publishing Her Book01:28:43 Final Thoughts01:31:06 Linda, listenSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Kevin James Thornton grew up in a small Christian town in Indiana. His early life started at a Baptist church, but once he discovered a Mega Church focused on rock bands and the youth, he became enamored and doubled down on his faith. A Jesus loving, self motivated chiId then teen, he loved his fully immersive church and heavily partook in extremely questionable youth events, but something inside himself felt wrong. Driven by his desire to fit in and “fix himself” he wouldn’t even allow himself to have the thought that he was gay. He attended youth group bible study religiously and went to inner city parks in NYC dressed as “sin” clowns to perform “morality plays”. They even put on extreme HeII based haunted houses with graphic scenes played out by the youth.  Things started to feel grim for Kevin once the group graduated high school and the boys he had crushes on coupled up and got married, leaving Kevin feeling more alone than ever.  Always having buried who he really was, it wasn’t until he escaped to college and found himself in a new group within theater that the inner turmoil would subside.  Kevin dives into what it was like selling everything to move to LA to become a comedian, and how he blew up on TikTok during the pandemic by sharing his old bible study memories (with a splash of autotune).Click here to watch on YouTubeTour dates and tickets:  Websites: https://www.kevinjamesthornton.com/https://www.shamalahamala.com/Follow Kevin on social media:YT: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNQbKNgL8bcuH8z4pzh9flwIG: @kevinjamesthornton  TT: @kevinjamesthornton Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**Chapter Marks00:04:24 Kevin's early church experiences as a southern baptist00:06:58 How Kevin changed churches and why it appealed to him as a teenager00:09:40 How this mega church appeared to be less conservative but doctrinally the opposite00:10:50 What Kevin's parents thought about his dedication to church00:12:14 What the messages were like at the new church00:14:28 Youth group mission trips to inner cities00:19:10 Messages from the church and the pressure to proselytize and bring more people to the church through events00:22:35 Kevin's dissonance with his s*xuality00:26:56 The story about home bible study during youth group00:30:13 How people in the same situations can have different experiences00:33:25 The mega church's haunted houses for Halloween00:37:27 Kevin's feelings at the time on the haunted houses00:39:06 When Kevin started to realize there were issues with his church00:43:28 How seeing other gay people be acceptable helped Kevin accept himself00:47:14 How his old youth group felt about Kevin's new life in college00:49:56 How reaching out can make someone second guess the best path for themselves00:52:17 Kevin's shift from his old life into the comedy scene00:59:11 How an app and the pandemic changed Kevin's comedy01:06:08 How Kevin is doing today01:11:47 Linda, ListenSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Many of you have gotten knocks on your door lately (us included) by the Jehovah’s Witnesses inviting you to attend their upcoming weekend long convention in July. Our friend Jake at @altworldly found a LEAKED copy of their propaganda and promised it would deliver in absurdity and disgusting takes on the “apostates” who have left the religion. Join us as Shelise blind reacts to these videos.Click here to watch on YouTubePart 1 of the streamFollow  @altworldly  Other video collaborations:Ex-Mormon and Ex-Jehovah's Witness Compare CULTure (ft.  @altworldly  )Ex- Mormon and Ex-Jehovah's Witness Compare Doctrine (ft @altworldly)Fear of End Times: Ex-Jehovah's Witness Confessions ft. @altworldlyAn ex-Mormon and ex-Jehovah's Witness Compare Notes (w/ @CultstoConsciousness )Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As a 4th generation Jehovah’s Witness, Alissa Watson followed the path laid out before her and married young at a month past 19. Against the recommendation of the doomsday cult, she had chiIdren. During the birth of her first chiId, a pool of lost blood scared her husband into looking into the doctrine of blood transfusions being a punishable sin. Unwilling to lose the life of his wife or baby during the next delivery, he confessed to his wife that he would not be following the blood doctrine if it came down to it. Alissa agreed, but had no idea it had sent her husband down a slow and secret path of deconstruction, until she confronted him about his absence in the church. Research of rampant CSA coverups, a wishy-washy governing body leader under oath and more left her shocked. Their exit out of the religion was messy and hurtful, leaving behind their entire family who refused to even look at them due to the strict practice of shunning.Click here to watch on YouTubeWhy I Left the Jehovah's Witnesses: The Truth Behind My ExitFind Alissa on Social:YouTube: @athomewithalissaIG: @athome_withalissa  TikTok: @athomewithalissa Take your personal data back with Incogni! Use code SHELISE at the link below and get 60% off an annual plan: https://incogni.com/sheliseSubscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**Chapter Marks00:00:00 Intro00:04:27 What it was like growing up as a Jehovah's Witness (pressures & disfellowshipping)00:11:07 Why Alissa wanted to be homeschooled00:13:16 Alissa meets her husband at 17 and doubles down on the religion00:16:14 Dating as a Jehovah's Witness00:18:33 The pressures of being a teenage girl having to get married00:23:52 Alissa gets engaged, sins and thinks Satan is attacking her relationship00:26:51 Jehovah's Witnesses discourage having chiIdren00:30:43 The "no blood" rule causing a scare during birth00:37:23 Alissa's husband starts secretly deconstructing00:40:47 Was Alissa's husband filled with Satan??00:42:47 Why Alissa's testimony crumbled overnight00:47:59 What it was like when Alissa and her family were shunned00:57:31 Setting boundaries and making mental health a priority01:06:09 Why Alissa decided to start speaking out on social media01:14:53 How Alissa's life has changed for the better01:18:34 Linda, Listen01:20:40 Find and support Alissa!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

During WWII the horrific extermination of religious and ethnic groups forced people to denounce their faith and hail Hitler for their own survival. Owen Morgan, former JW and successful YouTuber  @OwenMorganTelltale  dove into the rabbit hole to extensively research the position and stories of the JW people at the time. He explains how Joseph Franklin Rutherford, the second leader of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, made an attempt to align with the Nazi regime to  maintain freedom of worship. However, he took things a step further, actively harming the witnesses and taking the religion in a cultic direction. Click here to watch on YouTubeWatch our initial interview with Owen:The Extremely Isolated Life of Growing Up Jehovah's WitnessFind Owen on Social Media:YT: https://www.youtube.com/@OwenMorganTelltaleIG: @owenmorgantelltale Website:  www.owenmorgan.comBook: Was Hitler an Atheist? Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**Chapter marks:00:00:00 Intro00:03:09 Owen's motivation for researching the N*zi's treatment of Jehovah's Witnesses during World War II00:04:26 Owen's reasons for leaving the church00:06:36 German Christian national*sm and H*tler's connection to the Jehovah's Witnesses00:10:53 Rutherford's letter to H*tler00:12:10 JW's support of N*zism vs the well known rule of no politics00:15:44 Frank's story as a JW  in N*zi Germany00:21:24 Paul Balzereit's story00:23:40 How JW's were forced into signing the declaration to H*tler00:25:35 How Rutherford came into leadership and the changes he brought00:31:51 Why Rutherford released the statement and the resiliency of JW members00:37:44 Corruption in leadership of Jehovah's Witnesses vs Mormonism00:41:15 Rac*sm in the Jehovah's Witness religion and Mormonism00:44:46 Different schisms of Jehovah's Witnesses and their similarities with the main group00:48:17 Word of wisdom hot drinks vs caffeine debate in Mormonism00:51:44 How and why trivial religious rules and how they can dictate people's entire lives00:57:21 Other recent changes to the religion01:00:05 Financial holdings and corruption in the JW religion01:07:17 Guilt and being a good person as a Jehovah's Witness01:13:03 Linda, listenSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Bethany was raised in the Jehovah’s Witnesses, only to realize she had been part of a cult for thirty years. The psychological pressure cooker exploded in her 20s with quickly deteriorating mental health. The faux perfectionism drove her into an eating disorder as a means to gain any form of control over her life. When she could no longer pretend anymore, questioning authority and pursuing her personal freedom cost her, her devout family.  She now has a YouTube channel where she discusses the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ harmful policies.Today we are going LIVE with Bethany to further dive into how the Jehovah’s Witnesses completely ruined her relationship with her parents.  Click here to watch on YouTubeWatch the initial interview here  Find Bethany on social media:Linktree: https://linktr.ee/bethanylegerwebsite: www.bethanyleger.comYT: https://www.youtube.com/@stoptheshunningIG: https://www.instagram.com/bethanylegerwriterBethany’s book: Physically In, Mentally Out: Navigating Your Exit From WatchtowerThe best way to reach her is via email: bethanylegerwriter@gmail.comSubscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Bethany Leger was raised in the Jehovah’s Witnesses, only to realize she had been part of a cult for thirty years. The psychological pressure cooker exploded in her 20s with quickly deteriorating mental health. The faux perfectionism drove her into an eating d*sorder as a means to gain any form of control over her life. When she could no longer pretend anymore, questioning authority and pursuing her personal freedom cost her, her devout family.  She now has a YouTube channel where she discusses the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ h*rmful policies.Click here to watch on YouTubeFind Bethany on social media:Linktree: https://linktr.ee/bethanylegerwebsite: www.bethanyleger.comYT: https://www.youtube.com/@stoptheshunningIG: https://www.instagram.com/bethanylegerwriterBethany’s book: Physically In, Mentally Out: Navigating Your Exit From WatchtowerThe best way to reach her is via email: bethanylegerwriter@gmail.comSubscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**Chapter Marks:00:00:00 Intro00:04:25 Defining the Jehovah's Witness religion as a cult-like group00:06:02 What Bethany's family was like growing up00:11:08 Core beliefs of the Jehovah's Witnesses00:15:23 Bethany's gut feelings about the church and the obligation to fulfill duties00:23:20 CW: ED Developing h*rmful behaviors and realizing how being a JW makes Bethany really feel00:25:21 CW: ED Bethany's experience in high school that led her to evaluate the Jehovah's Witnesses00:38:45 What Bethany's mom did to keep her in the religion00:41:16 Bethany's parents' conflicting values and where that confusion ultimately led her00:46:26 How self policing kept Bethany as a Jehovah's Witness after high school00:49:30 The tension in Bethany reaches a breaking point CW: su*cid*l ideation00:51:54 The last time Bethany stepped foot in a Kingdom Hall00:58:29 The moment that changed Bethany's perspective forever01:02:02 CW: SA Jehovah's Witness SA cases in Australia01:03:12 CW: SA The two witness rule and how it allows rampant ab*se to fester for years01:06:10 Barbara Anderson's story01:13:59 New changes to how shunning works01:19:09 How Bethany is doing now01:22:51 Linda, listenSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Melanie and Cory grew up in the Apostolic United Brethren (AUB) at the Montana compound. They wouldn’t  meet, however, until long after leaving the cult and all their family behind. Almost a polygamous wife, Melanie had a horrible arranged marriage at a young age and did whatever it took to get out and become free. Now, we look at what happens when a funeral brings them both back to the compound to face estranged family members as apostates. How did their families react to them now that they have a YouTube channel exposing the AUB? Tune in to find out! Click here to watch on YouTubeWatch Melanie’s initial interviewFollow Melanie on Social Media:https://www.youtube.com/@NotestoSelf444IG: @Notestoself444 https://www.tiktok.com/@NotestoSelf444Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

One of the polygamous offshoots of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the Apostolic United Brethren (AUB) where the famous Kody Brown and Sister Wives come from. Melanie grew up in this group with 4 mothers and 34 and counting siblings. Her Father was an apostle when she was growing up, but would go on to become the prophet. A position that is said to commune directly with God and Jesus themselves. The highest calling on Earth. Melanie and her siblings were shocked when such an ab*sive man would be given such a sacred calling. Melanie, destined to become a plural wife herself, would have to put up with her spouse courting a 16 year old girl while she was pregnant! She lived a life full of grief and pain and void of real romantic love, until she gained the courage to escape and leave her entire family and community behind. Click here to watch on YouTubeWatch Melanie and Cory in our LIVE interviewFollow Melanie on Social Media:https://www.youtube.com/@NotestoSelf444IG: @Notestoself444 https://www.tiktok.com/@NotestoSelf444Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**Chapter Marks00:00:00 Intro00:03:36 Why Melanie Started Sharing Her Story; Her ChiIdhood00:08:07 Melanie’s Father Had a Favorite Wife and How it Impacted Her as a ChiId00:16:40 Specifics about the AUB and Melanie’s First Marriage00:22:42 Melanie’s First Husband, and How Her Mother Taught Her Not to See Race00:25:39 CW: CSA, SA, Beginning of Melanie’s First Marriage & How She Avoided Getting Pregnant00:30:55 CW: Mentions of Self-H*rm, Melanie Shares How Marriage was as a Teenager in the AUB and How It Impacted Her00:38:15 What it Was Like Dating Her First Husband and a Potential Plural Wife00:46:28 CW: CA, Melanie’s Faith Crisis After Her Father Became an Apostle & Her First Time Leaving the AUB00:52:35 Returning to the AUB for A Time After Her Son was Born00:56:03 Getting Divorced and Meeting Her 2nd Husband01:05:47 Melanie’s Deconstruction & Her Father Becoming Prophet of the AUB01:11:04 Shocking Information about Her Best Friend01:18:15 Melanie’s Life Now and the Progress She's Made01:27:06 Final Thoughts and What Brings Melanie Joy01:29:40 Linda, listenSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Shannon Foley Martinez was a vict*m of CSA at age 14.  Never quite able to meet her parent's expectations, Martinez sought out other angry teens. By 16 she was a sk*nhead spouting white supremac*st rhetoric, giving stiff-armed N*zi salutes and tagging public property with swast*kas. Fortified by the love of an adopted family, Martinez left the sk*nheads behind, and today is committed to devoting the rest of her life to helping dismantle the culture of white suprem*cy, as well as helping others find their way to the other side of a life of hate.Click here to watch on YouTubeFind Shannon on Social Media:  IG: @shannon_foley_martinezTake back your personal data with Incogni! Use code SHELISE at https://incogni.com/shelise and get 60% off an annual plan.Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**Chapter Marks00:03:27 Shannon's chiIdhood and vulnerabilities that led her to joining a Neo N*zi group00:12:06 How sports helped Shannon00:15:34 How moving during a vulnerable developmental age effected Shannon00:24:39 What high school was like for Shannon00:28:35 A night that changed Shannon's life at 1400:30:42 CW: r*pe How Shannon's traum*tic experience at a party led to h*rmful behaviors00:35:34 Shannon's mom blamed her for be v*ctimized00:43:32 How Shannon's undirected anger led her to the wrong crowd00:49:16 How rac*sm come into play for Shannon00:55:15 What a woman's role in the movement looks like01:00:50 How Shannon found her way outSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Shannon Foley Martinez was a victim of CSA at age 14.  Never quite able to meet her parent's expectations, Martinez sought out other angry teens. By 16 she was a skinhead spouting white supremacist rhetoric, giving stiff-armed Nazi salutes and tagging public property with swastikas. Fortified by the love of an adopted family, Martinez left the skinheads behind, and today is committed to devoting the rest of her life to helping dismantle the culture of white supremacy, as well as helping others find their way to the other side of a life of hate.  Click here to watch on YouTubeWatch pt 1:  https://youtu.be/SjlWNeLPKtA?si=4h-zGqOrC_ePCIx-Find Shannon on Social Media:  IG: @shannon_foley_martinezSubscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**Chapter Marks00:00:00 Intro00:02:54 Resetting living in a safe environment00:10:58 What made Shannon change her perspective00:17:14 How Shannon's college experience opened her eyes to new information00:23:05 Having chiIdren changed Shannon’s outlook & goals00:33:32 Breaking cycles with Shannon’s chiIdren and grandchiIdren00:37:09 Setting healthy boundaries and figuring out appropriate expectations00:42:29 Boundaries with adult chiIdren in the home00:45:37 Shannon's continued healing journey and coming to peace within herself00:56:17 Linda, listenSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Christian Picciolini found himself stumbling through high school, struggling to find a community among other fans of punk rock music. There, he was recruited by a notorious white power sk*nhead leader and encouraged to fight with the movement to "protect the white race from extinction." Soon, he had become an expert in rac*st philosophies, a terror who roamed the neighborhood, quick to throw fists. When his mentor was sent to prison, sixteen-year-old Picciolini took over the man's role as the leader of an infamous neo-Naz* sk*nhead group.Seduced by the power, he accrued through intimidation, and swept up in the rhetoric he had adopted, Christian worked to grow an army of extrem*sts. He used music as a recruitment tool, launching his own propag*nda band that performed at white power rallies around the world. But slowly, as he started a family of his own and a job that for the first time brought him face to face with people from all walks of life, he began to recognize the cracks in his hat*ful ideology. Then a shocking loss at the hands of rac*al viol*nce changed his life forever, and Picciolini realized too late the full extent of the h*rm he'd caused.Click here to watch on YouTubeCheck out Christian’s books:christianpicciolini.com“White American Youth": whiteamericanyouth.com"Breaking H*te”: breakinghate.comFind Christian on social media:IG: @cpicciolini Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**Chapter Marks00:00:00 Intro00:05:33 How Christian was vulnerable to recruitment and thus got involved00:12:12 American History X and its parallels to Christian’s experience00:13:41 The moment that Christian realized v*olence equaled power00:17:30 How Christian went from going along with the ideologies to really believing them00:19:39 What the goal of the movement was00:22:50 Christian's double life participating in the movement while also playing football00:26:12 Christian's experience with a black body guard in high school00:33:13 The facade begins to fade after Christian's recruiter goes to prison00:36:32 How their h*te for others was rooted in their h*te for themselves00:38:40 Why and how women join these groups00:41:55 How these groups self contain their ideas and how it warps member's perception of reality00:45:35 Christian's marriage and its fallout gave him the freedom to leave the movement00:51:48 Christian non-linear path to healing and how meeting someone from his past changed his future01:00:11 The importance of accountability in healing01:02:27 Where Christian is today and what brings him joy01:05:15 What Christian's relationship is like with his sons and how they feel about his past01:12:11 Linda, listenSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A Happy Mother’s Day to everyone tuning in! This is an honest conversation between a mother and daughter about the crippling expectations placed on mothers in high control groups. Lisa explains her experience growing up in Mormonism which shaped her view of her options after high school and directly led her to becoming a young mother leaving her dreams behind. Shelise chimes in about what she remembers the messaging being as a young girl in Mormonism and explains the pros and cons of raising a child outside of a high demand religion.Click here to watch on YouTubeConnect with Lisa!Business IG: @spiritofottertail https://www.instagram.com/spiritofottertail?igsh=MWFtdTdodHZ5aDFiOQ==Take back your personal data with Incogni! Use code SHELISE at https://incogni.com/shelise and get 60% off an annual plan.Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**Chapter Marks000:00:00 Intro00:03:47 Shelise's Special Announcement...00:04:25 Lisa's early years attending Young Womens00:05:28 The only option for a woman was to be a wife and mother00:12:14 What the crossroads of career vs marriage was like for Lisa00:16:44 Are Utah Mormons different than Mormons from other states?00:21:25 The pitfalls of the church pressuring young people to get married00:28:37 Parenting is already hard enough-- what the extra layer of guilt & shame was like for Lisa00:31:35 The discusses her own break downs00:34:51 The chaos of Lisa getting the chiIdren ready for church, and to show up presenting perfect00:39:50 The pressures of a Mormon mom when it comes to their children's actions00:44:06 Lisa's thoughts on sending her kids on a Mormon Mission00:47:01 Things that made being a parent difficult while Mormon00:52:17 Lisa's regrets as a Mormon mom00:54:25 Shelise opens up about her beliefs and raising chiIdren in a religious state01:04:14 Lisa's thoughts on the after life01:05:47 What is the cost of Mormon salvation?01:12:12 How Lisa feels about the less strict parenting rules the church has now01:18:20 Final thoughts01:26:35 Linda, listenSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

From a desperate mother in poverty to an American Romani family, Amanda had no trace of who she was. All of her documents were either destroyed or hidden and any trace of her biological mother was gone. Her life was a paradox of luxury coupled with ab*se and isolation. Kept out of school and othered for being adopted, she felt completely alone. Amanda was pushed into an arranged marriage which turned into another nightmare. Find out how she escaped.Click here to watch on YouTubeFind Amanda: IG: @redpandasattack93 YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/@RedPandasattack93?si=CtRqmiGBKbbrglnqSubscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**Chapter Marks00:00:00 Intro00:03:29  How Amanda Came Across Cults to Consciousness & Decided to Share Her Story00:05:42 CW: Traff*cked as an infant; Issues of Not Having Documentation00:10:34  Background on Amanda’s Biological Mother & Some of Her Health Issues00:14:00 CW: CA, CSA, Amanda Shares Her Most Prominent ChiIdhood Memories00:19:57 Amanda Explains Some of the Romani Foundational Beliefs & Practices00:24:07 CW: CA, DV, Amanda’s Observations of Ab*se Amongst the Romani People00:28:34 CW: CA, DV, SA, CSA, Details About Amanda’s Father's Targeted Ab*se & Control00:30:48 Romani Marriages & How Amanda Rebelled Against Her Own00:35:58 How Amanda Was Deprived A Traditional Education & Her Efforts to Learn00:40:44 The Materialism of The Romani & The Control Amanda Was Subject To00:44:28 What the day to day looked like for Amanda and her family00:47:02 Amanda Gives Examples of How the Romani Make Their Living00:51:25 CW: Marital R*pe, SA, Amanda’s First Marriage Within the Romani Community00:59:12 CW: DV, Amanda’s attempts to Leave Her Marriage And Turning to Alcohol to Cope01:05:10 CW: Suic*de Attempts01:08:34 What Makes Amanda Happy Now That She's Out01:12:17 How Amanda Was Finally Able to Leave the Cult & Meeting Her Now Partner01:16:32 How Amanda’s Brother Showed the Same Traits as Her Father01:20:51 Final Thoughts & Amanda’s Hopes for Her Family01:24:28 Linda, ListenSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In our previous interview, Gina exposed many ways in which she was trained from birth to scam as a fortune teller. Some of the schemes her family ran on unsuspecting or vulnerable people garnered over $100k. Gina explained how the American Romani family she was a part of, was not living up to the beautiful culture of her persecuted people, but were greedy, ab*sive and scammers. Forced to become one herself, or be beat*n for her noncompliance, she had no other choice but to succumb to their demands. However, once she got pregnant from an outsider, she knew in order to save the life of her chiId, she had to escape. Today we will talk about her life after running away from her family and how the made it in the world with no education past 12 years old. Click here to watch on YouTubeWatch Gina's initial full interview here:   https://youtu.be/lFD7FaWWWY4?si=gok4dXhuhM_HB_O9Find Gina:  Book:  Shay BariIG: @_shaybari Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@_ShayBariSubscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Gina Merino grew up in California with a very strict family which identifies as “Gypsies”. Her life was strictly controlled and she experienced harsh ab*se at the hands of her step mother. At elementary age, before being pulled out of school, she would begin telling fortune, understanding she was lying to people, but had no other choice. She uncovers ways in which her and her family scammed people out of thousands of dollars. When her father revealed a deep secret to his wife and family, both him and Gina were immediately treated like garbage. Gina was stuck, isolated in the family until years later when she made a daring escape and never looked back. Click here to watch on YouTubeFind Gina:  Book:  Shay BariIG: @_shaybari Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@_ShayBariTake your personal data back with Incogni! Use code SHELISE at the link below and get 60% off an annual plan: https://incogni.com/sheliseSubscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**Chapter Marks00:00:00 Intro00:03:56 The specific Romani group that Gina came from00:06:20 How Gina feels about using the G-word to refer to her people00:08:08 Stand out memories for Gina00:10:05 How Gina reacted to getting pulled out of school00:11:09 Why it was important to be pulled out of school00:13:56 How Gina was taught to scam at an early age00:20:30 How Gina felt having to lie at an early age00:23:50 The biggest scam Gina witnessed00:29:52 Growing up with an abus*ve stepmother00:38:21 Gina's father comes out as gay and it changes the course of her life00:41:44 Gina's last words to her father00:46:18 Gina was forced to go back00:51:53 Gina is in a painful place, and is put on a strict diet00:53:31 Gina is forced back to fortunetelling00:59:37 Gina plots her escape01:11:16 "I just needed more hugs"01:14:22 Did Gina ever make contact with her family again?01:15:56 What brings Gina joy now01:19:44 Linda, listenSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Born a Romani girl in the US, in a very insulated group, Paulina Stevens had her future laid out for her. She was set in an arranged marriage to her cousin at 14 years old and after her dowry was paid, her new family claimed they “owned her”. Things got dark and possessive very quickly and no one would help her. After having chiIdren and realizing she needed to escape, she would spend years fighting back against threats, legal battles and now the indoctrination of her own chiIdren by their father and his family. She still cherishes parts of the Romani traditions and educates people in the culture. Click here to watch on YouTubeBook:  Secrets of Romani Fortune TellingWebsite:  https://www.romanistanpodcast.com/Instagram: @_paulina_v_Podcast IG: https://www.instagram.com/romanistanpodcastSubscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**Chapter Marks00:00:00 Intro00:03:28 Background on the Romani, Early Memories00:07:52 CW: Mentions of R*pe, C Marriages, Cultural History of the Romani People and How it Still Affects Them00:11:04 Paulina’s ChiIdhood and How She Was Denied a Traditional Education00:16:27 Fortune Telling, and Traditional Aspects of her Romani Group00:22:19 External Pressures That Led to Paulina to Get Married as a Teenager00:27:27 Double Standards in Paulina’s Romani Community and the Control They Impose Over Women00:32:54 CW: SA, Stark Differences Paulina Experienced in her In-Law's Family00:37:45 The Pressure To Have ChiIdren and Paulina’s Family's Involvement in Her Parenting00:41:25 Why She Decided To Leave Her Community & Her Experiences Fighting for Custody00:48:00 Paulina’s Struggles Fighting for Custody00:51:14 How Paulina’s ChiIdren Are Being Influenced By the Romani Community & How She Stays Involved in Her Heritage00:54:22 How Paulina was and Still is Negatively Treated by some in the Romani Community01:01:28 Paulina Shares About Her Life Now01:05:16 Final Thoughts and Linda ListenSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today we are joined LIVE by former Independent Fundamental Baptist Eric, of the show @preacherboys, to discuss the Bible Baptist Church. It has a decades-long history of hiring, supporting, and protecting individuals credibly accused or convicted of sexual abuse and other serious crimes, especially against children.The church’s leadership, particularly Pastor Doug Duffett, has repeatedly minimized, concealed, or excused offenses, often blaming victims and discouraging transparency or outside intervention.  We will dive into the list of notable abusers and church response, the institutional cover-up Tactics, the sermon excerpts illustrating leadership attitude, as well as the key examples of abuse and the institutional response.Click here to watch on YouTubeWatch our original interview with Eric hereFind and support Eric!Website: https://www.preacherboyspodcast.com/YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/@PreacherBoysFB: https://www.facebook.com/preacherboysdoc/IG: @preacherboysdocTikTok: @preacherboyspod Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

CW:  CA, ED.  What happens when religion and power collide in the wrong hands? At Grenville Christian College, once one of Canada’s most prestigious private religious schools, the result was thousands of broken lives.  Once ranked amongst Canada’s elite boarding schools, the impressive facade hid a far darker truth. Just three years after its opening, the college fell prey to the “Mothers” — leaders of a Cape Cod commune that would turn GCC into an institution of paranoia that brainwashed, abused, and terrorized its residents for decades.Staff and students alike were forced into terrifying “light sessions” where they were publicly attacked for their sins. Cruel punishments that demoralized and demeaned were commonplace, keeping residents captive to their shame — by a cult that was hidden in plain sight.The first “staff kid” to be born at GCC, Beth Granger was removed from her parents’ care at the age of 4, because they were deemed too sinful to raise her. When she was only 5, the leaders declared war on Beth’s “sin” of gluttony.  It would take her three decades to muster the courage to escape. Six years after leaving, she helped spearhead a lawsuit against the school lasting 16 years, and won!Click here to watch on YouTubeFind Beth on Social media:website:  www.bethgranger.caIG:  @happygranger Book/Audible: Born and Razed Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**Chapter Marks:00:00:00 Intro00:05:20 Beth filed a lawsuit– the first historical ab*se case to go to trial in Canada– and won00:08:21 Beth's early years with the school, and how the Mothers took over00:14:24 Where the Mothers learned their technique00:19:30 The types of Christianity this school was based on00:21:14 How they intentionally separated chiIdren from their families00:25:37 CW:  Beth was denied pay after she confessed her eating d*sorder00:31:08 Who the chiIdren were actually being raised by and the types of environments they fostered00:33:34 How harsh the pun*shments were for misbehaving00:38:35 Beth's banishment to another country as pun*shment00:43:03 The beautiful facade that hid pun*shing mind control tactics00:45:23 Confessions for normal human emotions that were rooted in self-h*tred00:46:56 Beth escapes the mind control00:47:53 Beth's marriage prospect and how an injury led to her physical escape00:51:06 What it was like for Beth to be in the outside world for the first time00:54:23 How Beth became part of the lawsuit and how it progressed her healing journey00:56:59 How normalized h*rmful behavior can take years to unlearn and unpack01:00:56 How Beth met her partner01:01:49 TW: ED - Beth's journey with heaIing and therapy 01:04:36 TW: ED - Beth's experience with therapy (continued) 01:07:44 How writing her book helped Beth trust people again01:10:49 What it means for Beth to be open about her story and how sharing it has helped others01:11:34 What brings Beth joy and peace today01:13:11 TW: ED01:14:46 Linda, listenSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Institute in Basic Life Principles, run by the predatory Bill Gothard, would turn thousands of families into their own isolated cults. Matthew Castle was trapped in his own family until his mid twenties. Shielded from the outside world and musically stifled, his talent on the violin was so impressive, multiple colleges including Juilliard tried recruiting him as a young teen. However, without choice in the matter, those dreams were quickly torn away. His mother was so strict and controlling, she even drove him to and from a local college ensuring he wasn’t led astray by the evil world. When she found his personal journal, revealing his sexuality, she immediately sent him to a cult approved conversion therapy conference. Learn how Matthew finally escaped, acclimated to the real world, and eventually found the love of his life– Paul. Click here to watch on YouTubeStreaming platforms: Matthew CastleYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MatthewandPaulOfficialInstagram:  @matthewandpaul Paul’s books:  https://paulcastlestudio.com/Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**Chapter Marks00:04:48 What Matthew's early education was like and how his parent's got involved in the Advanced Training Institute00:06:10 How the "Umbrella of Authority" and other IBLP teachings changed the family's way of thinking00:10:41 Matthew's s*xuality and the dichotomy between his feelings and what he was being taught00:14:34 Music in the IBLP movement and how even some classical composers were taboo00:17:52 How even classical music was a tie to the secular world for Matthew00:20:24 How Bill Gothard's beliefs prevented Matthew from attending the most prestigious music schools in the country00:26:18 Matthew's experiences at the IBLP institutes00:28:11 Matthew's opinion of Bill Gothard and the favoritism in the group00:29:01 Bill's pr*datory nature towards young women00:31:31 Bill's near fat*l encounter with Matthew's father00:33:30 The discovery of Matthew's journal and the beginning of the end00:37:31 Matthew's experience at a conversion conference00:41:42 Matthew's last straw and how he escaped00:43:24 What it felt like to leave and how Matthew started to discover himself00:48:22 Paul enters the chat!00:49:26 What it was like for Matthew to starting dating and meeting his partner Paul00:56:23 What secular things Paul has introduced to Matthew01:01:01 How Matthew has learned to identify his feelings and communicate after leaving IBLP01:03:59 What brings Matthew joy today01:06:38 Linda, listenSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Louise Roberts grew up in a strict LDS (Mormon) household where the messages of apostles’ quotes would echo throughout. One of them being “if you are ever in a position to be r*ped, ask to be k*lled.” Her mother was not aware that she had already been h*rmed as a chiId. This led to feelings of worthlessness and shame which had her seeking love and acceptance from boys in her school. When she found herself pregnant at 15, we discover how the LDS church handled it despite her and her family’s wishes. A tale of rejection, perseverance and resilience. Click here to watch on YouTubeSubscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**Chapter Marks00:00:00 Intro00:04:35 Louise’s Family and Her Devout Mormon Upbringing00:12:17 More of Louise’s Mormon Upbringing & Deciding to Cut Ties With Her Mother00:16:00 Louise’s Defining ChiIdhood Memories00:21:50 Louise Becomes Pregnant at 1500:27:19 Louise Experience with LDS Family Services and Why She Didn't Give Her ChiId Up for Adoption00:31:28 Louise Talks About The Religious Repercussions of Getting Pregnant00:40:00 TW: CSA, Quotes from "The Miracle of Forgiveness" that Louise’s Mother Used to Teach Her00:45:42 Toxic Situation with Her Mother and with the Church00:56:44 Navigating Life After Having a ChiId, and Her Mother's Pressuring Her to Get Married01:00:11 The Pressure and Judgement Her Mom Put on Her and Her Husband01:09:25 Deconstructing Her Previous Faith01:14:59 Finally Being Able to Make Friends After Her Faith Deconstruction01:22:54 CW: CSA, Louise Shares A Few More Details About Her Family01:27:44 Louise’s Life Now and Linda ListenSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

After 25 years of being a devout Mormon, when Lexi started questioning her faith, she had no support other than the online content made by ex-Mormon creators.  When her father saw that she responded to and agreed with an ex-Mormon social media post, he snapped at her to keep her mouth shut about her opinions.  This was the moment that fueled her to start her own ex-Mormon YouTube channel, and so Exmo Lex was born.Since then, the last 6 years as a content creator have been quite the ride.  Each week she’s furthered uncovered the discrepancies in the Mormon church, all while on her own deconstructing journey.  From dealing with hate comments, to being disowned by her husband’s parents… today Exmo Lex dives into the Darkside of creating ex-Mormon content, and why she’s now choosing to step away.Click here to watch on YouTubeExmo Lex’s goodbye video:  I’m "Quitting" Ex-MormonismFind Exmo Lex on Social media!YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/@ExmoLexTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@exmolexTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nossraviTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thelittle.estfarmSubscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**Chapter Marks00:00:00 Intro00:04:22 Why Exmo Lex decided to start making ex-Mormon content 6 years ago00:07:24 What led Exmo Lex to leave Mormonism00:11:04 The CES Letter, and it's impact on Mormons starting their faith crisis00:18:53 How Exmo Lex decided on her specific brand of ex-Mormon content 00:21:47 The darkside of being a content creator00:26:23 Exmo Lex on being an Ex Mormon content creator while still deconstructing00:32:11 How Exmo Lex's family felt about her creating ex-Mormon content00:43:04 Exmo's favorite response to "the members aren't perfect, but the church is"00:45:31 Exmo Lex's biggest "I can't believe I didn't know that about the church" moment00:50:50 When Exmo Lex decided to give up creating ex-Mormon content00:52:46 What it would take for Exmo Lex to get one video out a week01:01:44 What Exmo Lex will focus on now01:06:47 Linda, listenSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In a church that requires confessions from ages as early as 8, to an untrained, inexperienced, randomly appointed man, it leaves a lot of room for a potential ab*se situation. In Taylor’s case, she developed scrupulously (religious OCD) and felt compelled to repent of every single thing that would be seen as a sin by the LDS church. Her bishop further took advantage of her, asking for explicit details of her intimate life with her boyfriend, including over text message and in his own home. This type of clergy ab*se is not the standard, but unfortunately not uncommon. Taylor describes living with this condition and the immense guilt and shame that followed her into her mission and beyond. Click here to watch on YouTubeFind and Support Taylor! IG: @taylormaydemassage Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**Chapter Marks:00:04:53 Taylor’s ChiIdhood & Her Family's Relationship with Mormonism00:12:33 Some Background Information on the Mormon Church00:16:17 Taylor’s Traumat*zing Experiences with One-On-One Interviews & Her Relationships as a Teen00:22:07 CW: CSA, Eating D*sorders, More About Taylor's Experiences with Her Bishop and The Beginnings of Religious OCD00:29:45 Taylor’s Conflicting Feelings Surrounding The Mormon Church00:36:17 CW: SA, Taylor Opens Up About The Details Surrounding Being S*xually As**ulted00:40:36 CW: SA, Taylor Shares Her Experience Being Blamed For Being As**ulted Coupled with Religious Guilt00:46:20 More About Taylor's Guilt and Her Experience Leaving The Church00:49:35 Taylor Shares The Doctrinal Foundation for Her Religious OCD00:52:26 Taylor’s Church Leader's Opinion on Her OCD Diagnosis & More About Leaving the Mormon Church00:59:02 Taylor Describes How Her Mormon Mission Contributed to Her Leaving The Church01:05:14 Taylor Shares About Her Self-Exploration and Decisions Made After Leaving the Church01:08:33 Taylor's Journey and Healing with Religious OCD01:14:04 Final Thoughts & Linda ListenSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Join us with the amazing husband and wife team, Sam and Melissa from   @GrowingUpinPolygamy   as they blind react to plot points of the Handmaid’s Tale and tell us all the ways some of these exact things were and ARE still happening in the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Click here to watch on YouTubeYouTube:  @GrowingUpinPolygamy  Website: https://www.growingupinpolygamy.com/Instagram: @growing_up_in_polygamy Email: growingupinpolygamy@gmail.comResources for leaving Polygamy & volunteer opportunitiesIf you or someone you love has left polygamy and needs assistance, please reach out to "Holding Out HELP" at 801-548-3492 or visit their website at www.holdingouthelp.orgHolding Out Help: https://holdingouthelp.org/Short Creek Dream Center: https://www.shortcreekdreamcenter.org/Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Learn about the shocking similarities between the “Shiny Happy People” documentary cult which is the Institute in Basic Life Principles and the FLDS (Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints)! Joining the conversation is husband and wife team Sam and Melissa from Growing Up in Polygamy. Click here to watch on YouTubeYouTube:  @GrowingUpinPolygamy  Website: https://www.growingupinpolygamy.com/Instagram: @growing_up_in_polygamy Email: growingupinpolygamy@gmail.comResources for leaving Polygamy & volunteer opportunitiesIf you or someone you love has left polygamy and needs assistance, please reach out to "Holding Out HELP" at 801-548-3492 or visit their website at www.holdingouthelp.orgHolding Out Help: https://holdingouthelp.org/Short Creek Dream Center: https://www.shortcreekdreamcenter.org/Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

An expert witness for Amish and Mennonite court cases, Lizzie explains the rules of her intense settlement before taking us through her unbelievable story of disaster, lethal betrayal, tragedy, abandonment and perseverance. She even gives us a glimpse of the strange dating practice which takes place in the woman’s bedroom. Decades later she seeks justice against the Bishop who groomed and ab*sed her as a young girl. She updates us on his attempt to escape even the small sentence he was given as well as speaks on other cases she was a part of in which Amish women were targeted and harmed by sinister perpetrators.Click here to watch on YouTubeWatch Lizzie 1st interviewResources: https://www.theplainpeoplespodcast.com/resourcesHer book: “Behind Blue Curtains: A True Crime Memoir of an Amish Woman’s Survival, Escape, and Pursuit of Justice”Website: https://www.lizziehershberger.com/IG: @lizzie.hershberger  Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**Chapter Marks00:05:47 Recap of Lizzie's story- how her chiIdhood affected her life for better or worse00:08:56 Each Amish community is different00:11:06 How pr*dators can thrive in Amish communities00:14:16 How a p*rpetrator who reports themselves to Amish authorities can get a lighter sentence00:15:59 The consequences of a lack of education on consent in the Amish community00:18:17 The definition of "adult" in the Amish community00:21:19 How ab*sers can seemingly get away with their crimes with little to no punishment00:24:38 What it means to be on probation00:30:03 What going back to court and facing her ab*ser was like for Lizzie00:32:21 How meaningful it can be to have supporters for victims in the courtroom00:34:39 The real life impact of C2C and spreading awareness00:38:58 Receiving supportive messages from those positively impacted from Lizzie sharing her story00:40:39 Amish vs English dolls and why they're different00:42:30 Becoming a victim advocate and helping others as they're going through court processes00:47:17 The language barrier between the Amish and English people and how we can better aid victims by understanding the differences00:47:55 CW: SA00:50:41 How a lack of English medical practices was detrimental to over 400 victims00:54:00 Lizzie's experience going back into the community for a funeral00:57:41 The difficulties of trying to help those in need when it has the potential to put yourself in a triggering situation01:03:47 What did Lizzie wear to an Amish funeral as someone who is no longer in the community?01:07:58 Linda, listenSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Former Amish, Eli Yoder, broke the news that several Amish men contacted him after being outed by the Emergency Test Alert. Some Amish communities allow cell phones, while other more strict communities still forbid them. Eli, is known for helping smuggle phones into these communities to better connect them with resources and help. He stated, "Some Amish men got shunned by the Amish Church for having smartphones in their pocket when the emergency alert system went off." Click here to watch on YouTubeEli’s 1st interview:  When Depression is Considered SIN in the Old Order AMISH (ft. Eli Yoder) Eli’s 2nd interview:  Old Order AMISH: Devastating Effects of ZERO S*x Ed Before Marriage (ft. Eli Yoder)Find and Support Eli!Eli’s book -  Undeceived: From Amish Tradition to Christ’s RedemptionWebsite: Eliyoder.comYouTube:  @eliyoder491  TikTok: @YoderToter40 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eli.yoder.33Resource for current Amish who need help:  https://amishrescuemission.org/Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Having left the Old Order Amish 27 years ago, Eli Yoder, has helped 200+ people flee the Amish community.  In today's episode, we discuss the consequences of leaving the Amish, how his mother demanded he never return, and ultimately how his fan base helped soften his mother, and the discussion they recently had when he paid her a visit.  Click here to watch on YouTubeEli’s 1st interview:  When Depression is Considered SIN in the Old Order AMISH (ft. Eli Yoder) Eli’s 2nd interview:  Old Order AMISH: Devastating Effects of ZERO S*x Ed Before Marriage (ft. Eli Yoder)Find and Support Eli!Eli’s book -  Undeceived: From Amish Tradition to Christ’s RedemptionWebsite: Eliyoder.comYouTube:  @eliyoder491  TikTok: @YoderToter40 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eli.yoder.33Resource for current Amish who need help:  https://amishrescuemission.org/Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**Chapter marks00:04:01 Eli explains the Old Order Amish00:07:03 Why Eli wanted to leave the religion00:13:18 How Eli escaped the Old Order Amish00:16:38 How affection is s*xualized within the Amish community00:22:15 Consequences of leaving00:31:08 Eli's mother cuts him off00:41:12 Eli reflects on the reconciliation with his mother00:49:48 Amish Traditions Eli Still holds onto00:50:53 Eli’s book: Undeceived: From Amish Tradition to Christ’s Redemption00:55:29 Linda, ListenSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Rachel Clinesmith found herself in Los Angeles in the middle of an entire scene dedicated to Vampyres; a lifestyle she would come to love. Head of the Vampyres is a man who named himself Father Sebastiaan, making custom fangs for his followers. Sebastiaan established a Vampyre religion, with him as prophet who claims to syphon energy from his Vampyre Balls and offer it up to an entity. Becoming part of his inner circle, Rachel reveals the occult practices and rituals, and exactly what happened in his invite-only balls. Click here to watch on YouTubeWatch Rachel's full interview on YouTubeFind and support Rachel!IG @swampophile TikTok @swampophile Linktree Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: This podcast provides a platform for guests to share their personal experiences and opinions. The views expressed are solely those of the guest and do not necessarily reflect the views of the hosts or producers. Any allegations discussed are unverified and represent personal accounts only. All individuals mentioned are presumed innocent unless proven otherwise. The podcast assumes no legal responsibility for statements made by guests.**See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Growing up in what she would describe a misfit lifestyle, Rachel found comfort in the goth scene. Her makeup artistry took her to Los Angeles where she found an entire scene dedicated to Vampyres; a lifestyle she would come to love. Head of the Vampyres is a man who named himself Father Sebastian, making custom fangs for his followers. He established a Vampyre religion, with him as prophet who claims to syphon energy from his Vampyre Balls and offer it up to an entity. His invite-only occult practices and rituals were not the only dark thing about him. Aside from countless women coming forward with SA claims, Rachel was used for her time, labor and money while working for him. He would go on to take everything from her, which is why she is choosing to speak out. Click here to watch on YouTubeFind and support Rachel!IG @swampophile TikTok @swampophile Linktree Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**Chapter Marks00:03:36 What it means to be a vampyre and how it differs from vampire00:05:44 How Rachel became involved with this group00:13:14 What Sebastian was like and why people were drawn to him00:15:06 How Sebastian got started00:17:28 What it means to be part of the group and what goes behind closed doors at these events00:24:37 Questionable and harmful consent practices00:35:22 Sebastian's narcissistic behavior continues00:36:46 How Sebastian infiltrated himself into Rachel's personal and professional life00:45:57 Sebastian lays the groundwork for leading the entire vampyre community00:51:59 The fine line between fun and getting taken advantage of in the vampyre culture00:55:16 Vampyre Cosmetics goes downhill and Rachel finally gets out01:15:26 Where Rachel is today01:19:42 Linda, listenSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As a child, Michelle Dowd grew up on a mountain in the Angeles National Forest. She was born into an ultra-religious cult—or the Field as they called it—started in the 1930s by her grandfather, a mercurial, domineering, and charismatic man who convinced generations of young male followers that he would live 500 years and ascend to the heavens when doomsday came. Comfort and care are sins, Michelle is told. As a result, she was forced to learn the skills necessary to battle hunger, thirst, and cold; she learned to trust animals more than humans; and most importantly, she learned how to survive in the natural world. At the Field, a young Michelle lives a life of abuse, poverty, and isolation, as she obeys her family’s rigorous religious and patriarchal rules—which are so extreme that Michelle is convinced her mother would sacrifice her, like Abraham and Isaac, if instructed by God. She often wears the same clothes for months at a time; she is often ill and always hungry for both love and food. She is taught not to trust Outsiders, and especially not Quitters, nor her own body and its warnings. But as Michelle gets older, she realizes she has the strength to break free. Focus on what will sustain, not satiate you, she tells herself. Use everything. Waste nothing. Get to know the intricacies of the land, like the intricacies of your body. And so she does. Using stories of individual edible plants and their uses to anchor each chapter, Forager is both a searing coming-of-age story and a meditation on the ways in which understanding nature can lead to freedom, even joy.Click here to watch on YouTubeFind Michelle:Subscribe to SubstackPick up a copy of Forager: Field Notes for Surviving a Family Cult IG: @michelledowdz https://www.michelledowd.org/We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking pageSubscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**Chapter Marks00:00:00 Intro00:04:02 The Familiarity She Had with "The Field" & Why Her Family Moved There00:06:17 The Organization Her Grandfather Started & All Its Rules00:12:48 How The Cult's Teachings Still Stick with Her Today & It's Effect on Her Mother00:18:00 Michelle Talks about the Healing that She Got By Being With Her Mom at the End of Her Life00:22:35 Michelle’s Connection With the Earth00:25:51 CW: CA, Michelle Mentions Her Father's Abuse and How Sickness Led to Her Growing More Independent00:29:56 Michelle Talks about Being Hospitalized and Discovering She Had an Autoimmune Disorder00:33:12 Michelle’s Time in the Hospital & Her Education from Reading the Bible00:39:59 The Cult's Proselyting Methods, Beliefs About Christianity, & Fundraising00:45:30 CW: Brief Mentions of Suic*dal Thoughts, Michelle Shares the Complicated Experiences Surrounding Her First Romance00:51:20 Michelle Shares Her First Experiences Outside the Cult & Her Life Now00:55:44 Michelle's Final Thoughts & Linda ListenSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

After an incredible interview with former gang member, Sosa Henkoma, we are going LIVE today with him to further discuss his time in prison.  We're diving into how he was repping the gang who betrayed him while in prison, how he navigated the system as a gang member, and how he found out through therapy that he was groomed. Further discussing the ways he had to deconstruct his past and see it in a new perspective.Click here to watch on YouTubeWatch Sosa's initial interview here Find Sosa on social media:www.instagram.com/sosa_estwww.instagram.com/escaperoutes_uk/https://linktr.ee/sosa_estWe want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking pageSubscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sosa Henkoma was 8 when he ran away from v*olence at home.  At 9 he was groomed by a gang in the UK, drawn into dr*g traff*cking while feeling abandoned in foster care.  He recounts the moment he had a shotg*n pointed to his head at 11 during a raid.  On this 12th birthday, just released from the hospital after being st*bbed, we has given his own shotg*n, and a bulletproof vest.  Trapped in a life of crime for the next decade, he ran g*ns and dr*gs between London and Liverpool, becoming known as “The Devil Walking on Earth”.  Sosa says said he counts himself lucky to still be alive after he was st*bbed at least 11 times and shot at twice.  It was only after Sosa was convicted and imprisoned that authorities deemed him to be a victim.  He describes how fatherhood, therapy and sheer luck saved him.Click here to watch on YouTubeFind Sosa on social media:www.instagram.com/sosa_estwww.instagram.com/escaperoutes_uk/https://linktr.ee/sosa_estWe want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking pageSubscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**Chapter Marks00:04:45 Sosa's early years in Nigeria00:05:51 Sosa moved to the UK at 8 to live with his father (was still not able to know him)00:08:22 CW: CA - Sosa's stepmom became abus*ve00:12:27 The events that led to Sosa leaving the abus*ve household00:17:54 What it was like in UK foster care00:19:52 How Sosa learned about gang culture00:24:12 Sosa was useful for his bike00:26:25 Meeting the elders00:29:23 Hierarchy and dr*g business within a gang, explained00:34:16 11 year old Sosa didn't know that he was helping sell dr*gs00:35:27 Sosa explains what "banking" meant (not what you think)00:39:17 11 year old Sosa gets raided by a rival gang00:40:23 Sosa gets a sh*tg*n pointed at his face at 11 y.o.00:44:42 Sosa starts year 7 at school, while having to watch out for his life00:49:49 Sosa learns to shoot a g*n00:53:21 CW: Gang related injuries at 1200:54:57 The trauma of being in a gang; disassociation00:58:19 CW: The worst of what Sosa saw and experienced01:01:54 Sosa gets nick named at 16, The Devil Walking on Earth01:03:25 Sosa was sentenced at 13 years old01:04:01 When Sosa got out of prison at 16, he went to war with the elders01:07:45 Sosa was set up to go to prison again01:08:57 Sosa faced being deported01:09:53 Sosa learns he was groomed, and is dealing with trauma01:14:14 The residual trauma Sosa deals with now01:15:21 What do those still in the gang think of Sosa speaking out?01:19:31 Sosa's advocacy work01:23:15 Linda, listenSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

CW:  Incestuous CSA, CA, DV- As a child, Aziza Kibibi was isolated at home with her siblings by her abusive father, who would viciously SA and impregnate them to create what he called “blue blood” children.  Aziza would endure years and years of horrendous ab*se at the hands of her father, who impregnated her 5 times.  CPS got involved and took her other children away.  Things came to a head when Aziza’s father impregnated her again, kidnapped her and the rest of the family, while she was in labor and forced Aziza to drive to Florida (the state he was born in) to deliver her baby in a tent. Aziza fought for her children, while embroiled in a court case with her father that would ensure he received maximum sentencing for his crimes.  Click here to watch on YouTubeWatch pt 1 here:  https://youtu.be/difM2Gl5WMI?si=_IPNAstBSKvxfOpFFind Aziza on social media:IG: @azizakibibi https://linktr.ee/1azizakibibiDonate to Aziza’s Non profit to help end CSA - Precious Little Ladies: PreciousLittleLadies.orgWe want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking pageSubscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**Chapter Marks00:00:00 Intro00:04:14 Aziza Gives Background on Her Father & His Ab*se00:08:48 Aziza Breaks Down the Isolated & Confusing Environment Her Father Created00:12:07 Aziza's Living Situation with her Father, Siblings, & ChiIdren & Psychological Conditioning00:15:36 Aziza Shares her "Micro-Agressions" & Ways of Asking Outsiders for Help00:20:43 The Unhelpful Case Worker & Other Difficulties Regarding Her ChiIdren00:28:50 Aziza's father kidn*ps her and the family, heads to Florida for her to give birth in a tent00:35:49 Aziza’s First Time Standing Up to Her Father And Educating Herself00:40:40 The Court Process Aziza Endured to Have Her Father Pun*shed00:45:52 Aziza's Father Finally Gets Caught by Law Enforcement & Aziza's Rough Road Through the Legal Process00:51:47 The Drawn Out Legal Proceedings & How Her Father Always Found Ways Back Into Her Life00:55:14 Aziza’s Advice for Surv*vors & About The People Who Helped Her in the Courtroom00:58:45 How Aziza Got Back On Her Feet01:03:45 Aziza’s Organization & All the Efforts They Are Involved In01:09:34 Final Thoughts and Linda, ListenSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

CW:  Incestuous CSA, CA- Aziza Kibibi was isolated at home with her siblings, homeschooled, yet with impeccable education compared to her cousins. Her father began to introduce ways of life that would cause chaos, ab*se and pain. He declared modern medicine and doctors would not be used, even for his wife who would go on to have 11 children. He implemented polygamy and brought girlfriends around the house, even having children with them. He used his children for labor to build a home in the New Jersey winter. Worst of all, he started to SA his daughters, claiming that’s just what fathers did; purposely impregnating them to create what he called “blue blood” children. Aziza survived years and years of horrendous abuse at the hands of her father and now she helps to educate parents on CSA prevention. A true warrior. Click here to watch on YouTubeWatch pt 2 here:  https://youtu.be/difM2Gl5WMI?si=FMLV4peinYqirTsIFind Aziza on social media:IG: @azizakibibi https://linktr.ee/1azizakibibiDonate to Aziza’s Non profit to help end CSA - Precious Little Ladies: PreciousLittleLadies.orgWe want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking pageSubscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**Chapter Marks00:00:00 Intro00:04:44 What Aziza's life was like before her father became ab*sive00:09:06 How Aziza's father led the family to a polygamist lifestyle00:13:40 How different religions affected Aziza's family00:15:23 Aziza's education, social interactions, and health are impacted by her father's control00:22:03 CW: s*xual ab*se Excuses for ab*se were made from the very beginning00:23:42 CW: s*xual ab*se00:25:28 Aziza's father moves the family to an unfinished house away from family00:31:18 Pregnancy in Aziza's family and giving birth at home- without proper medical care00:33:01 How Aziza's mother reacted to the ab*se00:33:51 CW: s*xual ab*se00:39:24 Aziza's life with her siblings and chiIdren in one home as a chiId herself00:44:10 Aziza's birth experience00:48:26 CW: s*xual ab*se00:49:52 The first escape attempt00:57:34 Health issues begin to appear in Aziza's chiIdren01:02:24 Aziza's family moves out of their house and to southern New Jersey01:04:01 ChiId services gets involved01:14:35 Aziza finally has the opportunity to get help01:19:32 Aziza gets a lawyer and is finally reunited with her chiIdren01:23:01 Aziza's crash course in life that led to her foundation01:31:13 Linda, listenSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In the early 2000s, after years of hard work and determination to break through as an actor, Bethany Joy Lenz was finally cast as one of the leads on the In the early 2000s, after years of hard work and determination to break through as an actor, Bethany Joy Lenz was finally cast as one of the leads on the hit drama One Tree Hill. Her acting career was set to soar, but her personal life was beginning to unravel in ways her fans could never imagine. Unknown to the millions of viewers and even her costars, Lenz led a secret double life within a cult.As an only chiId seeking belonging, Lenz thought she found a safe haven in a Bible study group with fellow Hollywood creatives. However, the group morphed into something more sinister—a web of manipulation and fear under the guise of a church covenant called The Big House Family. Piece by piece, Lenz surrendered her autonomy, eventually moving to the Family’s Pacific Northwest compound overseen by a domineering minister who convinced her to marry his son and secretly drained millions from her TV income without her knowledge. Family “minders” assigned to her on set, “Maoist struggle session”—inspired meetings in the basement of a filthy house, and regular counseling with “Leadership” were just part of the tactics used to keep her loyal.Only when she became a mother did Lenz find the courage to escape and spare her chiId from a similar fate. After nearly a decade (and with the unlikely help from a devoted One Tree Hill fan), she broke free from the family’s grip, beginning her healing journey from deep trauma that reshaped her faith and identity.The One Tree Hill star opens up about everything in her New York Times bestselling memoir, Dinner for Vampires.⁠Click here to watch on YouTube⁠Watch Part 1: ⁠https://youtu.be/idrKmytaYdU?si=DCq0RJtPQXHnjuYW⁠Find Bethany Joy Lenz & her book: ⁠www.instagram.com/msbethanyjoylenz/⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/bethanyjoylenz⁠We want to meet you in real life! Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION! ⁠Click here to go to the official booking page⁠Subscribe to our⁠ C2C "CLIPS" Channel!⁠Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.⁠Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!⁠Patreon ⁠https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness⁠Venmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram ⁠@cultstoconsciousness⁠ Host Instagram ⁠@sheliseann ⁠Co Producer / Host ⁠@jonathan.rosales_ ⁠TikTok ⁠@cults.to.consciousness ⁠Twitter ⁠@cultstocon⁠ **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**NO CHAPTER MARKERS AVAILABLEhit drama One Tree Hill. Her acting career was set to soar, but her personal life was beginning to unravel in ways her fans could never imagine. Unknown to the millions of viewers and even her costars, Lenz led a secret double life within a cult.As an only chiId seeking belonging, Lenz thought she found a safe haven in a Bible study group with fellow Hollywood creatives. However, the group morphed into something more sinister—a web of manipulation and fear under the guise of a church covenant called The Big House Family. Piece by piece, Lenz surrendered her autonomy, eventually moving to the Family’s Pacific Northwest compound overseen by a domineering minister who convinced her to marry his son and secretly drained millions from her TV income without her knowledge. Family “minders” assigned to her on set, “Maoist struggle session”—inspired meetings in the basement of a filthy house, and regular counseling with “Leadership” were just part of the tactics used to keep her loyal.Only when she became a mother did Lenz find the courage to escape and spare her chiId from a similar fate. After nearly a decade (and with the unlikely help from a devoted One Tree Hill fan), she broke free from the family’s grip, beginning her healing journey from deep trauma that reshaped her faith and identity.The One Tree Hill star opens up about everything in her New York Times bestselling memoir, Dinner for Vampires.⁠Click here to watch on YouTube⁠Watch Part 1: ⁠https://youtu.be/idrKmytaYdU?si=DCq0RJtPQXHnjuYW⁠Find Bethany Joy Lenz & her book: ⁠www.instagram.com/msbethanyjoylenz/⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/bethanyjoylenz⁠We want to meet you in real life! Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION! ⁠Click here to go to the official booking page⁠Subscribe to our⁠ C2C "CLIPS" Channel!⁠Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.⁠Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!⁠Patreon ⁠https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness⁠Venmo @sheliseannFind us on Social media!Instagram ⁠@cultstoconsciousness⁠ Host Instagram ⁠@sheliseann ⁠Co Producer / Host ⁠@jonathan.rosales_ ⁠TikTok ⁠@cults.to.consciousness ⁠Twitter ⁠@cultstocon⁠ **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**NO CHAPTER MARKERS AVAILABLESee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In the early 2000s, after years of hard work and determination to break through as an actor, Bethany Joy Lenz was finally cast as one of the leads on the hit drama One Tree Hill. Her acting career was set to soar, but her personal life was beginning to unravel in ways her fans could never imagine. Unknown to the millions of viewers and even her costars, Lenz led a secret double life within a cult. As an only chiId seeking belonging, Lenz thought she found a safe haven in a Bible study group with fellow Hollywood creatives. However, the group morphed into something more sinister—a web of manipulation and fear under the guise of a church covenant called The Big House Family. Piece by piece, Lenz surrendered her autonomy, eventually moving to the Family’s Pacific Northwest compound overseen by a domineering minister who convinced her to marry his son and secretly drained millions from her TV income without her knowledge. Family “minders” assigned to her on set, “Maoist struggle session”—inspired meetings in the basement of a filthy house, and regular counseling with “Leadership” were just part of the tactics used to keep her loyal. Only when she became a mother did Lenz find the courage to escape and spare her chiId from a similar fate. After nearly a decade (and with the unlikely help from a devoted One Tree Hill fan), she broke free from the family’s grip, beginning her healing journey from deep trauma that reshaped her faith and identity. The One Tree Hill star opens up about everything in her New York Times bestselling memoir, Dinner for Vampires. Click here to watch on YouTube Watch Pt 2:  https://youtu.be/jUuqpRd0t_Q?si=E4oDhrdQ5_HBH4xt Find Bethany Joy Lenz & her book:  www.instagram.com/msbethanyjoylenz/ https://linktr.ee/bethanyjoylenz We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Chapter Marks 00:00:00 Intro 00:03:00 Joy Dives into Her ChiIdhood and Early Religious Experiences 00:07:41 Joy Explains the Way Being an Actress Affected Her Religious Life 00:13:16 Joy’s Very Positive Experience with a Home Church in New York 00:18:25 Joy’s Introduction to the Home Church Cult in LA & Red Flag Moments 00:24:14 Joy Expounds on the Cult's Manipulation & Giving Up Her Autonomy 00:29:39 Joy Shares How She Changed and How Others in Her Life Reacted 00:34:01 Joy Shares Her Balancing of Religion and Acting and Discusses Mormonism With Shelise 00:40:07 Joy Talks About Cult Behaviors, Hierarchies, & Need for Control 00:44:56 Joy Shares Her Perspective on Fear 00:50:33 Linda, Listen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Joined again today in studio with Amanda Rae ( @TheAmandaRaeGrant  ) we compare and contrast what it was like growing up in The Order Vs Mormon. Click here to watch on YouTube Watch our last live streams here: https://www.youtube.com/live/zxeJbi0B76Q?si=uMsA6iXifjvnYx-a https://www.youtube.com/live/Wc3DK44vP38?si=XvElYTPZxGvYQ4jy Find Amanda! YouTube:   @TheAmandaRaeGrant     IG: @amandaraegrant Resource for help leaving polygamy https://holdingouthelp.org/ Remove your records from the LDS church Quitmormon.com We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What happens when you marry your niece and half sister when you reproduce?  Amanda Rae walks us through the shocking realities of incestuous polygamous with offspring. Click here to watch on YouTube Click here to watch the live we did on Amanda’s channel immediately after! Find Amanda! YouTube:   @TheAmandaRaeGrant     IG: @amandaraegrant Resource for help leaving polygamy https://holdingouthelp.org/ Remove your records from the LDS church Quitmormon.com We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Going deeper on the shadows within the incestuous polygamy of the Kingston Clan Cult and answering questions you left in the comments! Join us live for priority. We can't wait to have a culty chat with you! Click to watch on YouTube Catch the original interview here: Part 1:  https://youtu.be/TYXd6KEutIM Part 2: https://youtu.be/tFCzKyaN12w Find and support Amanda! YouTube:   @TheAmandaRaeGrant     IG: @amandaraegrant We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

With an early chiIdhood in Somalia, Magan Magan moved to Australia with his mother, who would lie about his father and wrongfully keep them apart. Her narcissistic tendencies combined with the power Islam gave her over her chiIdren, would lead to emotional, spiritual and even physical ab*se. Under it all, Magan was grappling with the reality that he was gay, in an extremely homophob*c household where gay people were seen as sub-human and worthless. Understanding that in Islam, it’s written that gay men should be unalived by horrible means. He wouldn’t come to make his own decisions until around 26 years old and finally lean into his true self and find happiness outside of his mother’s grasp.  Click here to watch on YouTube Find and support Magan: Magan’s collection of poems “Stop All the Clocks” Inner self rising podcast:  https://www.youtube.com/@maganmagan9422 Instagram:  @innerselfrising  Resource for those leaving Islam and need help:  https://www.freeheartsfreeminds.com/ We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Chapter Marks  00:00:00 Intro 00:03:14 Magan's ChiIdhood & Leaving Somalia 00:07:01 Magan Introduces His Mother's Narcissistic ab*se 00:12:10 Magan Speaks on the Islamic Teachings His Mother would Weapon*ze Against Him 00:16:09 CW: CA 00:18:23 Turning 15 and Discovering Sexual*ty 00:22:21 Magan Talks About Being Gay as a Teenage Muslim 00:25:57 Magan Talks About The Danger of Being an Apostate 00:27:19 CW: Religious v*olence 00:29:22 Magan shares more about his mother's need for control 00:33:18 Magan's Mother Loves making herself a vict*m 00:35:58 Magan's Long Road to Freedom 00:38:40 Magan Loves the Taste of His Newfound Freedom 00:41:26 Magan Recognizes Inconsistencies in the Quoran 00:44:41 Magan Shares about growing up in a single parent household 00:48:36 Magan Discusses Forming His Own Moral Philosophy 00:53:14 Magan's First Kiss as a Gay Man 00:57:19 Magan On Where He is Now, and What the Future Holds 01:02:47 Magan's "Linda Listen" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Joined by ExMuslim content creator Infidel Noodle, we discuss the tragic events that lead to the murd*r of Muhsin Hendricks who was the first openly gay Imam (islamic religious leader).  Click to watch on YouTube Watch "Why This Gay Man Wasn’t Allowed to Make His Own Decisions Until 26" Find Infidel on social: YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/@InfidelNoodle IG: https://www.instagram.com/infidel.noodle/ Resource for those leaving Islam and need help:  https://www.freeheartsfreeminds.com/ We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

After enduring extensive clergy ab*se at the hands of her community’s trusted imam in her own home (detailed in part 1), Layla’s family gave her as a young bride to a 37 year old man. Rather than reporting the imam for the CSA, her family kept it a secret so it wouldn’t affect the marriage prospects for Layla and their other chiIdren. The man she was given to was extremely ab*sive in every way, keeping her captive in her own home by not allowing her to have keys or gate fobs, or access to a phone. Every action was monitored and he weaponized their Islamic religion, using it as permission to continuously hurt her. Click here to watch on YouTube Watch part 1 here Support Layla YouTube: https://youtube.com/@I_am_not_your_sister?si=9lmUX36MAvhmkgkR We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Chapter  Marks 00:00:00 Intro 00:03:26 TW: Married at 15 -Layla's official marriage 00:12:42 TW: R*pe-Layla's wedding night 00:15:08 Layla's expectations as a young bride 00:22:22 How Leah's husband reacted when she told him about the ab*se she went through 00:25:36 How Layla escaped her marriage 00:33:16 Layla starts to deconstruct Islam 00:43:11 How Layla is doing now 00:46:53 Linda, Listen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A young girl raised as a Jehovah’s Witness by a strict and ab*sive mother, ends up living on the streets before converting to Islam. The family she ends up with is honored that the Imam (Islamic religious leader) chose her to “tutor”. Using religious loopholes and justifications, the Imam gives her $1 to claim her as his plural wife which led to SA under the roof of her own home. Their family was so afraid of their reputation and repercussions, they kept the ab*se a secret and protected the pred*tor. Speaking out anonymously, she has chosen the name Layla.  Click here to watch on YouTube Support Layla YouTube: https://youtube.com/@I_am_not_your_sister?si=9lmUX36MAvhmkgkR Click here to watch on YouTube Check the pinned comments on YouTube for the Daily Mail article. Catch Jared and Ashley's Mormon Stories interviews: Jared and Ashley Jones Pt. 1 | Ep. 1767 Confronting the Mormon Church - Jared and Ashley Jones Pt. 2 | Ep 1768 We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Chapter Marks 00:00:00 Intro 00:05:03 How Layla chose her alias 00:10:12 When Layla started becoming distant from her abus*ve mother 00:14:47 Layla's time at a homeless shelter 00:19:19 Life after the homeless shelter and introduction to Islam 00:25:30 How Layla met her “husband” 00:30:59 TW: S*xual abuse-Layla's abus*ve marriage to an older man 00:37:18 Layla's escape from her abus*ve marriage 00:46:29 Layla tries to expose her abus*r 00:53:03 Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Nazreen Bibi was born and raised in the UK in a Mirpuri Sunni Muslim household. During her chiIdhood she was sent off to learn the verbatim account of the Quran, which included teachers who threat*ned v*olence and aggression using kitchen utensils and mullahs based in a semi.  Nazreen’s parents insisted on putting a headscarf on her, and during her secondary school years she would take the scarf off during school hours and put it back on when school finished.  On her 16th birthday she had hopes of completing A levels and going to university however her parents had other plans.  Instead they travelled abroad to Pakistan, and Nazreen was married to her mother’s cousin (her uncle), someone she knew nothing about.  She recalls asking her mother if she could say no and her answer was “no, your grandad gave his word” and that was that.  Soon after her marriage, her mother told her that she was to do whatever her husband wanted and that if she refused s*x the devil would curse her all night.  Nazreen soon became pregnant and gave birth to her daughter at age 17. The following 12 years, Nazreen spent fighting for freedom, freedom to work, freedom to have phone and freedom to wear what she wanted to wear.  Fueled with anger at the end of her twelve-year marriage, she could see how religion and culture shaped her parents’ choices and world view, and how the teachings of Islam demanded the total subjugation of women.  Nazreen’s parents stopped talking to her after her divorce and so she rebuilt her life as a single parent.  Her experience only confirmed what she had now grown to accept in that Islam was designed by men for men. Divorced women were deemed as used goods, a women’s identity and personhood reduced to her reproductive parts and womb.  Since her divorce she’s been actively engaged in local politics, completed her degree and runs her own business. Now an exMuslim, Nazreen recently has come out as an atheist, speaking out against the generational religious ab*se  Click here to watch on YouTube Find Nazreen on social media! https://www.tiktok.com/@grumpymirpuri Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The father of a 13 year old CSA perpetrator confessed to their Mormon Bishop about his son’s transgressions, the multiple counts of CSA.  Not only were their parents not notified, the multiple counts were not reported to the authorities, as mandated by California law.  The boy was still allowed to go to church and other church activities, where other youth would knowingly be present.  Some of the CSA was committed during these church activities, which could’ve been prevented.  Jared and Ashley Jones join us to discuss the mishandling of the perpetrator and how the church and the community mistreated them after speaking up about the SA of their 3 year old daughter.   Click here to watch on YouTube Check the pinned comments on YouTube for the Daily Mail article. Catch Jared and Ashley's Mormon Stories interviews: Jared and Ashley Jones Pt. 1 | Ep. 1767 Confronting the Mormon Church - Jared and Ashley Jones Pt. 2 | Ep 1768 We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Joined by attorney Kolby Reddish, we discuss the case of Chelsea Goodrich, a former Mormon woman who endured years of CSA by her bishop father.  In this video we will break down how the Mormon church ultimately ended up protecting the perpetrator, rather than helping Chelsea in court.  Click here to watch on YouTube Check the pinned comments on YouTube for the AP News article. Watch our interviews with Chelsea here: pt 1: https://youtu.be/4Og2KRQpjqU?si=dq3OUpsyPsDVm_Ct pt 2: https://youtu.be/XNEHgeat3iQ?si=FMUmt8DwfQyKy_q_ Check out our "Mormonism on Trial" interviews with Kolby:   Mormon Church SUED for Not Reporting Unspeakable Confessions (the Verdict) Mormonism On Trial: Ex-Mormon Lawyer Challenges Truth Claims How a Mormon Lawyer Lost His Faith Ft. Kolby Reddish We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Social worker, Michael Benjamin, learned that a member of the LDS church, of which he also belonged, had put a registered s*x offender into a position of power.  Upon confronting leadership, he was silenced and punished.  Sadly, the perpetrator reoffended with a youth from their ward.  He is now serving time in prison for it.  Join us to hear directly from Michael about this story.  Click here to watch on YouTube Check the pinned comments on YouTube for the daily mail article. Find Michael on IG @michael_c_benjamin Visit https://floodlit.org/ We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Church is meant to be a place of comfort, solace and peace. However, when a church controls their members using fear and manipulation, even when someone didn't do anything wrong, such as a survivor of SA, it creates extreme issues of safety for that person. Today we speak with Kris Hillberg who was given a disciplinary council and disfellowshipped from the LDS faith for a brutal attack when she was only 18 years old. There is so much to discuss when it comes to feeling safe to report, when there is truly no support system for what the LDS church would consider "sins". Click here to watch on YouTube Watch the full deep dive episode with Kris here Find Kris on IG @kristjana_hillberg  Check out her Podcast called "I F*cking Knew"  We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Daily Mail article written by Miles Dilworth, exposes 5 cases of SA that were grossly mishandled by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. In doing so, it clearly presents a pattern that illustrates the LDS church cares more about its reputation and its image than it does its members' safety and wellbeing.  We will discuss what the article presents about each case and our thoughts as it pertains to cults and mind control manipulation.  Click to watch on YouTube Link to article pinned in the youtube comments. Live with Kolby Reddish discussing in depth the Arizona case mentioned We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Going in depth with former guest and current lawyer Kolby Reddish to further discuss and understand how the LDS church got away with protecting a C S A offender for years. Click here to watch on YouTube Check out our interviews with Kolby:   Mormonism On Trial: Ex-Mormon Lawyer Challenges Truth Claims How a Mormon Lawyer Lost His Faith Ft. Kolby Reddish We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Deep in the archives of Mormon (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) history, you will find the dark stain of blood atonement. Rather than the sacrifice of Jesus being enough, some sins were too great and would have to be paid for by your own m*rder to gain salvation in the afterlife. Led by a history academic, Julia with  @analyzingmormonism   on instagram, we go through the ways in which early LDS leaders taught and practiced blood atonement. Also covered, are the ways current fundamentalist leaders still implement the horrific practice. Click here to watch on YouTube Follow Julia! IG @analyzing.mormonism TikTok @analyzing.mormonism YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@analyzingmormonism We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** 00:00:00 Intro 00:03:02 Where and from whom Julia finds this information about Mormonism 00:06:21 Who could be blood atoned? What does it mean? 00:09:53 what is blood atonement 00:10:53 When the practice of blood atonement began and why bloodshed was required 00:11:27 Quotes from Joseph Smith Jr. referencing blood atonement 00:11:53 JOSEPH SMITH QUOTE 00:14:11 Sidney Rigdon taught about Blood Atonement 00:14:45 Temple ceremony blood atonement language & mimicking 00:17:05 Shelise found out about the secret gru*some temple penalty at 17 00:23:09  Brigham Young on B.O. equating baptism 00:24:53 Brigham Young on how to handle a cheating wife.... 00:28:39 How the Journal of Discourses created Utah culture 00:34:18 Victims of the Blood Atonement as listed in the book Wife No. 19 00:37:28 CW: Graphic race driven m*rder  00:38:34 The Oath of Vengeance in the temple ceremony 00:40:54 Additional names of victims 00:42:17 1889 manifesto addressing blood atonement 00:44:48 What the church today says about blood atonement 00:46:51 Was Warren Jeffs from the FLDS building a B.O. room in the temple? 00:51:05 Blood atonement in the LeBaron sect 00:54:18 Why what the Mormon church acknowledges about blood atonement is not enough 00:57:16 The Book of Mormon as a historical document vs a book of tales 01:00:01 Linda, listen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Anneke Lucas was born in Belgium where, at the age of 6, she was sold by her mother to a s*x traff*cking p*dophile network for European elites.  Her family’s cleaning lady ab*sed and gro*med her before colluding with a relative to pimp her out to the exclusive club for dr*g-fueled orgies. She would continue to be ab*sed and tortur*d as a s*x slave for years.  She had never gone to police with her claims because she was scared into silence after watching kids getting k*lled by members as a "warning" to others.   Anneke Lucas survived some of the worst atrocities known to humankind before the age of 12.  After living in London, Paris and New York as a young adult, she moved to Los Angeles where she began therapy, yoga and meditation. Today, she is the founder and Executive Director of Liberation Prison Yoga, a non-profit organization based in New York.  Now an advocate for other survivors, Anneke openly speaks about her experience.  A story that truly emphasizes the power of hope, we dive into Anneke’s story, and healing journey. Click here to watch on YouTube Find and support Anneke: website: https://annekelucas.com book: https://store.bookbaby.com/book/quest-for-love1 instagram:  @anneke.lucas  We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** NO TIMESTAMPS AVAILABLE Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As a follow up to her incredible interview, we are joined today again by Lydia Knight, who grew up in a pioneer stock Mormon (LDS) family, but layered on top of that was a twisted, fabricated reality that her father was actually the leader of a Satanic cult who had violently abused her as a baby.  Lydia’s mother said she had received revelations of these horr*fic things and Lydia’s grandmother capitalized on this by gaining love and adoration from the LDS church members by appearing as a savior to the ab*sed children. Kidnapped from Lydia’s father by her mother at 2 years old, she was told he was always searching for her so he could continue his Satanic practices.  Not only was Lydia dealing with these imposed traumas, she was told if she ever broke the rules of Mormonism or told someone about her past, her whole family would be tracked down by the Satanists and killed. Fear and terror ruled her life until she finally decided to look for the evidence. What she found crumbled her entire reality and she began the search to reconnect with her father.    Today we dive deeper into her father's perspective.  Click here to watch on YouTube Watch her initial interview here Find and support Lydia!  IG: https://www.instagram.com/theshecenter/ Resources & Memoire Split: theshecenter.org/podcast Website TheSheCenter.Org LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/lydia-knight-tsc/ TikTok - The She Center  TikTok - Cult Stories  Youtube https://www.youtube.com/@TheSheCenter Facebook Fan Page https://www.facebook.com/CenterOfShe We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Lydia Knight grew up in a pioneer stock Mormon (LDS) family, but layered on top of that was a twisted, fabricated reality that her father was actually the leader of a Satanic cult who had v*olently ab*sed her as a baby. Lydia’s mother said she had received revelations of these horr*fic things and Lydia’s grandmother capitalized on this by gaining love and adoration from the LDS church members by appearing as a savior to the ab*sed chiIdren. Kidn*pped from Lydia’s father by her mother at 2 years old, she was told he was always searching for her so he could continue his Satanic practices.  Not only was Lydia dealing with these imposed traumas, she was told if she ever broke the rules of Mormonism or told someone about her past, her whole family would be tracked down by the Satanists and k*lled. Fear and terror ruled her life until she finally decided to look for the evidence. What she found crumbled her entire reality and she began the search to reconnect with her father.  Click here to watch on YouTube Watch Lydia's follow up Q&A Find and support Lydia!  IG: https://www.instagram.com/theshecenter/ Resources & Memoire Split: theshecenter.org/podcast Website TheSheCenter.Org LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/lydia-knight-tsc/ TikTok - The She Center  TikTok - Cult Stories  Youtube https://www.youtube.com/@TheSheCenter Facebook Fan Page https://www.facebook.com/CenterOfShe We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Chapter Marks 00:00:00 Intro 00:03:32 Lydia Shares the Background of Her Charismatic Grandmother (Rac*sm) 00:08:04 CW: Mentions of CA,  Lydia Shares About Her Family Dynamics Amidst the Satanic Panic 00:12:41 CW: Mentions of CA & CSA, Lydia Explains the Satanic Panic of the 80's and Her Early Memories 00:16:45 CW: Mentions of R*pe, CA & CSA, Lydia Shares the Manipulation and Mental States of Her Mother and Grandmother 00:22:03 Lydia Shares the Harm Caused by Her Mother's Obscure "Revelations" 00:27:59 Lydia Shares About the Interactions Between Mormonism and The Satanic Panic 00:33:18 CW: CA, Lydia's Talks about Her Grandma's Manipulation and Need for Importance 00:39:09 Lydia Expands on Her ChiIdhood Isolation and Other Difficulties Growing Up 00:43:59 CW: Mentions of R*pe & CSA, Lydia Shares the About Her Mormon Baptism & the Made Up Stories of Her Ab*se 00:48:11 Lydia's First Time Out of The House Attending BYU & First Contact with Her Father 00:53:13 Lydia's Mother's Extreme Measures to Protect Her & Beginning to Doubt 00:58:16 CW: Mentions of R*pe, Lydia Decides to Uncover the Truth and Exposes the Lies 01:03:55 Lydia Confronts Her Mother and Grandmother & Contacts Her Father 01:07:28 Lydia's Beautiful Reunion with Her Father After 25 Years 01:11:24 Lydia's Healing Journey & Helping Others 01:16:26 Lydia Shares How She Ensures She Won't Repeat the Cult Cycle with Her Coaching 01:18:58 Final Thoughts & Lydia's "Linda, Listen" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sami's grandfather, who lived with Schizophrenia, compiled a 2422 page book of holy scripture in a failed attempt to start his own religion.  Heavily inspired by Mormonism, yet drawing from almost every religion, it's full of many surprises.  We can't wait to crack it open with all of you and find out what's inside.   Click here to watch on YouTube Watch the full interview with Sami and her father, Adrian, here Sami’s go fund me to get the book digitized Find Sami on social media: www.youtube.com/@mildwestsami IG: @mild_west_sami We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Watch the first half of this episode at  @OwenMorganTelltale  here  The youth have become more and more of a target since adults are leaving religions at an exponential rate. If they can indoctrinate them young enough, they just might have tithe paying members for life. Shelise and Owen Morgan from @owenmorgantelltale will be reacting to a Jehovah's Witness animated series called Caleb and Sophia and will discuss just how psychologically harmful they can be.  Find and Support Owen! YouTube:  @OwenMorganTelltale    @owensfiresidechat    @owenunfiltered    @TelltaleReads   Watch a full interview with Owen Here Watch Shelise on Owen's Channel Here Resources: https://jwfacts.com/ We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Celebrating 200 episodes with these 7 other incredible women!  We explore ways in which women are harmed, silenced and exploited within 8 different cults from their unique perspectives. The stories and wisdom were beautifully shared amongst survivors supporting each other. They also share ways in which they believe women can take back their power in or outside a cult and gain clarity and freedom.  Click here to watch on YouTube FIND AND SUPPORT OUR GUESTS! Daniella Mestyanek-Young: previous interviews  IG: @daniellamyoung_  TikTok: search #groupbehaviorgal Website: https://www.uncultureyourself.com/ Amazon: "Uncultured: A Memoir"  Tia Levings: previous interview  Website and book: http://tialevings.com/book IG:  @tialevingswriter https://substack.com/@tialevings The Anti-Fundamentalist Amanda Rae Grant: previous interviews  YouTube: https://youtube.com/@TheAmandaRaeGrant IG: @amandaraegrant  Sarah Edmondson: Previous interview Instagram: @SarahEdmondson  @ALittleBitCulty Website: https://alittlebitculty.com/ Website for book: https://www.sarahedmondson.com/book Beatrice Weber: previous interviews  Linktree: https://linktr.ee/bweber Website: https://beatriceweber.com/about/ Jasmin Faulk: previous interview   IG:  @jasmin.faulk Website: http://www.jasminfaulk.com/ Book:  The Last Sandstorm  Podcast: I Want you to Meet  Jasper Hoffman: previous interview  Website: https://www.theplainpeoplespodcast.com IG: @ThePlainPeoplesPodcast  @jasper.c.hoffman  We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** 00:00:00 Intro 00:03:01 How did your cult use fear to keep women passive and obident? 00:17:44 The various ways your cult used Information Control to keep you isolated and unaware of the world 00:48:26 What are the "rewards" in heaven for women in your cult? 01:19:35 What made you want to finally escape your cult? 01:45:35 Words of advice to those currently in a cult that want to leave 01:53:54 Linda, listen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

"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 @TheAmandaRaeGrant  , who was raised in this group, escaped at 17 and was seen on the TV show "Escaping Polygamy" helping others to do the same. Amanda explains the Kingston Clan's fundamental belief system, their concept of "Numbered Men”, inbreeding within, how they bring in new women to mix up the gene pool, and why the cult believes they are descendants of Jesus Christ himself. Click here to watch on YouTube Find and support Amanda: YouTube:   ​⁠​ @TheAmandaRaeGrant   IG: @amandaraegrant  If you or someone you love has left polygamy and needs assistance, please reach out to "Holding Out HELP" at 801-548-3492 or visit their website at www.holdingouthelp.org We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Chapter Marks 00:00:00 Intro 00:02:52 The Kingston Clan's fundamental beliefs 00:05:48 "Numbered Men" explained 00:09:31 How The Order believes they are descendants of Jesus Christ 00:14:39 Inbreeding in The Order 00:20:19 Amanda explains how procreating is of the utmost importance in the order 00:30:45 Commenting on coming to terms with realizing things were wrong in The Order 00:33:14 Amanda shares her story on how she left The Order 00:36:45 Amanda explains how The Order brings in new women to mix up the gene pool 00:37:49 Racism in the order 00:52:06 Trying to apply critical thinking to the beliefs of the order Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Forced to suppress who he really is, Val Snow escaped the cult that almost put him through conversion therapy, and is now living a fulfilled life. Ask him your questions! Click here to watch on YouTube Resource for those escaping polygamy: Holding Out Help Check out our in depth interview with Val here Val's youtube Channel IG: @valiantunicorn  Get more of Val's story on Amanda Rae's channel How Do People Get Brainwashed Unicorn t-shirt:  Version 1 Version 2 We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

CW:  CSA, SA, mentions of suicide…. Philip Seibel was born into the Children of God sex cult and survived many instances of CSA at the hands of his own parents. This was all part of the cult’s mentality “God is love and love is sex”.  Our first episode together details his childhood and escape attempts. When he was able to get out successfully, he had no idea about the outside world. At the age of fifteen he ran away from his abusive parents and began to wander this world as a homeless street musician, learning how to survive.  Now Philip is an outspoken critic of the statutes of limitations for crimes against children. Currently he lives in Switzerland, proud father and author, singer, songwriter, artist, wearable designer and hobby sound technician His books include The monsters that kiss you good night, The monsters that walk with me and his third book in this series currently in progress "No one speaks about the monsters" Click here to watch on YouTube Watch his first interview here Find and Support Phil:   Website with his singles: https://www.philipseibel.com/singles YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Philip-Seibel Books: The Monsters that Kiss You Goodnight  The Monsters that Walk With Me  A Broken Poet  We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Chapter Marks 00:00:00 Intro 00:04:42 Philip's childhood in COG 00:11:29 How Philip processes what happened to him 00:16:37 How Philip managed as a 15 year old runaway 00:16:55 CW: CSA 00:19:56 Philip recounts his CSA 00:21:32 CW:  CSA - The reason Philip remembers is CSA so well 00:29:37 The consequences Philip's dealt with for telling his story 00:31:51 CW: Society desensitized to women's SA and not men's 00:34:56 CW:  mentions of suic*de 00:38:43 Philip felt he couldn't open up about CSA he experienced while dating 00:42:37 What it was like writing his first book - Philip comments on the responses people get when disclosing their trauma 00:46:19 Philip's thoughts on whether continuing to speak out will further hinder his success 00:55:51 How Philip is doing now 00:57:11 Linda, Listen 01:02:49 Philip sings and plays Little Black Sheep on his guitar Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Within The Children of God, also known as The Family International, the members blindly followed the leader David Berg. They weren’t even allowed to know what he looked like. Only a select few were chosen to be in his presence and can tell the story of who “Grandpa” really was. He was a twisted man who married children, including our guest Serena Kelley who was only 3 years old. Serena is the only person left who is able to tell these stories. She explains what it was like being considered a “celebrity” in the group and how she had to mentally split herself and dissociate to survive.  Click here to watch on YouTube Watch pt 1 of Serena’s interview here Watch pt 2 of Serena’s interview here  Find Serena: IG: @serkelley Substack: https://substack.com/@serenakelley YT:  https://www.youtube.com/@serkelley Website: https://serenakelley.com/ We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

CW:  CSA, SA, Mentions of drug use- From the ages of 6 to 12, up to when the cult leader, Berg, died, Serena Kelley hid her identity.  She was born as a chiId celebrity in the notorious The Children of God cult, known for their extreme abuse practices of polygamy, pedophilia, forced chiId marriages, religious prostitution, and chiId trafficking.  Daughter to Sara Kelley— part of leadership, and writer of “The Davidito Book”(CSA manuscript)— when Serena left the compound she continued to lie about who she was.  As she had been brainwashed to lie, it was hard for her to track when she should tell the truth, which created a warped sense of identity.  Serena describes how she worked her way back into the cult to retrieve a boy that she liked, what it was like escaping for a second time, and what it was like being out in the world, on her own, free to do whatever she wanted for the first time.  Going from the sex cult to now a fully sexually charged environment in a club, she explains her methods at the time of processing the horrific things she went through as a child, involving numbing with drug use, and dancing away the trauma. Serena also recounts what it was like when just months before his murder-suicide, an adult Ricky Rodriguez, whom “The Davidito Book" was written about, contacted her wanting to know where the author (her mother) was.   Serena reveals her journey with healing from the trauma, dealing with ill-equipped therapists, to ultimately finding plant medicine.  Serena is now a writer and Trauma Recovery Specialist, helping others heal past traumas using methods to connect the mind, body, and soul to find peace and purpose in life. Click here to watch on YouTube Watch pt 1 of Serena’s interview Serena dives further, answering your questions LIVE Find Serena: IG: @serkelley Substack: https://substack.com/@serenakelley YT:  https://www.youtube.com/@serkelley Website: https://serenakelley.com/ We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Chapter Marks 00:08:15 CW: CSA, ChiId Traff*cking, CA, the Moment Serena Knew She Wanted to Leave the Cult 00:11:55 CW: ChiId Marriage, Serena Rebelling & Engagement to Berg 00:24:02 CW: CSA, Serena Realizing How Much Better Things Were Outside the Cult 00:32:50 CW: SA, Serena Finds Freedom in the Club Scene 00:37:20 CW: SA, Serena Takes Positive Lessons About Her Worth from Her Negative Cult Programming 01:21:03 CW: CSA, SA, Closing Thoughts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

CW:  CSA, SA, ChiId Trafficking- David Brandt Berg, also known as King David, Dad, or Grandpa to followers, was the founder and leader of the cult generally known as the Children of God.  In 1968 it began as a new religious movement focused on spreading the Christian message.  As the decades progressed, the group targeted vulnerable people and devolved as a counter to purity culture in which Berg pushed the idea that God is love, and love is sex, therefore members should have sex with everyone.  COG attracted the attention of the international media, and a British court case would find the group to be an authoritarian cult which engaged in the systematic physical and sexual abuse of children, resulting in lasting trauma among survivors.  Today’s guest, Serena Kelley, was born and raised in the cult, and along with her mother, Sara, were two of the select few people in David Berg’s inner circle.  When Ricky Rodriguez (another chiId within the cult) was ten months old, Berg asked Sara, one of Ricky's nannies, to start creating a document titled "The Davidito Book" (also referred to as "The Story of Davidito"). The book contains descriptions of adults CSA-ing Rodriguez, describing this ab*se in a "celebratory" tone.  Serena’s mother would end up writing the horrific CSA handbook for the Children of God Cult, and was even proud of the fact, becoming known as “Sara Davidito”.   Serena recounts what it was like growing up in the cult, alongside her brainwashed mother, facing constant mental, physical and sexual abuse, while being forced to appear in CSA videos, and how at the age of 3, Serena was “given” to Berg as a chiId bride and told she was going to be his forever.   Click here to watch on YouTube Watch pt 2 of Serena’s interview Serena dives further, answering your questions LIVE Find Serena: IG: @serkelley Substack: https://substack.com/@serenakelley YT:  https://www.youtube.com/@serkelley Website: https://serenakelley.com/ We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Chapter Marks 00:10:45 CW: CSA, Serena Explains Children of God CSA Origins & Practices 00:15:26 CW: CSA, Serena Shares her mother's involvement with creating a CSA Manuscript 00:20:00 CW: CSA, SA, Serena Shares Her Earliest Memories in the Children of God Cult 00:26:53 CW: CA, CSA, Serena Shares About Constant Fear and Her Engagement as a Toddler 00:32:09 CW: SA, CSA, Homophob*a, The Children of God's Bizzarre S*xual Practices & Beliefs 00:36:07 CW: Incest, CSA, C recordings, Serena Shares about Cover-Ups and Beginning to Doubt 00:40:36 CW: CA, ChiId Traff*cking, Serena Shares About Her Time in the Japan Commune 00:48:32 CW: ChiId Traff*cking , Serena Talks about the Fear Tactics Used and Being Traff*cked 00:51:42 CW: CSA, Serena's Transition from Japan to Brazil 00:55:23 CW: CA, Serena Shares About Her "Celebrity Status" and Being Trained to Lie 01:02:52 CW: CA, Bullying, Berg's Death & Cult Leadership Makes Serena's Identity Public 01:10:59 CW: CSA, The Cult's New "Rules" About S*x  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ryan Fisher, former confidant of Tim Ballard (founder of Operation Underground Railroad), is a key witness in the latest Kely Suarez case.  She is suing Tim for her portrayal as a child traff*cker in the controversial “Sound of Freedom” film.  With the case just a few weeks away, Ryan opens up about his experience working closely with Tim, as well as the details of the case in which he’ll be a witness in. Click here to watch on YouTube For the latest in all Tim Ballard and OUR breaking news, follow Carah Burrell and Ryan Fisher on the  @CarahBurrell  Youtube channel! Follow and Support Carah! YouTube:  @carrahburrell   YouTube:  @carrahburrell  Instagram: @nuancehoe  Tiktok: @nuancehoe  Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/nuancehoe We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Carah Burrell blows the lid off Tim Ballard's scandals with new insider information.  Shocking testimony reveals the mystical Mormon beliefs behind everything.   Catch Carah’s full breakdown of Tim Ballard's scandal here:   pt.1 https://youtu.be/sSyGDPoWjBo?si=1sTjrAFZrQepXzAk pt.2 https://youtu.be/6Sxo4ogVRiI?si=_kji5ngd6fg0RoZg Click here to watch on YouTube Follow and Support Carah! YouTube:  @carrahburrell   YouTube:  @carrahburrell  Instagram: @nuancehoe  Tiktok: @nuancehoe  Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/nuancehoe We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Tim Ballard has been in the news for the past few months but it just keeps getting worse. You may know him for founding Operation Underground Railroad where he claims to have saved hundreds of kids from s*x trafficking and the movie which falsely depicts his heroism, "Sound of Freedom".  We have discussed a multitude of false claims, backing then shunning (as well as rumored excommunication) from the LDS/Mormon church, sneaky "get rich" schemes and his removal from OUR because of rumored allegations. Well.... 5 women have now come forward and are pressing charges against him for his SA during rescue missions and that's not all! Join me and  @CarahBurrell   to discuss all of the updates with this wannabe prophet.  Going live on her channel next here Watch our previous videos on the topic here:  On our channel pt 1 On Carah's Channel pt 2 https://youtube.com/live/tBTkBr6nWgI Follow and Support Carah! YouTube:  @carrahburrell   YouTube:  @carrahburrell  Instagram: @nuancehoe  Tiktok: @nuancehoe  Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/nuancehoe We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Timothy Ballard is an American activist, speaker, author, and founder / former CEO of Operation Underground Railroad, an anti-sex trafficking organization. The 2023 American action film Sound of Freedom starring Jim Caviezel was inspired by his work. Documents recently obtained by VICE News show Ballard claimed that a revered and powerful figure in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints played a secret, central role in Operation Underground Railroad, or OUR, the organization Ballard founded.  “Tim is fully convinced that he is supposed to be the 'Mormon Messiah and lead people back to the church,’” read notes from an interview between criminal investigators and a former OUR higher-up. Ballard is now running for Mitt Romney’s Senate seat and called [prominent Republican woman] the other night around 1am, telling her he saw Christ, the 2nd Coming is near, and he’s running because it’s the end of days.  Christ told him to announce it on 10/10. Click here to watch on YouTube Follow and Support Carah! YouTube:  @carrahburrell   YouTube:  @carrahburrell  Instagram: @nuancehoe  Tiktok: @nuancehoe  Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/nuancehoe We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dainy describes what life was like for them growing up in their Ultra Orthodox community and going to an all girls’ school. Life was black and white when it came to gender roles and expectations and because of this, boys and girls even got different education. Pushing back and asking questions got them into trouble multiple times when conformity and compliance were demanded. Click here to watch on YouTube  We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** 00:03:51  What schooling was like for Ultra Orthodox groups and the differences of study between girls and boys 00:16:18  When Dainy figured out what s*x was and rules around interacting with different genders 00:19:05  Why modesty rules were put in place and who they apply to 00:22:27  CW: CSA - The extent of s*xual ab*se within Dainy's Ultra Orthodox community 00:28:41  How Dainy felt as a chiId in their Ultra Orthodox community and how it fostered low self esteem and sense of self 00:30:54  How the rules progressed as Dainy got older and how even more strict things are now 00:33:52  How watching movies affected Dainy's friendships 00:36:05  How Dainy's love for learning and knowledge came with consequences 00:45:05  Cookies vs C*caine: Distinguishing sins 00:46:18  Judgement on your religious morals in school over grades and lack of identity in the community 00:54:27  Women are expected to work and do it all but have limited options 01:01:38  Dainy further's their Orthodox education while not following all Jewish law 01:07:20  Growing away from Judaism before traveling to Israel in search of answers once and for all 01:19:46  The push against critical thinking in Orthodox Judaism 01:21:49  How Dainy is doing now 01:23:07  Linda, listen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Following up her initial interview, we go LIVE with famous Hasidic comedian, Leah Forster.  After being outed and ostracized from her Ultra Orthodox family and community, Leah, who always felt silenced and repressed, details how comedy clubs and restaurants were forced to ban her from performing, how she took to social media and went viral, and ultimately, how she turned pain into comedy.   Click here to watch on YouTube Watch her initial interview here Find and support Leah! IG @LeahForster Pre order Leah’s Book: https://clubmilff.com/ Theater show:  https://theaterforthenewcity.net/shows/thats-yentatainment/ We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Growing up in an Ultra Orthodox Hasidic family, Leah Forster always felt silenced.  Ab*sed at the hands of her father, she began to turn pain into comedy.  Later on, performing for Jewish female only crowds, Leah crossed boundaries within her community and became famous.  Things took a dark turn when she was outed on social media and then fired on the spot from her teaching job of 13 years.  When comedy clubs/restaurants were forced to ban her from performing, she took to social media and went viral.  She lost her relationship with her mother, and never regained a relationship with her father.  Leah recounts her story and the details of growing up in a world of arranged marriages and repression. Click here to watch on YouTube Find and support Leah! IG @LeahForster Pre order Leah’s Book: https://clubmilff.com/ Theater show:  https://theaterforthenewcity.net/shows/thats-yentatainment/ We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** 00:02:51 What Leah's book is about 00:04:02 Leah's upbringing as a Hasidic Jew 00:08:15 When Leah realized she was attracted to other girls 00:09:29 Leah turning her pain into comedy from a young age 00:15:34 Crossing boundaries within her community and become famous within 00:18:48 Outed and fired on the spot from her English teaching job of 13 years 00:20:55 Leah loses her relationship with her mother 00:22:36 Does Leah currently have a relationship with her father? 00:26:18 Leah addresses being cut off by her parents 00:28:59 Leah talks about her experience being in an arranged marriage 00:33:04 They tried to paint Leah as mentally unstable and take her child away from her 00:37:39 How Leah rebuilt her confidence after being turned down 00:42:25 How Leah is doing now 00:44:46 Linda, Listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

CW:  graphic talk of sex, marital rape, miscarriage, pedophilia  Born into a strict Ultra Orthodox family and the daughter of a Rabbi, Chasya’s life was under complete control.  In this 2nd part of her interview, we discuss the shady dealings of the community with law enforcement, judges, hit men, reproductive coercion, internalized misogyny, sexual distortion and more.   Click here to watch part 1 on YouTube Click here to watch PT 2 of Chasya's interview   Catch her on Soft White Underbelly Find Chasya on Instagram @daughterchasya  Donations to Chasya's Go Fund Me We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** 00:03:46 How a Mormon missionary was able to get passed Hasidic security and share a moment of comfort with Chasya 00:11:45 A Mormon missionary's promise to protect Chasya and how it reassured her 00:15:51 CW: Marital R*pe, Misscarr*age - The harmful teachings of purity culture; the way it effects Hasidic Jews for their whole life 00:18:46 CW: Marital R*pe 00:22:33 CW: Misscarr*age 00:24:52 CW: pedophel*a Hasidic men and how they weaponize Jewish law against their wives 00:26:12 CW: pedophel*a 00:27:05 The withholding of a Jewish divorce 00:29:22 Mothers having their chiIdren taken away from them by the Jewish courts 00:34:11 Lack of consistent resources for women who decide to leave 00:39:41 Why Hasidic women stay in ab*sive marriages 00:43:06 Hasidic men trapped in marriages getting their pleasure elsewhere 00:52:33 Are toys allowed in Hasidic marriages? 00:56:34 Chasya's restrictive community doesn't allow one to explore their s*xual identity 01:02:37 Animal sacr*fice 01:03:39 Chasya didn't receive a secular education 01:04:37 The corrupt courts and police  01:08:56 The power of therapists when healing 01:10:40 Chasya needs your help 01:14:02 Chasya's relationship with her mother now 01:17:12 Chasya's motivation 01:17:29 Linda, listen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Born into a strict Ultra Orthodox family and the daughter of a Rabbi, Chasya’s life was under complete control. She describes how modesty begins at 3 yrs old, as to not cause men to “stumble” and how slaughtering chickens in front of chiIdren for their sins scarred her for life. Blamed for being SA’d by a boy as a chiId, and severely pun*shed, her life was under constant scrutiny and judgement. Also on the Autism spectrum with no mental health support, she faces further stigma and challenges.  Coming soon in part 2, we will discuss the shady dealings of the community with law enforcement, judges, hit men and more.  Click here to watch on YouTube Click here to watch PT 2 of Chasya's interview   Catch her on Soft White Underbelly Find Chasya on Instagram @daughterchasya  Donations to Chasya's Go Fund Me We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** 00:04:12 The culture shock of moving from California to the East Coast as a chiId with Ultra Orthodox parents 00:07:14 The secular community of Lakewood angry, Chaysa's father gets mugged and beat*n, fueling his racism 00:11:22 Chasya's chiIdhood as a middle neurodivergent chiId 00:14:49 The effects of girls being separated from boys at an early age 00:16:26 Does Chasya feel like she received an adequate education? 00:18:33 Bloody chickens, animal cru*lty 00:23:26 The terrifying home environment for Chasya 00:28:48 How these communities aren't set up to help neurodivergent chiIdren 00:34:16 Ways that Chasya felt helpless as a chiId 00:35:58 CW:  CSA - Chasya story of s*xual ab*se as a chiId 00:43:46 The modesty rules Chasya had to follow as a chiId 00:47:59 Chasya's teenage years, preparing to be in an arranged marriage 00:52:26 How eating d*sorders are common in the communities 00:53:49 Chasya's rough time in Memphis at a boarding house 00:57:51 Chasya goes to Israel 01:02:25 Chasya's abus*ve first boyfriend 01:03:14 Chasya's unhealthy relationship with the Sun 01:05:10 Chasya returns to Lakewood NJ with body piercings and a wild side 01:09:44 Over protective daughters become over protective mothers 01:11:15 Chasya has a gag order 01:12:08 Linda, listen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Learn more about the horrendous and abusive IBLP training centers headed by Bill Gothard with Davey Jackson Click to watch on YouTube Watch his initial interview here  Find and support Davey! YouTube:  @daveyjaxx   IG: @daveyjax LinkTree We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A follow up to the incredibly inspiring interview with Tia Levings, we further discuss the details of her year on the run from her abus*ve husband, and how she was able to heal.  Click here to watch on YouTube Watch the original interview here:  How “A WELL TRAINED WIFE” Narrowly Escaped Extreme Christian Patriarchy with 4 Kids Pre order Tia’s book: A Well-Trained Wife www.tialevings.com Find Tia on social media! IG:  @tialevingswriter https://substack.com/@tialevings We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

After an open and honest conversation, we are again joined LIVE today with Timmy Gibson, a former fundamental Evangelical Pentecostal Pastor who started his own church with 300 followers.  We further dive into his reflections and regrets during his time as a “Healing Evangelist” who taught his followers how to speak in tongues.  Click here to watch on YouTube Watch initial interview here Find Timmy on social media:   Youtube:  https://www.youtube.com/@timmygibsonkc IG: @timmygibsonkc  We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Following up her incredible interview recounting how she grew up in a religious community-turned-cult called the Center, today Patricia Walsh Chadwick joins us live to discuss what happened after. At the age of seventeen she was forced out of her home, leaving behind her entire family, and without access to higher education. From her first job as a receptionist at a brokerage firm, she clawed her way up the ladder—rung by rung—in that bastion of male chauvinism: Wall Street. By going to college at night, she achieved her degree in economics from Boston University, and from there, she headed to New York City. With a drive that earned her the moniker “Witch of Wall Street,” she rose from the ranks of research analyst to portfolio manager, where she was responsible for billions of dollars in pension and endowment assets. A turning point in her life was giving birth to twins at the age of forty-five, and she continued forward in her career, becoming a global partner at Invesco. At the turn of the millennium, she left Wall Street behind and embarked on a second career as a corporate board director. Click to watch on YouTube Watch her initial interview here Connect with Patricia on social media:  Website:  https://www.patriciachadwick.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/patriciachadwickauthor LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/patriciachadwick1/ IG: @patriciawalshchadwick  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@patriciachadwick6951 We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

From the age of six through her high school years, Patricia Walsh Chadwick was raised in The Center, an isolated, rural community of 100 members, including 39 children, led by Father Leonard Feeney, an excommunicated Jesuit priest, and managed with an iron fist by his spiritual alter ego, Catherine Clarke. Together, they created a monastic environment that demanded obedience, silence, chastity, and detachment from family, achieved by separating parents from their children and forbidding members to read newspapers, watch television, listen to the radio, or communicate with outsiders.  Patricia defied Sister Catherine’s mission to mold her into a compliant, submissive nun. At 17, in the middle of the turbulent 1960s, she was expelled from her home in Still River, Massachusetts, without a hint of how to survive, much less thrive, in an unfamiliar and frightening world.   Today, Patricia has had a successful 30-year career in the investment business, culminating as a Global Partner at Invesco, as she he sits on a number of corporate boards and blogs on economic, social, and political issues. Patricia is author of BREAKING GLASS: Tales from the Witch of Wall Street, as well as a previous memoir, Little Sister, where she recounts her time in the cult. Click here to watch on YouTube Connect with Patricia on social media:  Website:  https://www.patriciachadwick.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/patriciachadwickauthor LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/patriciachadwick1/ IG: @patriciawalshchadwick  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@patriciachadwick6951 We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** 00:02:55 Patricia's daughter helps her realize she grew up in a cult 00:06:23 A small Catholic church becomes isolated and more communally oriented 00:17:47 How chiIdren were isolated even further within the group and some of the rules they were required to follow 00:20:44 Sister Catherine continues to isolate families while breaking the rules herself 00:25:25 A militaristic lifestyle in the countryside of Massachusetts 00:27:06 Restricting outside influences and stripping away individuality 00:30:45 Still nurturing familial connections while under strict rules and job assignments 00:34:28 A matriarchal leader in a patriarchal world and how members were indoctrinated daily 00:39:36 How Patricia's lack of knowledge impacted her understanding of marriage 00:41:17 How Sister Catherine's personal beliefs directly influenced the lives of many 00:44:41 Patricia's meeting with Sister Catherine about her future 00:50:11 How Patricia felt about leaving and how she views cult like representation in the media 00:55:17 How Patricia was able to succeed on Wall Street after leaving the cult 01:10:42 How other members left before and after Sister Catherine's death 01:14:41 What Patricia's relationship with her family is like today 01:16:28 How Patricia is doing now 01:18:22 Linda, listen 01:18:51 Patricia's plans for more books in the future and her role models Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Mormon church has always claimed to be accepting of everyone including the LGBTQ+ community. However, their actions and words spoken to the congregations paint a very different picture. You can be gay, but in order to receive all the blessings from God, you must remain celibate. It has come to our attention that in some wards (congregations), openly married gay couples have not only been able to keep their membership (rather than be excommunicated), but are allowed to take the sacrament and even hold important positions in the church.  Joined by Dillan, who was recently featured on Jubilee’s Middleground “Mormons vs Ex-Mormons”, and @nuancehoe , we discuss these monumental changes in the right direction.  After the live, you will be automatically redirected to another live stream on Carah’s channel to hear more of Dillan’s story:  https://www.youtube.com/live/tRYIIyI7fIE?si=OeCtP8XmRJltoPtJ Click here to watch on YouTube Find Dillan's recent appearance on Jubliee's "Can Mormons and Ex Mormons See Eye to Eye? | Middle Ground" video here Check out Nuancehoe's reaction to Jublilee's video: Mormons BOMB In Cringeworthy Debate | ExMo Jubilee Reaction Check out Mormon Stories' reaction to Jubliee's video: "Jubilee's “Mormons vs Ex-Mormons” on Middle Ground - Ex-Mormon Cast Reacts | Ep. 186" Mormon Stories Episode further expanding on the topic:  Married Gay Mormons Get Sacrament and Callings Find Dillan Conrad on IG @dillanconrad Follow and Support Carah! YouTube:  @carrahburrell  Instagram: @nuancehoe  Tiktok: @nuancehoe  Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/nuancehoe We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This horrifying, avoidable tragedy is something the LDS church lies about to its members to promote faith. In reality, greed and purposely cutting corners led faithful saints to a horrible fate. Join @nuancehoe and I as we read actual journal entries from people who took this perilous 1300 mile trek to settle Utah.  Click here to watch on YouTube Read “Devil’s Gate: Brigham Young and the Great Mormon Handcart Tragedy” Follow and Support Carah! YouTube:  @carrahburrell  Instagram: @nuancehoe  Tiktok: @nuancehoe  Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/nuancehoe We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

More dangerous Mormon propaganda explained and your questions answered with Carrah Burrell! Click here to watch on YouTube Follow and Support Carah! YouTube:  @carrahburrell   YouTube:  @carrahburrell  Instagram: @nuancehoe  Tiktok: @nuancehoe  Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/nuancehoe We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

After a preliminary discussion about the many similarities between Islam and Mormonism, tonight we go into further detail with @apostatealaddin who grew up in the purity culture of Islam within Saudi Arabia. Join us as we compare and contrast the rest of the list.   Click here to watch pt. 1 Click here to watch pt. 2 Click here to watch pt. 3 (this episode) You can watch his full interview here Find Apostate Aladdin YouTube:  @ApostateAladdin   IG: @apostatealaddin  LinkTree https://linktr.ee/ApostateAladdin  We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

After an incredible conversation with @apostatealaddin about the purity culture he grew up in within Islam in Saudi Arabia, we realized there were many similarities between Islam and Mormonism.  Join us today as we compare and contrast a full list.   Make sure to stay on after our livestream has ended to be automatically directed to Apostate Aladdin's channel, where we will finish the conversation. Click here to watch this interview (pt 1) You can watch his full interview here Find Apostate Aladdin YouTube:  @ApostateAladdin   IG: @apostatealaddin  LinkTree https://linktr.ee/ApostateAladdin  We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

​ @ApostateAladdin  grew up in Saudi Arabia which is a Muslim majority country with strict laws originating from Islam. After going abroad to college, he recognized his learned racism, bigotry and bias was a direct reflection of the religion he was raised in. A deep dive into the theology, history and hadiths made him question everything, including his own ethics.  He details how research and deep critical thinking led him to leave Islam behind, and what the consequences are of speaking out on his YouTube channel.  Click here to watch on YouTube Watch his previous episodes here: Ex-Muslim Opens Up About Sex and Islam in Saudi Arabia | The Story of  @ApostateAladdin  An Ex-Mormon & Ex-Muslim Compare Notes ft.  @ApostateAladdin  https://www.youtube.com/live/g0xEu2cacEo?si=TwWZtNPOLVeOZuA9 An Ex-Mormon & Ex-Muslim Compare ALL Notes ft.  @ApostateAladdin  Find Apostate Aladdin on Social! YouTube  @ApostateAladdin   IG: @apostatealaddin  LinkTree https://linktr.ee/ApostateAladdin  We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** 00:04:34 Apostate Aladdin's life growing up in Saudi Arabia 00:07:03 How Apostate Aladdin's experiences with non Muslims deviated from what the Quran teaches 00:09:25 Islam: A religion of peace or a religion of violence 00:10:54 How a lack of context surrounding the Quran can lead to Islamic extremism 00:12:43 How beginning to question Islam impacted Apostate Aladdin 00:15:11 Other aspects of the Quran that led Apostate Aladdin to question Islam 00:17:27 When living a strict religious lifestyle doesn't provide answers to questions and doubts 00:21:32 Breaking core doctrine as step in the deconstruction process 00:24:50 Overcorrection after leaving and managing emotions effectively 00:27:41 The importance of having emotional outlets and having a community 00:31:40 Have empathy for those disparaging you  00:33:18 The role of labels and identity when leaving a high demand religion 00:36:49 When the status of someone's personal beliefs is a bigger deal to others than it is to them 00:37:59 Realities of speaking out against Islam and the very real threats that people face 00:42:44 What the justifications are for extreme laws regarding those who leave Islam or speak out about it 00:44:52 How the idea of a perfect Islamic practice can cause harm to others 00:47:09 The importance of nuance and different sects in the discussion of Islam 00:49:44 How Islam is growing so quickly and is on track to surpass Christianity in numbers 00:52:41 How identity and taking your time to find your identity after leaving Islam is important 00:54:07 How Apostate Aladdin chose his name 00:54:57 Advice for those who are leaving a high demand religion Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Following up her incredible initial interview, today we are joined again by  @InfidelNoodle  .  We discuss her research on youth Islamic radicalization and the internet, and how high control groups appeal to young people. Raised in a strict Muslim community in Australia, YouTuber Infidel Noodle led a double life for 5 years before making the big decision to leave her parents’ home before marriage. This meant she would be cut off from her family due to disobedience and not fulfilling her role as a woman. When she posted on TikTok about her heartache being ostracized, her video went viral and she decided to remain vocal about the struggles exMuslims face. However, for the safety of her loved ones and herself, she wears a mask to remain anonymous. Click here to watch on YouTube Watch her initial interview here here Find her on Social! YT:  https://www.youtube.com/@InfidelNoodle IG: @infidel.noodle  Resource for those leaving Islam and need help:  https://www.freeheartsfreeminds.com/ We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Raised in a strict Muslim community in Australia, YouTuber Infidel Noodle led a double life for 5 years before making the big decision to leave her parents’ home before marriage. This meant she would be cut off from her family due to disobedience and not fulfilling her role as a woman. When she posted on TikTok about her heartache being ostracized, her video went viral and she decided to remain vocal about the struggles exMuslims face. However, for the safety of her loved ones and herself, she wears a mask to remain anonymous. Click here to watch on YouTube Find her on Social! YT:  https://www.youtube.com/@InfidelNoodle IG: @infidel.noodle  Resource for those leaving Islam and need help:  https://www.freeheartsfreeminds.com/ We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** 00:03:02 Why Infidel Noodle wears a mask 00:03:59 Reactions Noodle has received for speaking out on her channel 00:06:35 What it was like for IN growing up in South Africa 00:07:39 Life in New Zealand 00:10:12 The changes a young IN experienced once her parents introduced fundamentalist Islam into her life 00:11:42 How the modesty requirements increased 00:14:52 The changes IN experienced when she moved to Australia 00:18:10 Did IN push back on the strict rules with her parents? 00:20:42 Studying the scripture is what made IN want to leave Islam 00:26:13 Infidel Noodle would hide her "regular" clothes in the car 00:29:18 Finally, after 5 years, IN told her boyfriend about her double life 00:29:58 The tense time IN got spotted outside wearing shorts 00:31:50 At 20, IN decided she didn't want to live her double life anymore 00:33:56 The falling out Infidel Noodle had with her parents 00:38:54 IN planed her escape 00:41:10 Leaving the community behind 00:43:19 Infidel Noodle posts to TikTok and goes viral 00:47:34 How IN's siblings responded to her leaving Islam 00:52:13 The de*th threats IN gets 00:56:28 What made Infidel Noodle start a YouTube channel to speak out further? 00:58:54 Is IN worried about people finding out her identity? 01:00:31 The consequences of leaving Islam 01:03:48 What brings Infidel Noodle joy now? 01:05:24 linda, listen 01:07:41 Why Aisha goes by "Infidel Noodle" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Zara Kay went viral when she was wrongfully arrested and detained for seemingly no reason. She tweeted that she needed help and since becoming an Australian citizen, she got the consulate involved. It appears that the Tanzanian, Islamic cult she grew up in, was unhappy with her outspoken (contradictory to teachings) opinions on social media and seems to have paid the Tanzanian police to arrest her while visiting home during the pandemic in 2020. No formal charges were made after ransacking her home and detaining her for hours. Soon after her release, personal information and messages were leaked to the public, her family and her received multiple death threats. She now runs The Faithless Hijabi where she provides support for ex Muslims.  Click here to watch on YouTube Find Zara on social media:  IG: @zarakayk   YT: https://www.youtube.com/@ZaraKayk (The Untethered Mind) Website:  https://www.faithlesshijabi.org/ We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** 00:02:45 Zara's Strict Upbringing in Tanzania 00:06:45 Zara's Desire for More in Life 00:09:58 Strict Rules of Zara's Childhood 00:14:24 Hijab Wearing Practices in Zara's Community 00:15:54 The Influence of Islamic Culture in Tanzania 00:26:51 Zara's father changes his mind last minute about her moving out 00:28:57 Zara's New Experiences as a College Student 00:31:44 How Zara felt like breaking former rules  00:34:31 Learning about s*x from magazines 00:38:44 Zara's terrifying jump out of the comfort zone 00:41:07 Zara's face to face confrontation with a gay man 00:42:44 Zara Begins Receiving Threats for Speaking Up on Social Media 00:48:58 Why Tanzania police unexpectedly arrested Zara 00:53:42 Zara's experience with the corrupt police of Tanzania 00:57:34 CW:  Attempted SA in Tanzanian Jail 01:00:48 Zara escaped charges but couldn't leave the country 01:02:54 Zara's family got de@th threats after leaked messages 01:06:44 Tanzanian cult leaders are HOW rich?! 01:09:11 What is the "Faithless Hijabi?" 01:14:40 Precautions Zara Takes for Her Safety 01:16:06 How Zara is doing now 01:18:15 Linda, Listen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Joining us today to follow up her incredible interview is South Asian ExMuslim, Haram Doodles.  In one of her first public appearances unmasked, she recounted what it was like growing up with a life of restriction and fear from her parents, her culture, and God-- and why and how she ultimately left Islam.  Today she addresses the controversial topic:  Islamophobia.    Speaking out on social media as an artist and ExMuslim Atheist, her art is a collection of haram (forbidden) doodles that advocate in solidarity with other courageous ExMuslims who’ve left Islam as a protest of Islam's strict restrictions.  Her hopes are to spread the word about Ex-Muslim Awareness Month this December.  Click here to watch on YouTube Watch her initial interview here Find Haram Doodles: Twitter: https://x.com/HaramDoodles IG: @haramdoodles   Official website: https://haramdoodles.com We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

One of her first public appearances unmasked, South Asian ExMuslim, Haram Doodles, recounts what it was like growing up with a life of restriction and fear from her parents, her culture, and God.  She reveals the details of why and how she ultimately left Islam.  Speaking out now on social media as an artist and ExMuslim Atheist, her art is a collection of haram (forbidden) doodles that advocate in solidarity with other courageous ExMuslims who’ve left Islam as a protest of Islam's strict restrictions.  She tells her story to spread the word about Ex-Muslim Awareness Month this December.  Click here to watch on YouTube Find Haram Doodles: Twitter: https://x.com/HaramDoodles IG: @haramdoodles   Official website: https://haramdoodles.com We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** 00:03:26 Haram's life growing up as a child to immigrant parents and a Muslim 00:06:21 Planting seeds of doubt with the dinosaurs 00:08:38 Haram's teen years living with cognitive dissonance and finding ways to grow socially 00:10:58 What pun*shments looked like for Haram growing up 00:11:53 Haram's anxiety about doing the wrong thing and the pressure to answer to a higher power 00:14:27 How learning about other religions gave Haram some perspective on the world 00:16:24 The differences between how men and women are treated in Islam 00:20:45 What the Quran says about women and how Haram felt about it before and after college 00:23:47 How purity culture and modesty rules in Islam are viewed as protection for women 00:27:47 Haram's experience with facing marriage early, how college allowed her to put it off, and the rules she faced around going to school 00:30:23 Religious reasoning for young women and girls getting married 00:33:31 Studying the Quran in college from a professor who was also a Muslim 00:38:01 How women inflict gender roles onto themselves under the influence of Islam 00:40:37 How did Haram's mother feel about her role as a Muslim woman 00:43:22 Shaming others for not practicing Islam 00:43:46 Figuring out what is means to be an American Muslim 00:44:07 Figuring out what is means to be an American Muslim 00:46:07 The lack of support and shaming from Haram's family for not following a Muslim lifestyle 00:48:12 The difficulties of a lack of individuality for Muslim women 00:49:29 TW: Su*cidal ideation 00:51:51 How Haram met her husband and why she started Haram Doodles 00:57:39 What Haram Doodles has done for Haram and her followers 01:00:08 How Haram's drawings can help activate a person's critical thinking in a softer way 01:03:03 Finding bravery in her work as an artist 01:05:01 Haram's moment of freedom in Norway 01:11:54 Truly listening and seeing ex-Muslims for who they are and not for their choice to leave Islam and ex-Muslim awareness month 01:14:22 How Haram is doing now 01:16:22 Taking back power over your own body 01:19:38 Linda, listen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Joining us today to follow up her initial interview is Sara Glass.  Sara vulnerably shares in great detail about what it was like navigating s*x, pregnancy, chiIdbirth and postpartum as a Hasidic Ultra Orthodox woman who was also gay.  Click to watch on YouTube Watch her initial full interview here Find Sara on social media: Website: https://www.drsaraglass.com Book: “Kissing Girls on Shabbat”  IG: @drsaraglass  LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/drsaraglass We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sara Glass knew she kept falling in love with women, but that didn’t matter. She knew her place as an Ultra Orthodox woman. She was placed into an arranged marriage to a man shortly after graduating high school and she painfully left her girlfriend behind. Sara vulnerably shares in great detail about what it was like navigating s*x, pregnancy, chiIdbirth and postpartum as a Hasidic woman who was also gay.  Click here to watch on YouTube Find Sara! Website: https://www.drsaraglass.com Book: “Kissing Girls on Shabbat”  IG: @drsaraglass  LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/drsaraglass We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** 00:03:56 Growing up in a Hasidic neighborhood in Brooklyn and falling in love with other girls as a teen 00:05:57 Sara grapples with who she has been taught God is, Jewish law, and her actions 00:07:32 Keeping an open heart and connecting to the story with your own struggles  00:08:27 How marriage classes surprised Sara and the emphasis on the holiness of consummation 00:12:20 How a lack of s*x education led to confusion and an invasion of privacy from the Rabbi 00:18:52 What Sara's first pregnancy was like and her complicated feelings afterwards  TW: m*scarriage 00:22:06 The differences between m*scarrying a girl fetus and a boy fetus 00:23:40 Sara's husband takes the rules even further 00:25:49 What it was like giving birth without her husband in a secular hospital as a Hasidic Jewish woman 00:27:22 What the rules for birth control were in Sara's community 00:30:44 Gender roles in the Hasidic community and how the community is built around them 00:34:16 Mental health in this Hasidic community and Sara's fight for higher education 00:39:21 More rules around giving birth 00:42:48 What does Sara wish the medical staff would have done differently? 00:45:36 Sara's experience in college learning about the LGBTQ+ community 00:48:49 How Sara's social work classes applied to her own life TW: Marital r*pe 00:50:56 Rules for men around s*x 00:52:52 Divorce in the Hasidic community and the conditions Sara had to agree to to be granted one 00:56:20 Sara finally feels like she's in her own body 00:59:42 Sara expands her horizons in the secular world before remarrying 01:05:28 What did the Rabbis say about the LGBTQ+ community and men vs women 01:07:36 Sara finally decides to live an authentic life 01:12:20 What it means to leave a Hasidic community and the difficulties Sara faced 01:13:07 What Sara's relationship with her family is like today 01:14:31 What Sara's chosen community looks like now 01:17:26 Future writing endeavors Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Anyone can get sucked into a cult or be manipulated by an enthusiastic leader with bad intentions. Harvard graduate Joelle Tamraz, was young, enthusiastic and a perfect target for this specific yoga guru. Seeking enlightenment, purpose and peace, she came across a man who swept her off her feet and used spiritual manipulation to eventually exploit her and her family out of thousands of dollars. In this follow up episode we will discuss how exactly he got people to believe he had special powers and the ways in which he sucked them into his financial exploitations. Click here to watch on YouTube Watch her previous episode here IG: @joelletamraz  X / LinkedIn / TikTok: @joelletamraz FB: www.facebook.com/joelletamraz1/ Book: The Secret Practice: Eighteen Years on the Dark Side of Yoga: A Memoir Website: https://joelletamraz.com/ YouTube: @elevatingvoices  We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Join us live as Charlotte Medlock, former devout follower and right-hand employee to the infamous Guru Jagat, breaks down the various manipulation tactics implemented by the "Guru" in her rise and abrupt death.  From sleep deprivation, to spiraling out of her sense of identity, we discuss how Kundalini Yoga was turned into a modern New Age cult.   Click here to watch on YouTube Watch our original interview Charlotte:  How Narcissistic Yoga Guru Jagat Exploited Her Followers Find Charlotte on Social TikTok: @charlotte.medlock Instagram: @charlottesface  We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The new MAX documentary “Breath of Fire” exposes a dark side of Yogi Bhajan's Kundalini yoga. Today we are joined by Dr. Jules, who was featured in the doc, for a follow up to her initial C2C interview. What does it truly mean to wake up out of the “yoga matrix” after 8 years and find some sort of normalcy in life? Click here to watch on YouTube Full length interview with Jules IG: @jtotheules We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Searching for community and a higher purpose in life, Dr. Jules Hartley found herself in a Kundalini Yoga class which promised a life of prosperity. All she had to do was follow the prescribed lifestyle, wear a turban, practice yoga and meditation at 4am every day, follow a specific diet and cleanses and essentially worship the late Yogi Bhajan.  It would take 8 years before she realized it none of the claims were true, her life was falling apart, and she was essentially in a cult. Watch her in the new documentary “Breath of Fire” airing October 23rd on MAX. Click here to watch on YouTube IG: @jtotheules  We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** 00:03:53 What led Dr. Jules to seek yoga and meditation 00:11:21 Dr. Jules' chiIdhood and religious background 00:16:23 Dr. Jules goes to her Kundalini yoga class  00:17:46 True Kundalini yoga vs Kundalini yoga in LA 00:21:08 How this style of Kundalini yoga came to be 00:30:10 How Yogi Bhajan's teachings were manipulative and controlling 00:33:12 Yogi Bhajan's teachings get passed down to the next generation of teachers and across the globe 00:38:47 How the culture of LA and Yogi Bhajan's version of  Kundalini yoga created the perfect storm 00:44:43 How the ab*se of Yogi Bhajan is enmeshed with his style of Kundalini yoga 00:50:18 The expectation of women being with other women in the teachings and White Tantric Yoga 00:55:03 Sikhism and Guru Jagat 00:55:58 Hari Jiwan and his wife begin teaching classes 01:01:02 Hari Jiwan's inner circle 01:04:09 Dr. Jules' mental wellbeing after 8 years in the cult and what made her finally leave 01:16:13 How Dr. Jules got to be where she is today 01:23:37 How her naturopathic education aided her deconstruction and understanding of what she went through Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Breaking News - Ruby Franke and Jodi Hildebrandt Sentenced to Prison.  Today we are joined by ex cult member, Kendra Lee Bryan, who has been following the case closely and will walk us through all of the sentencing updates.  Click here to watch on YouTube For more information, watch these videos: Ruby Franke and Jodi Hildebrandt Sentenced to Prison w/ Lauren Mathias Sentencing Hearing | Ruby Franke and Jodi Hildebrandt Sentenced Judge Locks Up YouTube Mom Ruby Franke After She Begs for Forgiveness Subscribe to Kendra's Channel! YouTube:  @KendraLeeBryan   IG: no longer active We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

8 Passengers’ Ruby Franke pleads guilty to her charges with a plea agreement.  Kendra Lee Bryan of [Cult]ure Shock joins us to discuss the details of the plea deal, and reveal harrowing details of what Ruby’s family endured. Kendra, a fellow cult survivor, is a valuable asset to C2C.  She has come upon some hard times, and we'd like to support her by helping her find a job (unethically laid off), and throwing her some donations in the meantime. Click here to watch on YouTube venmo:  @thekendrab cashapp: $thekendrab PayPal: @thekendrab  You can also support by subscribing to her channel and checking out her videos. https://www.youtube.com/@KendraLeeBryan.   We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Kendra Lee Bryan has been following the case closely and will walk us through all of the updates since our last livestream.  Click here to watch on YouTube Subscribe to Kendra's Channel! YouTube:  @KendraLeeBryan   IG: no longer active We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Fingers have been pointed and blame shifted from the alleged perpetrators Ruby Franke and Jodi Hildebrandt in court. Are we really surprised? However, more and more people are coming forward to attest to the awful treatment Ruby and Jodi have both inflicted on others aside from Ruby's own. Joined by Kendra Bryan, we will discuss some of the new updates in the case. Click here to watch on YouTube Subscribe to Kendra's Channel! YouTube:  @KendraLeeBryan   IG: no longer active We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Breaking news with Mormon mommy blogger Ruby Franke who was arrested for extreme CA. Join me, Andrew Gold and Kendra Bryan to discuss the details of the arrest.  Click here for the 1st part on YouTube on Andrew Gold's Channel before moving over here.  Click here to watch this episode on YouTube Subscribe to Andrew's Channel!  YouTube: Andrew Gold   IG: @andrewgold_ok  Subscribe to Kendra's Channel! YouTube:  @KendraLeeBryan   IG: no longer active We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Join us to further discuss the awful book "To Train Up a Child". As a follow up to our episode together, we will answer your questions! Click here to watch on YouTube Watch her episode first here Find Kendra on Social! IG: no longer active FB: Kendra Bryan (the bad child) TikTok: @kendraleebryan We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Childhood was anything but peaceful growing up as a “Rama kid” in this insular Shawano, Wisconsin Cult. Claiming to have seen God and speak for Him, the leader seemed to enjoy torturing his members (especially the youth) and keeping them under strict control. Michele was 5 when her parents left her at the cult compound where she was endlessly tortured. She wouldn’t fully end up escaping until her 30s.  Click here to watch on YouTube Follow Michele on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/@UC-76QylEA3KKCmfBe5d0MPw  We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** 00:03:45 Rama's history and how he came to be in the United States and converted to Christianity 00:06:39 Michele's early life in the cult 00:08:39 Early memories from the cult and their lasting effects 00:12:03 What it was like living in the compound and ways in which food was used in harmful ways 00:12:49 TW:  Michele was tortured as a chiIId, having to eat her own vomit 00:18:56 How Rama would pit chiIdren and families against each other 00:22:25 TW: Psychological and physical ab*se 00:28:07 What going to public school was like for Michele and how the other chiIdren and teachers treated her 00:30:48 Michele's inconsistent schooling and how it effected her later on 00:33:59 Michele's final straw to leave the church and the repercussions for defying Rama 00:39:21 How Michele's mother's relationship with her chiIdren and the church changed after Michele left 00:42:11 How Michele's mom's devotion to Rama added to the ab*se 00:44:25 TW: Physical ab*se 00:45:52 Rama's control over parents led to Michele's parentification 00:50:42 Physically leaving the cult, mentally still following Rama 00:52:18 How mental health was viewed in the cult  00:54:37 How Michele handled parenthood after her trauma 00:56:50 Michele's experience in therapy and what helped her to find healing 00:59:56 Michele's symptoms of PTSD 01:05:51 Michele uses energy healing practices to cut ties with Rama 01:11:33 What Michele believes now 01:12:04 How Michele is doing now Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Shifrah grew up in the horrific Shawano, Wisconsin cult often called SIST. She frequently witnessed people being beat*n or shocked with cattle prods. Some people joined to fulfill their own sadistic fantasies, while others were too indoctrinated or programmed to realize the CA was wrong and unacceptable. Determined to beat up adults who were harming chiIdren, shifrah became a ring leader of sorts and a huge target to the cult leader. Afraid of what influence she may have, Shifrah was kicked out and disowned from her 13 person family, expected to live on the streets at 12 years old. Click here to watch on YouTube Find Shifrah on social media: YouTube:  www.youtube.com/@shifrahmorgan464 IG: @shifrah21 We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** 00:04:07 What is the Rama cult, and why do people follow him? 00:07:23 Shifrah's family lived there and was heavily involved 00:08:40 ChiId labor on the compound 00:15:32 CW: Physical Ab*se- What the Shawano kids saw 00:20:43 There was a clear familial hierarchy which controlled how people were treated 00:21:36 CW: CSA- The various kinds of ab*se happening 00:24:52 CW:CSA- Rama pushing the men to little girls... 00:26:21 CW: CSA- rampant ab*se that led to chiIdren playing "doctor" with each other 00:32:10 Re-learning to trust her body after CSA 00:33:35 How Rama got parents to hurt their own chiIdren 00:36:58 CW: DV & CA 00:39:58 Shifrah "rebels" by starting a posse to protect chiIdren from adults 00:45:36 What led to Shifrah getting kicked out of her house 01:00:45 How Shifrah was able to go to high school 01:01:41 Shifrah's life falls apart after her first husband passes away 01:05:08 Shifrah's biological parents want a relationship with her 01:06:54 Shifrah processes everything that happened to her, and advocates against the cult now 01:16:05 What brings Shifrah joy now Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

CW:  CSA, SA, Abuse. Cult dynamics can be found in large, high control groups, as well as in single families. From no locked doors or privacy within the house, to accompanying her on dates, ab*sing her with barb wire, and hold her family hostage, Kahlia’s father essentially acted like a cult leader in her household and kept her imprisoned with manipulation tactics and various forms of ab*se. Learn what it took for her to leave her dying grandmother (per her wishes) so she could escape and find true freedom and happiness.  Click here to watch on YouTube Follow Kahlia on Instagram:  @vintagelia96 We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** 00:04:05 Kahlia's family dynamic growing up 00:05:29 Kahlia's father's rules with purity culture 00:08:55 Kahlia's father didn't allow her to have any friends 00:10:28 Kahlia's home school experience 00:12:56 The different religious beliefs Kahlia's father thought was the true way 00:14:42 Kahlia's hairstyle was controlled by her father 00:16:37 TW: Kahlia's father threat*ned their lives by kn*fepoint whenever her mom tried to take them and leave 00:19:21 Kahlia's father told her she'd be responsible for breaking up the family if she spoke out 00:23:35 Kahlia's father would bully her 00:25:08 TW:  walking in while undressing, groping, SA 00:26:30 TW: CSA (father forces a tampon when Kahlia is 11) 00:29:33 TW: CSA (17 years old) 00:32:06 TW:  SA (the last incident that made Kahlia leave for good) 00:37:36 What motivated Kahlia to get out of the abus*ve situation 00:39:48 Kahlia's family's negative reaction to her dating her now husband 00:43:38 Na na's parting words to Kahlia 00:45:00 What it was like acclimating to a new life outside of control 00:54:56 What brings Kahlia joy now Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Samanta Roy Institute of Science and Technology, known also simply as SIST, is a secretive fundamentalist Christian-like group based in Shawano, Wisconsin. The group was founded by Rama Behera, a Hindu who converted to Christianity, who later changed his name to Dr. Rama Chandra Samanta Roy. Born and raised in the insidious cult, Elisabeth Gronval and her 8 other siblings went through hell at the hands of the leader. He would isolate and torture chiIdren with hard manual labor, disturbing physical punishments and verbal ab*se. Elisabeth was publicly humiliated when her home was ransacked at the leader’s command and extremely private belongings were passed around to hundreds of members. Excommunicated from her church and her family, she was left alone to navigate an unknown world.  Click here to watch on YouTube Find Elisabeth on social: IG:  @enliven_hope_productions  Email: hopestarts1999@gmail.com We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** 00:00:00 Intro 00:05:07 Who is Rama Behera and why do people follow him? 00:08:16 Elisabeth and her family traveled to the compound every weekend for his sermons 00:09:48 The torture that Elisabeth witnessed 00:13:16 In Rama's mind, what was meriting this type of torture to chiIdren? 00:17:04 Some of Elisabeth's chiIdhood memories in the cult 00:20:37 Were parents isolated and kept away from seeing the chiIdren tortured? 00:21:47 What was Rama saying to convince people he had authority? 00:27:25 Sticking out like a sore thumb in public school 00:29:19 Why Elisabeth started to "rebel" in her teen years 00:38:15 What made Elisabeth want to escape? 00:43:03 The beginning of when it seemed it was time for Elisabeth to leave 00:48:11 Elisabeth going back and meeting Rama's wrath (he shared n*de photos of her to everyone) 00:56:35 Elisabeth's final escape 01:01:44 When Elisabeth's family decided to leave the cult 01:04:45 Elisabeth opens up about her father and his vulnerabilities 01:10:19 Elisabeth feels Rama has mental illness 01:14:31 Has Rama seen consequences? 01:19:35 What brings Elisabeth joy now? 01:27:25 Linda, listen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Hannah Neeleman, LDS trad wife and mom-fluencer for over 9 million collective followers is under high scrutiny from the world after an article in The Times, pulled back the veil from her seemingly perfect life. Journalist Megan Agnew wrote about her sneaking suspicion of secret oppression going on behind the scenes due to her impression of Hannah’s heavily lurking husband. Is Hannah, the pageant-winning, butter-churning, picture perfect mother of eight actually happy to have blown up her ballerina career at Juilliard for this exhausting lifestyle? Joined live today, former LDS trad wife and content creator. Jennie Gage, weighs in on her opinion of the matter.  Click here to watch on YouTube Find Jennie on social media: TikTok: @lifetaketwo  IG: @lifetaketwojennie  We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Click here to listen to Part 1 on YouTube An old official LDS church document has just surfaced on Reddit about the “dangers” of masturb*tion and we are here to cover it with @alyssaadgrenfell.  Also on the docket are other harmful talks about the normative practice. Make sure you go to Alyssa’s channel to watch part 1 before we redirect to our channel to continue the conversation!  Click here to watch this episode on YouTube Find Alyssa on social media: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@alyssadgrenfell TikTok:   https://www.tiktok.com/@alyssadgrenfell Instagram:   https://www.instagram.com/alyssadgrenfell/ Blog: https://www.mormontruths.com Email: alyssadgrenfell@gmail.com We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ex Mormon YouTuber Alyssa Grenfell, opens up about her experience going to the Mormon University Brigham Young University and on her service mission for the LDS church. Here is why she ultimately regrets spending a year and a half trying to convert people to the faith.  Click here to watch on YouTube Catch Shelise on Alyssa’s channel where they discuss soaking and other loopholes Find Alyssa on social media: YouTube: @alyssadgrenfell TikTok:   / alyssadgrenfell   Instagram:   / alyssadgrenfell   Blog: https://www.mormontruths.com Email: alyssadgrenfell@gmail.com We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** 00:00:00 Intro 00:05:41 How Mormonism impacted Alyssa's childhood and her personal relationships and led her to BYU  00:10:44 BYU as a symbol of Mormon culture and a goal for those outside of Utah 00:15:58 Rules at BYU that prevent students from taking tests and forming connections with other students 00:22:24 Threats of degree revocation as a control tactic to keep students within the honor code boundaries 00:25:57 The impact of BYU surveillance and the honor code on victims 00:28:10 Alyssa begins to experience dissonance with her faith and personal beliefs at BYU 00:33:58 How missionaries are viewed in Mormon culture and how it coerces LDS members to serve 00:42:03 Alyssa's personal revelation from God... that contradicts the church 00:48:10 Alyssa's first experience in the temple and how it impacted her mission 00:58:14 The implications of going through the temple and then cancelling your mission 00:59:54 The isolation of a Mormon mission 01:07:51 How the church promotes religious OCD to its missionaries 01:10:22 How Alyssa's mission affected her mental health in the field and when she came home 01:15:16 Living with a hoarder as a missionary and how the church deemed those to be adequate conditions 01:19:51 What the consequences were to raising concerns about improper housing 01:26:04 How the goal of worthiness keeps missionaries in line and in potentially harmful environments 01:28:44 Baptism quotas, avoiding certain questions and omitting the truth while trying to convert 01:32:33 When numbers get in the way of actually helping those in need 01:35:36 Why Alyssa regrets her mission 01:39:19 What to do when you meet a Mormon missionary 01:43:49 Linda, listen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Born into this hyper-strict cult in Wisconsin, Martha Glory Stecker Kartaoui was told she was one of the chosen people. Intense modesty rules and odd dietary restrictions were nothing compared to what she endured every weekend at the compound with her family. Groomed by the leader himself, Martha was chosen to move to the compound where she would be psychologically, emotionally, spiritually and physically tortured for 8 years until she could escape his tight grasp.  Now, Martha is a certified life/health coach, spiritual mentor specializing in trauma. She’s an Amazon Best Selling International Author, a dynamic speaker, and a skilled healing facilitator. As a cult survivor, she finds purpose and passion in leading healing retreats/workshops for others who have survived Cults or other high-controlled groups and their communities. Because she knows intimately the challenges of reclaiming one's identity outside the constraints of the cult culture, she’s dedicated to assisting individuals seeking to reclaim their lives in order to thrive in their own journey towards self-discovery and divine fulfillment. Martha is building a platform (Cult-X) for those interested in connecting in a safe space to share experiences and find healing. Cult-X is a hub for resources, community, workshop/retreat opportunities, and group sharing. For more information, email Martha at martha@cult-x.org  Click here to watch on YouTube Find Martha on Social media… IG: @marthakartaoui  Facebook: Martha Kartaoui  LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/martha-kartaoui-a7840b291 Website: https://cult-x.org Book: Glory: Going All In  We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Join us with the amazing husband and wife team, Sam and Melissa from  @GrowingUpinPolygamy as they break down their latest exclusive interview with the son of the notorious Polygamist Fundamentalist Mormon (FLDS) leader, Warren Jeffs.  Ammon Jeffs shared with them an unprecedented glimpse into life at YFZ Ranch, shedding light on the realities of being raised by the infamous polygamous prophet, the untold stories, challenges, the traumatic Texas Raid, and the insights from someone who lived through it all.  Click here to watch on YouTube Watch their full interview with Ammon Jeffs on their channel here YouTube: @growingupinpolygamy Website: https://www.growingupinpolygamy.com/ Instagram: @growing_up_in_polygamy Email: growingupinpolygamy@gmail.com Resources for leaving Polygamy & volunteer opportunities If you or someone you love has left polygamy and needs assistance, please reach out to "Holding Out HELP" at 801-548-3492 or visit their website at www.holdingouthelp.org Holding Out Help: https://holdingouthelp.org/ Short Creek Dream Center: https://www.shortcreekdreamcenter.org/ We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

People often ask how anyone can believe in a Prophet who's currently in prison.  We will hear from ex-FLDS (Fundamentalist Mormon) member, Sam, from  @GrowingUpinPolygamy  , what his spiritual experiences were like inside the cult. His wife, Melissa, will join us to add her opinions on her spiritual experiences in mainstream Mormonism. Click here to watch on YouTube Make sure to catch the live with us on their channel immediately after C2C interviews GUIP:   https://youtu.be/9-1ds4x1eXk?si=SnmoN31Y_ScQ5na8 Watch the episode we did on their channel here:  https://youtu.be/zXQUeXwkMRk YouTube: @growingupinpolygamy Website: https://www.growingupinpolygamy.com/ Instagram: @growing_up_in_polygamy Email: growingupinpolygamy@gmail.com Resources for leaving Polygamy & volunteer opportunities If you or someone you love has left polygamy and needs assistance, please reach out to "Holding Out HELP" at 801-548-3492 or visit their website at www.holdingouthelp.org Holding Out Help: https://holdingouthelp.org/ Short Creek Dream Center: https://www.shortcreekdreamcenter.org/ We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The new cult documentary "Daughters of the Cult" explores the LeBaron family, as it relates to killings  in the name of God, also known as Blood Atonement.  Sisters, Anna and Celia LeBaron, join us to discuss details that were left out of the documentary. Click here to watch on YouTube We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Led by the currently incarcerated prophet Warren Jeffs, the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints have strict rules and one major part of their doctrine is the practice of polygamy. The women who are often assigned and married off at a young age, are forced to bear as many children as possible. Warren took it upon himself to separate mothers and fathers from their children at astonishing rates. We will discuss with Ceci Hendrickson (a former polygamist wife and mother) all of the ways they suffered in the FLDS.  Click here to watch on YouTube Watch her full interview here  Find Ceci on Social! IG: @Ceci.Hendrickson Clothing Line: https://pinkvalor.com/ IG @pinkvalor We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Amanda Rae who grew up in a Fundamentalist Polygamist Mormon sect, shares her thoughts on the damaging effects of polygamy being glorified on TV.  Shelise's mom, Lisa, an avid watcher, also joins us to chime in with her thoughts. Click here to watch on YouTube Click here to watch the live we did on Amanda’s channel immediately after! Find Amanda: YouTube:    @TheAmandaRaeGrant       IG: @amandaraegrant If you or someone you love has left polygamy and needs assistance, please reach out to "Holding Out HELP" at 801-548-3492 or visit their website at www.holdingouthelp.org We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Joined today in studio with Amanda Rae ( @TheAmandaRaeGrant  ) we discuss never talked about behind-the-scenes secrets about her time on the TV show "Escaping Polygamy." Click here to watch on YouTube Click here to watch the live we're doing on Amanda’s channel immediately after! Find Amanda: YouTube:    @TheAmandaRaeGrant       IG: @amandaraegrant If you or someone you love has left polygamy and needs assistance, please reach out to "Holding Out HELP" at 801-548-3492 or visit their website at www.holdingouthelp.org We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

“Escaping Polygamy” was a hit international tv show that ran from 2014-2019 following a small group of ex-polygamous cult women who helped others escape their polygamous cults on camera.  @TheAmandaRaeGrant  continues to help women who have escaped, by hosting an annual retreat in Malibu for connection and community. We were lucky enough to be invited and spend time getting to know these amazing ladies. While there, we got to film with most of the cast of the show (Amanda, Andrea, Jessica and Shanell) and talk about their experiences while filming, behind the scenes and the aftermath.  Click here to watch on YouTube Resource for those escaping polygamy: https://holdingouthelp.org/ Find and support Amanda! YouTube: ​⁠​⁠​⁠  @TheAmandaRaeGrant   IG: @amandaraegrant  Find Shanell! FB: https://www.facebook.com/shanell.snow IG: https://www.instagram.com/shanellsnow/ We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** 00:00:00 Intro 00:01:02 Dealing with backlash 00:02:44 The Order cult, explained 00:04:37 Amanda Rae talks what it was like filming the Escaping Polygamy TV show 00:06:20 The internal conflict the first years of filming for Jessica 00:08:17 The show helped bring community for Shanell 00:09:04 Jessica & Andrea reveal how the Escaping Polygamy TV show got started 00:16:09 Shanell talks why she joined the show 00:18:41 Not wanting to keep Order secrets anymore 00:20:12 Stipulations the cast had for the show 00:21:37 Jessica regrets saying they needed security 00:23:33 Amanda wishes they producers were more aware everyone's state of mind  00:26:51 Did they have anyone trauma informed on set? 00:32:50 Did the show try to create divides between the girls? 00:36:24 Dealing with backlash 00:38:22 What the self sacrifice looked like 00:44:52 What the daily mental health was like for the cast 00:50:52 The show's after effects on Amanda Rae and Jessica 00:55:57 Jessica thought the show and their efforts would bring change with The Order 01:04:37 What can someone do to help members in The Order? 01:07:18 Are the girls religious after leaving The Order? 01:14:39 Updates!  How is the cast doing now? 01:21:59 What was it like for Shelise to infiltrate the retreat as an outsider? 01:28:16 Linda, listen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Season 2 of Secret Lives of Mormon wives drops Thursday! Joined by  @alyssadgrenfell  we give you a full recap of Season 1 along with what our predictions are so you can be all caught up and ready to binge! Prepare for our own commentary as ex- Mormons. We have a lot to say! Click here to watch on YouTube Part 2 on Alyssa's channel: https://youtube.com/live/I6TgOCRaUVs Find Alyssa on social media: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@alyssadgrenfell TikTok:   https://www.tiktok.com/@alyssadgrenfell Instagram:  @alyssadgrenfell  Blog: https://www.mormontruths.com Email: alyssadgrenfell@gmail.com We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Join us live to talk about life inside and outside of the Amish settlements. You can watch their episodes prior to the live, so you have more context.  Click here to watch on YouTube Eli  Old Order AMISH: When Depression is Considered Sin https://youtu.be/AVES4ukGWyg Old Order AMISH: Devastating Effects of ZERO S*x Ed Before Marriage https://youtu.be/fXNayAfl294 Meg “Sins of the Amish” Doc: Darker Details than They Were Willing to Release on TV https://youtu.be/96RGRjyTTNI Find their channels: Eli:  @eliyoder491   Meg:  @coloringspirit ​ We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Luci Coblentz was born and raised in an Old Order Amish Settlement where she was worked so hard as a chiId it literally broke her back. At 17 she had to escape twice before she was free. However, still new and naive to the outside world, she quickly found herself in another non denominational Christian cult, run by a charismatic preacher “chosen by God himself” who controlled his congregation with heavy handed fear. There she would coincidentally run into another former Amish boy from the same settlement who she would end up marrying. It took them 10 years to wake up to the ab*ses perpetrated in the cult and leave together.   Click here to watch on YouTube Watch pt 1:  https://youtu.be/gS_ott73X08?si=SHGru57WV7CdHICO Connect with Luci IG @lucindacoblentz https://www.instagram.com/lucindacoblentz FB https://www.facebook.com/lucinda.coblentz We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Chapter Marks 00:00:00 Intro 00:03:40 What life was like for Luke growing up in an Old Order Amish community 00:06:30 How scaling back on worldly things led to Luke's family leaving the Amish community 00:11:24 How Luci and Luke interacted in the Amish community before connecting again as adults 00:14:19 Things that made Luci vulnerable to joining another cult 00:19:18 How Luke got involved in the church before Luci joined 00:21:11 What made this church so appealing to someone leaving the Amish church 00:24:23 What it was like for Luci and Luke to see each other again years later and after leaving the Amish community 00:29:14 How unhealthy power dynamics and toxic relationships can lead to mental health struggles 00:34:17 What the church provided that Luci had been craving 00:38:41 Ways in which the church kept members under control with a false sense of choice 00:41:39 How this church further manipulated the congregation and misused donations 00:47:31 How Luci's family's way of speaking led to realizing the church leader's manipulation tactics 00:51:33 What made Luke and Luci finally leave the church 00:56:25 Luke's experience leaving the church 00:58:10 How they navigated their lives after leaving the church and having autonomy for the first time 01:06:03 Where Luke and Luci are today and what makes them happy\ 01:13:59 Final thoughts 01:16:15 Linda, listen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Part of a very strict Old Order Amish settlement where children are seen as inherently evil and corporal punishment is the cure, Luci often fantasized about a completely different life. Child labor was so intense, she broke her back and received no medical attention. Finally as a teenager she escaped to her brother’s home only to be taken right back. Her family was forcibly keeping her in her room until she hit her breaking point and ran as fast as she could with her older brother chasing her into a neighboring cornfield. How could she escape? Click here to watch on YouTube Watch pt 2:  https://youtu.be/4ujbGhZCHPo?si=1vctd96V7cNINQA1 Connect with Luci IG @lucindacoblentz https://www.instagram.com/lucindacoblentz FB https://www.facebook.com/lucinda.coblentz We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Chapter Markers 00:00:00 Intro 00:02:26 Where Luci grew up and how roles in the church were seen as a burden 00:05:06 What it was like being unable to read the Bible but being expected to follow it 00:07:52 Church leaders who unintentionally perpetuated more ab*se 00:10:56 What the repentance process was like 00:12:59 What happens when someone does try to go to the police 00:13:25 How the community treated the victim and why 00:15:43 How the Amish community has created an environment where perpetrators thrive 00:19:26 Luci's childhood and life at home 00:21:33 Luci has a major injury while working on the family's dairy farm 00:24:42 What was life like for Luci's mother? 00:26:03 Parentification in Luci's childhood home 00:28:18 "Rebellious" acts Luci did as a child 00:29:36 Sneaking in a newspaper 00:30:40 Escaping shame and v*olence with an imaginary family 00:35:32 Shame leading to serious mental illness in children 00:39:36 How did reading the Bible lead Luci to leaving the Amish community? 00:42:04 How little interactions with people outside the community impacted Luci positively 00:44:30 How those in the Amish community can lack documentation of birth 00:46:14 Luci's plans for escape 00:51:34 Luci's family violently attempts to thwart her plans 00:59:38 Luci finally escapes for good 01:03:24 How Luci felt and started to cope after leaving everything she ever knew 01:04:47 Finding a job without having legal documentation 01:07:04 The difficulties Luci faced when people found out about her Amish past 01:09:14 How Luci met her husband and joined another cult 01:11:16 Linda, listen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

From Evangelical camp kid to youth director, Dr. Laura Anderson recognized early on that something didn’t feel right. It wasn’t until her late 20s that she learned what she had gone through at the hands of her pastor was spiritual and psychological abuse. She also discovered that her symptoms had a very specific name, cPTSD. When she realized most therapists didn’t understand the trauma that comes with leaving a high control group, she made it her mission to become part of the solution and become a therapist who specialized in those types of cases.  Click here to watch on YouTube Find Laura! Website: https://drlauraeanderson.com/about IG: @drlauraeanderson https://www.instagram.com/drlauraeanderson/ Her book: https://amzn.to/40HUXrU We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Let's talk about the aftermath of being in a cult. Pulling from our post-cult guests' experiences and our own, Derek from @mythvisionpodcast and I, dive into some of the harms that can accumulate from being manipulated, coerced and powerless. Join us and ask your questions! Click here to watch on YouTube Find Derek on Social! Youtube:  @MythVisionPodcast   MythVision Website:  https://mythvisionpodcast.com/  MythVision Patreon:  https://www.patreon.com/mythvision  Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/MythVision/  Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheWaterBoyZRadio/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/DerekPodcast  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mythvision/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dereklambert_7/ Discord: https://discord.gg/dRQXdZBq6E  We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

BREAKING NEWS!  After months of trial and jury deliberations, the judge has ruled in the case of Danny Masterson. Life in prison with chance of parole in 30 years. This is a huge win for not just the 3 Jane Doe survivors in this case, but for all survivors of SA who are looking for justice. Joined by former top ranking Scientologist, Claire Headley, we discuss the sentence and what we think contributed to it.  Click here to watch on YouTube Find and Support Claire! The Aftermath Foundation: http://www.theaftermathfoundation.org/ To volunteer: vounteer@theaftermathfoundation.org Her Website: https://blownforgood.com/ YouTube: @blownforgood Instagram: @blownforgood https://www.instagram.com/blownforgood/ Twitter: @claireheadley https://twitter.com/claireheadley We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

First rule of a cult, you're never in a cult! As two ex cult members, we have lived on both sides of the doctrine. The "true" side, as told to us by the leaders, and the actual truth. In this live we will be discussing the enormous amount of information control that goes on within Mormonism and Scientology and how it is used against its members to keep them in. Click here to watch on YouTube Help getting out of Scientology: https://theaftermathfoundation.org/ Find Apostate Alex on Social! YouTube:  @apostatealex   Instagram: @apostate.alex https://www.instagram.com/apostate.alex/ Get in touch: hello@apostatealex.com Discord: https://discord.gg/vfkksKgs9d We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Elad, a college student searching for answers to the mysteries of the universe, found mystical answers within a strict Hasidic community. A secular Jew up until that point, he fully embraced the theology, rules and culture. Little did he know, just how controlled his life would soon be and how much scandal he would unearth once his journalism career within the community started to take off. The cover ups, silencing and shaming was too much to ignore.  Click here to watch on YouTube Find Elad on Social media: IG @eladnehorai https://www.instagram.com/eladnehorai?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== Substack: https://eladnehorai.substack.com/?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAabXOk7qJmywOIOi5YQsWahZSKZrhsNDhLH676jKVYOcLeLUScGyrFvqSro_aem_rrCp42zF1D9A8hnQpoZe8w We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Chapter Marks 00:00:00 Intro 00:02:41 Understanding and uncovering systemic ab*se in high demand religions 00:03:09 Elad's parents and how the family practiced Judaism during Elad's childhood 00:04:45 How Elad found this Hasidic group appealing 00:11:14 How Elad's near death experience and diagnosis of bipolar disorder led to a Hasidic Rabbi 00:16:57 Seeking answers from a popular Rabbi 00:21:05 How thought terminating arguments were used as a powerful tool 00:23:13 Think critically but come to the same conclusion 00:24:44 How Elad began to realize the high control nature of Hasidic Judaism 00:26:30 Hasidic rules make their way into the bedroom 00:29:47 Being taught to self-shame in the Hasidic community 00:31:57 How speaking up about mental health was perceived in the Hasidic community 00:33:52 How men were permitted to study Judaism and how it aided in their goal of every Jew becoming Hasidic 00:35:16 Elad begins to unravel his beliefs 00:37:31 How Elad's encouragement of creativity rocked the Hasidic world 00:42:46 Elad gets pushback for publishing stories from his community 00:45:54 How a conservative community can attract a liberal or progressive person 00:47:09 How the different application of morals among a community can crumble a person's faith 00:50:41 How a friend's divorce became Elad's last straw 00:54:03 Feeling God for the first time again 01:00:37 How further isolation was necessary for growth 01:04:12 How Elad navigates spirituality today 01:12:48 Linda, listen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Certain Ultra Orthodox communities are considered high control groups by former members. Today, Beatrice Weber, who was a wife to a Rabbi and mother of 10 inside a Hasidic sect, takes us through the book of modesty that they were expected to follow. She will share just how much control she was under when it came to her appearance and every day expectations.  Click here to watch on YouTube Watch pt 1 here:  https://youtu.be/LGXNrG7kIec?si=0IbiLk6h7XQ0jtZO Watch pt 2 here:  https://youtu.be/6MXpJm_aRoU?si=L67psW-uh-nOcwJX Resources for help leaving Orthodox communities  Footsteps https://www.footstepsorg.org/ Rights and Religion Forum https://rarforum.org/ Find and support Beatrice! Linktree https://linktr.ee/bweber Website: https://beatriceweber.com/about/ We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

After decades of suffering in silence and submission in the Hasidic community with 10 children, Beatrice carefully plotted her escape. With some of her children already adults, she snuck out with the youngest 4 who were still very young. The community and older children immediately turned on her and tried to take the youngest kids away in court. After years of custody battles, she kept access to her kids, but the court ordered one son stay in a Hasidic school which gave him no secular education. Beatrice sued the NYC for not regulating the religious Hasidic schools and won! This is how she deconstructed her ideology. Click here to watch on YouTube Watch pt 1 here:  https://youtu.be/LGXNrG7kIec?si=fnWrmXDKdLKSy3ZF Resources for help leaving Orthodox communities  Footsteps https://www.footstepsorg.org/ Rights and Religion Forum https://rarforum.org/ Marlene Winell Journey Free- Recover From Toxic Religions https://www.journeyfree.org/ Find and support Beatrice! Linktree: https://linktr.ee/bweber Website: https://beatriceweber.com/about/ We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Chapter Marks 00:00:00 Intro 00:03:47 Part 1 recap 00:05:33 Getting the court system involved for protection from her ex-husband and even chiIdren 00:10:04 The difficulties of having to leave some chiIdren behind 00:11:31 Beatrice makes a big mistake in court 00:16:21 How Chavie's case impacted others and how Beatrice regained custody 00:19:19 Beatrice can't ignore the corruption any longer and decides to heal from it 00:20:50 It's never really "just hair" 00:21:33 The continuous journey of healing 00:22:57 Tackling the lack of education in the Hasidic community 00:24:27 Discrepancies in what the courts are saying about Beatrice's case 00:25:33 The school refuses to accept Beatrice's son again 00:27:38 How Beatrice's case changed the school system 00:29:58 Beatrice's children's varying reactions to their mother not just leaving the community, but also making large scale change 00:31:35 Has Beatrice ever talked to her older chiIdren about what happened? 00:33:20 Why it's sometimes easier for people stay in their oppressive communities 00:35:21 What made Beatrice leave the Hasidic community altogether? 00:38:22 TW: ED 00:40:30 How others who have left high demand religions helped Beatrice heal 00:45:15 How people in the Hasidic community use Beatrice's story to perpetuate harmful ideologies 00:46:39 Things Beatrice misses from being in the community 00:50:05 Losing your community for your freedom 00:52:22 What makes Beatrice feel fulfilled? 00:54:32 Huffington Post article sneak peek 00:58:38 Exploring yourself as you are, not as someone has told you to be 01:01:20 Resources for leaving high demand religious groups 01:05:00 Linda, listen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Beatrice Weber was told her only goal in life should be getting married to a respectable Hasidic man and bearing as many children as possible. After being “rebellious” as a young teen, she was sent abroad to a strict religious school where she was meant to learn to behave. As soon as she returned, her parents set her on a path to marry a Torah scholar for a hefty price. She was only 18 years old. She would then not be allowed to use birth control and go on to having 10 children. Suffocated in the lifestyle with little to no help from her husband, she began plotting her escape.  Click here to watch on YouTube Watch pt 2 here:  https://youtu.be/6MXpJm_aRoU?si=L67psW-uh-nOcwJX Resources for help leaving Orthodox communities  Footsteps https://www.footstepsorg.org/ Rights and Religion Forum https://rarforum.org/ Find and support Beatrice!  Linktree https://linktr.ee/bweber Website: https://beatriceweber.com/about/ We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Chapter Marks 00:00:00 Intro 00:03:35 Beatrice's conservative community 00:05:40 What it was like growing up with extra rules and eating by stricter kosher standards 00:10:16 The consequences for eating the wrong color popscicle 00:14:12 Dressing modestly to the extreme 00:18:03 Interactions with the opposite s*x and how birthday celebrations where considered "immodest" 00:22:15 How isolated was Beatrice's chiIdhood? 00:23:50 How to Holocaust influences modern Jewish life 00:26:15 How the community's set up perpetuates corporal punishment  00:27:59 The Ritual Bath and its problematic nature 00:31:08 Lack of s*x education in the Hasidic community 00:32:22 Beatrice's family moves and changes her education 00:35:29 How the focus on actions prevents original thinking 00:38:03 The preceived importance of lingeage in the Jewish community and how long Beatrice was at seminary school 00:39:32 Beatrice prepares for marriage and how she felt about it 00:41:59 Beatrice's experience with the Hasidic Jewish marriage process 00:47:55 S*x education and new rules after marriage 00:54:19 The rules around s*x and Beatrice's ex-husbands controlling nature 00:56:55 How did Beatrice manage with 10 kids? 00:59:06 Getting birth control in the Hasidic Jewish community 01:01:44 Beatrice rebells and goes to therapy 01:05:45 When did Beatrice start to question? 01:08:58 Beatrice realizes the only option 01:10:46 How Beatrice had to time her escape to create the best outcome for her chiIdren 01:13:24 Linda, listen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We are joined LIVE today with Nuriyah Khan to continue her harrowing story of escaping Sharia Law in Dubai and the ensuing aftermath. Click here to watch on YouTube Watch the initial interview with Nuriyah Here:  https://youtu.be/9wgTdTU1Ay0?si=ErnHxBvAI520iKqq Find Nuriyah on youtube:  https://www.youtube.com/@HolyHumanist We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We had an incredible conversation with Ellaf Al-Tamini about her harrowing time in Iraq, forced to marry an ab*sive man as a chiId bride.  Join us today as we dive deeper into the unbelievable aftermath of her incredible escape against all odds.  Click here to watch on Youtube Watch her full interview here:  https://youtu.be/4dWpPKAA5MQ?si=Vm8FeP15YWTGlPIw Connect with Ellaf:https://allmylinks.com/ellafaltamimi2012 IG @ellaf_altamimi https://www.instagram.com/ellaf_altamimi We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

After an incredible conversation with Jasmin Faulk-Dickerson about her story of escaping Saudi Arabia without legal ramifications, today we are joined with her LIVE to further discuss the difficulties she faced as a teenager growing up as an Italian-Arab in a fundamentalist Islamic family.  Click here to watch on Youtube Watch our initial interview with Jasmin:  https://youtu.be/Qc3mJ9hIuVw Find and Support Jasmin!  IG:  jasmin.faulk https://www.instagram.com/jasmin.faulk?igsh=MTRtbHo2dzVnd3VoMA== Website: http://www.jasminfaulk.com/ Book:  The Last Sandstorm Amazon: https://amzn.to/4eDElIB Podcast: I Want you to Meet https://www.jasminfaulkdickerson.com/iwantyoutomeet We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (formerly known as the Mormon church) holds a General Conference for its members twice per year, where the Apostles and Prophet give direction and inspiration as received by God. Today, led by the fabulous ex-mormon content creators and Mormon challengers, Julia & Jennie, we will discuss their commandments around women's reproduction, population control, reconversion of apostates and more. These themes will paint a clear picture as to why the leaders are so panicked. Join us for all the tea from this past weekend's talks.  Click here to watch on YouTube Make sure to follow Jennie & Julia's NEW podcast and check out their socials below! https://www.youtube.com/@UCm8C7xksoeTqpoGRERabJwg  Julia with Analyzing Mormonsim IG @analyzing.mormonism https://www.instagram.com/analyzing.mormonism?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ== TikTok @analyzing.mormonism https://www.tiktok.com/@analyzing.mormonism?_t=ZT-8tQ3BW3QPfv&_r=1 YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@analyzingmormonism Julia's video: Blood Atonement: The Fatal Occult Ritual of Early Mormonism https://youtu.be/Fv0CvpwZzQo Jennie TikTok @lifetaketwo https://www.tiktok.com/@lifetaketwo?_t=8oifKuMyiQY&_r=1 IG @lifetaketwojennie https://www.instagram.com/lifetaketwojennie?igsh=MWQ1ZGUxMzBkMA== YouTube  @lifetaketwo7662   https://m.youtube.com/@lifetaketwo7662 Linktree https://linktr.ee/lifetaketwo Jennie's videos: The Dark Side of Growing Up a Girl in the Mormon Church https://youtu.be/qqcVYErkLXc Barely Surviving a Painful Life As a Mormon TRAD WIFE https://youtu.be/n_N_P5RHhfM  We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

CW: DV & suicide attempt. After being spiritually manipulated to marry a stranger, Jennie did whatever she could to be the woman her new husband wanted. Fitting herself into a tight, Mormon, Trad wife box, if began to suffocate her. One year in she almost had an out, as her husband was also unhappy and asked for a divorce. However, the high leaders in the church said no, and threatened their eternal salvation if they were to even consider breaking their temple covenants. What she would uncover 20 years later would leave her hanging on by a thread. Click here to watch on YouTube Watch pt 1: The Dark Side of Growing Up a Girl in the Mormon Church  Find Jennie! TikTok @lifetaketwo  IG @lifetaketwojennie  YouTube  @lifetaketwo7662    Linktree https://linktr.ee/lifetaketwo We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Chapter Marks 00:00:00 Intro 00:02:55 Previous episode recap 00:03:32 Jennie's traumatic Mormon temple ceremony experience 00:13:27 Endowment session/temple marriage 00:19:37 Jennie's difficult wedding night 00:26:48 Struggling to be perfect for her stranger husband 00:35:11 Jennie abandoning her self worth and placing it on her achievements 00:39:52 The invisible shock collar of Mormonism & high generational expectations 00:42:09 **We are not against someone CHOOSING to be a trad wife** 00:44:24 Jake takes Jennie to a meeting with a high authority to drop a HUGE bomb 00:52:27 Jennie found out her husband had a double life 00:57:26 Jennie turned to the church for help & lost her faith instead 01:03:25 Uncovering the lies and deception from the Mormon church 01:06:36 TW: Su*c*de attempt- How Jennie's mental health took a dive after losing everything 01:12:32 The wild sychronistic way Jennie met her now husband 01:21:31 Linda, Listen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Known for her uncensored TikTok @lifetaketwo, Jennie Gage expresses the dark side of being raised in the Mainstream Mormon church. She was groomed to be a stay at home wife and mother, with so much emphasis placed on virtue and virginity. When she was assaulted at 14, she was told to repent and read a book authored by a high LDS authority which said she would be better off dead than without her virtue. When she didn’t succeed, she gave her life even more to the church and when leaders, years later, told her to marry a man/stranger who had also just taken advantage of her, she called off her engagement to the love of her life and complied. Though devout and active members of the church, her parents were not allowed to attend her temple wedding due to extreme poverty making them unable to pay tithing.  Click here to watch on YouTube  Watch pt 2 here: https://youtu.be/n_N_P5RHhfM?si=dHeLa0ROKsXkRDU3 Find Jennie! TikTok @lifetaketwo https://www.tiktok.com/@lifetaketwo?_t=8oifKuMyiQY&_r=1 IG @lifetaketwojennie https://www.instagram.com/lifetaketwojennie?igsh=MWQ1ZGUxMzBkMA== YouTube @lifetaketwo7662 https://m.youtube.com/@lifetaketwo7662 Linktree https://linktr.ee/lifetaketwo We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Chapter Marks 00:00:00 Intro 00:03:40 The meaning behind Jennie's TikTok handle "Life Take Two" 00:05:04 It starts with Jennie's parents' involvement with the Mormon Church (mother devout, father a non believer) 00:11:39 Jennie's mother and father's different stances on pre martial s*x 00:13:08 Growing up with Mormon purity culture and object lessons 00:16:37 Thin line between needing to be attractive, and being considered a "sIut" 00:22:29 The Mormon men in her college past not respecting boundaries 00:24:50 14 yr old Jennie's mother reads her diary, and blames her for a boy forces himself on her 00:27:42 Jennie goes to see the bishop, is blamed and reprimanded 00:29:33 As penance, Jennie has to read The Miracle of Forgiveness 00:30:27 TW: Suic*de attempt 00:32:06 An LDS therapist is assigned to Jennie, mom explains the attempt was worse than the r*pe for her salvation 00:35:28 More pun*shment came in the form of public shaming 00:39:04 The No-Kissing pack Jennie made when she went off to college 00:41:13 Jennie dated a lot in college 00:42:37 Jennie felt she had no other choice than being a wife and mother 00:44:35 Jennie's BYU counselor advised she take "Marriage and Dating" class 00:46:21 2 months after college Jennie had her first marriage proposal 00:49:18 Jennie's fiancé went to serve a mission, and she never saw him again 00:53:46 What caused Jennie to break off the engagement 00:55:31 How Jennie felt she was indoctrinated 00:58:38 How a stranger replaced himself as her fiancé, and married her within 6 weeks 01:15:28 Jennie's parents weren't allowed to attend the temple ceremony because they were behind on tithing 01:21:44 What pt 2 to Jennie's story looks like 01:25:03 Linda, listen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Taking the world by storm are Mormon women from #momtok who are trying to break the mold of what it means to be a traditional wife in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Will the Mormon Church accept them towing the line or in some cases “sinning” against the rules? Two former Mormon women weigh in and explain the purity rules behind why it may not be a good idea to accept a social media sponsorship collaboration from a s*x toy company, among other major points from episode two.  Click here to watch on YouTube Make sure to watch the continued conversation on  @alyssadgrenfell  channel here: https://www.youtube.com/live/SYpemPDElrU?si=QUG8BP8onmOwnLbK We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The new hit Hulu show “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” is making waves amongst the LDS and former LDS community. Many people asking questions about if these women can really call themselves Mormon when they admit to not following the rules and standards of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. The first episode discusses the swinging scandal. Is that really allowed in Mormonism? Ex Mormons Shelise Ann Sola and @theamandaraegrant weigh in on episode  1. Click here to watch on YouTube Watch the 2nd half of this conversation immediately after this live on Amanda's channel here:  https://www.youtube.com/live/9oaWQ7tKsq8?si=QcqL3kY6X4pmRvNf Find Amanda: YouTube:     @TheAmandaRaeGrant         IG: www.instagram.com/amandaraegrant @amandaraegrant We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today we are joined live with Nephi Robinson, former Order cult member.  One of the most sacred tenants of The Order, a fundamentalist polygamous break of sect of the mainstream mormon/LDS church, is living polygamy. Nephi knew he was gay, but hid it most of his life because living authentically was never an option for him. He was essentially assigned a wife at a young age and had 7 children before he realized he couldn’t pretend anymore. His father, who had 14 wives and over 160 children was pushing him to take another wife, so he came out to him. Nephi was told he was gay for various reasons such as eating too much chicken and he needed to stay faithful lest he go to the depths of Hell. Thankfully, he didn’t listen, got out and isn’t hiding his true self any longer.  Click here to watch on YouTube Watch the full interview with Nephi here:  https://youtu.be/T9WlH9qdLf4?si=krItIsldZi-_cn73 Connect with Nephi! FB: Nephi Robinson https://www.facebook.com/nephi.robinson If you or someone you love has left polygamy and needs assistance, please reach out to "Holding Out HELP" at 801-548-3492 or visit their website at www.holdingouthelp.org We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Joe grew up in a polygamist cult called “The Order.”  From the age of 3, he observed his father and uncles with multiple wives— his father, Daniel, fathering over 160+ chiIdren.  From the age of 9, Joe started working for The Order, while dealing with the physically and emotionally abus*ve Daniel.  As Joe grew up, his dating life was non existent, and he felt “behind”.  It became evident that only a small portion of the men were having all of the wives, and that not all of the men would be married.  What made it more difficult was that if Joe wanted to “come forward” on a girl, he had to go through Daniel, and also the Prophet, who arranged the cult’s marriages.  Things came to a head for Joe at 18, when his mother became sick with cancer and Daniel prescribed his own method to help her heal— fasting, as a way to “starve the cancer”, which Joe felt he couldn’t go against.  When his mother died, he decided to leave the cult.  The only thing stopping Joe from starting over was The Order having control of his bank account.   Click here to watch on YouTube Resource for those escaping polygamy: https://holdingouthelp.org/ Joe’s Magic Music Show with Mayce:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jBPdLV1lQc&t=88s Find Joe on social media: IG:  @johnjosephrobinson https://www.instagram.com/johnjosephrobinson YT:  https://www.youtube.com/@MagicPranksJohn We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

If you noticed our uploads haven't been as regular... it's because we've been going through A LOT of life changes!  Today we're here to discuss them all, answer any questions you may have, and take your feedback and suggestions.  Looking forward to seeing you soon! Click here to watch on YouTube We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

CW: mentions of attempted suicide & infant abuse From a young age Priscilla was learning about how she would become a plural wife one day while simultaneously plotting her escape. She would have many failed attempts due to The Order’s desperate need to marry her off to one of her family members with the intention of making several children. They captured her and sent her to a facility to “break her” and when that didn’t work, they tried buying her with promises of fulfilled dreams and large homes. Seeing through the con and not wanting to marry her polygamous uncle, or multiple different cousins who propositioned her, she continued fighting to get out. Watch this episode on YouTube Find Priscilla! IG @pr1sc1ll4 We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page:  https://trovatrip.com/trip/north-america/mexico/mexico-with-shelise-sola-oct-2025  Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! https://www.youtube.com/@CultstoConsciousnessClips Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Our Merch! Patreon: Patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Website CultsToConsciousness.com Find Shelise on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon Theme Song Produced and Composed by Christian Guevara **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Chapter Markers 00:00:00 Intro 00:03:08 Pricilla's family dynamic 00:05:27 How Pricilla's step dad treated the children in the family and why he never had other wives 00:07:26 Working overnight for The Order and going to school 00:08:17 What life was like for Pricilla's mom 00:10:44 How it felt to be singled out and why Pricilla was "othered" 00:13:16 What Pricilla thought about The Order's beliefs growing up 00:14:07 How old was Pricilla when she first began preparing for marriage? 00:15:52 How Pricilla felt about polygamy as a kid 00:18:26 Pricilla's escape attempts as a child 00:22:10 Pricilla's family takes drastic measures to lure her back into The Order 00:23:10 Pricilla's experience in the safe-house 00:30:17 How the facility changed Pricilla's mindset 00:33:24 What life was like in the facility and how it broke girls' spirits 00:34:51 How the facility emphasized The Order's teachings about women 00:37:27 How the facility changed Priscilla and her relationship with her mother 00:37:55 TW: su*cide attempts 00:39:55 Priscilla's family was pushing her to marry her cousin or UNCLE! 00:47:39 Pricilla gets out of the facility and continues to fight to leave 00:47:52 TW: depiction of infant ab*se 00:50:44 Hanging out with cousins goes wrong 01:00:16 Priscilla escapes for the last time 01:03:22 Learning to survive in Vegas including going to school 01:05:33 Reconnecting with family 01:08:04 How is Pricilla doing now? 01:11:11 Linda, listen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Calvin Wayman was born and raised in an offshoot polygamist sect of FLDS called “The Work”. With 44 siblings, a “Wayman” was just about every person he knew in his life. Even more taxing than his childhood trauma, was the trauma he experienced as an adult when he escaped at 30 years old. His life turned upside down— with the threat of his eternal salvation in jeopardy, while fighting against everything he was taught to believe, and on top of that being shunned and accosted by his loved ones— things came to a head for Calvin when he returned to see his Father on his death bed. He didn’t have the priesthood, therefore, he wasn’t allowed in. But this wasn’t the real reason Calvin didn’t push his way in. Watch Calvin 1st interview here Watch Calvin's 2nd interview here Calvin’s YT IG: @Calvinwayman We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page:  https://trovatrip.com/trip/north-america/mexico/mexico-with-shelise-sola-oct-2025  Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! https://www.youtube.com/@CultstoConsciousnessClips Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Our Merch! Patreon: Patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Website CultsToConsciousness.com Find Shelise on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon Theme Song Produced and Composed by Christian Guevara **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** 00:00:00 Intro 00:03:43 The FLDS off shoot called "The Work" that Calvin grew up in 00:08:35 What Calvin had to face when he left The Work 00:14:23 What happened to Calvin's marriage, and relationship with family after he left 00:16:51 Calvin's thoughts on how leaving has affected his chiIdren 00:21:40 Does Calvin's ex wife feel obligated to shun him? 00:23:32 Is Calvin worried his daughter may be forced into polygamy? 00:27:37 Is there life after the cult? 00:30:27 Calvin's relationship with his father after he left 00:36:54 Building a community after being cut off from his family 00:42:18 What happened when Calvin went back to his Father on the his death bed 00:51:51 When you leave a cult and question if it was the right decision 00:59:32 How cults make you demonize your intuition 01:03:01 Calvin reads hate comments directed at him 01:03:47 Threatening the beliefs of cult members by not believing 01:06:31 What would Calvin do if his daughter wanted to be a plural wife? 01:12:32 Linda, listen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

CW:  Fatal Terrorist Attack  Joined live today with Yasmine Mohammed, we discussed the most recent terrorist attacks in both New Orleans on Bourbon street on New Year’s Eve, and Magdeburg Germany on December 20th.  Yasmine was acquainted with the alleged attacker in Germany who could be considered Anti-Islam. We discuss how both sides of extremism are not the answer and bring awareness to the events that claimed many lives and injured over 200. Watch full video on @cultstoconsciousness YouTube channel Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Our Merch! Patreon: Patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Website CultsToConsciousness.com Find Shelise on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon Theme Song Produced and Composed by Christian Guevara **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Chad Harris' family joined the Shiny Happy People cult when he was just 7 years old, after a doctor convinced his parents to attend a seminar with cult leader Bill Gothard. Chad spent the next almost 20 years being indoctrinated and brainwashed with extreme fundamental Christian teachings before he finally found the truth and ultimately shared his experience on Prime Video's #1 documentary series, "Shiny Happy People." ⁠Watch this episode on YouTube⁠ Follow Chad on social media: TikTok: @archradish IG: ⁠@archradish85 ⁠⁠https://responsiblehomeschooling.org/⁠ Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. ⁠Our Merch!⁠ Patreon:⁠ Patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness⁠ Venmo @sheliseann Website ⁠CultsToConsciousness.com⁠ Find Shelise on Social media! Instagram ⁠@cultstoconsciousness⁠ Host Instagram ⁠@sheliseann⁠ TikTok⁠ @cults.to.consciousness⁠ Twitter ⁠@cultstocon⁠ Chapter Marks 00:00:00 Intro 00:03:22 What filming the documentary “Shiny Happy People” was like 00:06:14 How Chad's family fell into the clutches of the IFB movement 00:13:33 The ethics of pushing women to have as many chiIdren as possible regardless of the health risks 00:17:50 Even more restrictions after joining IBLP 00:22:44 Enforcing gender roles in IFB and IBLP 00:24:08 A chiIdhood ruled by IBLP 00:27:31 The Umbrella of Authority and its purpose in controlling families 00:29:04 How fear was used as a control tactic 00:34:01 Pun*shments in the IBLP 00:36:27 How children go from chiIdhood straight to adulthood in the IBLP 00:39:17 Chad's experience with A.L.E.R.T. Cadet 00:44:38 Chad's awareness of and relationship with the outside world 00:49:10 From isolated to extremely isolated 00:51:54 Spreading the IBLP message as missionaries 01:01:21 Chad's experience with courtships 01:04:17 The cracks in IBLP begin to show for Chad 01:16:07 What Chad's up to now 01:18:56 Linda, listen Theme Song Produced and Composed by Christian Guevara **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Content Warning: SA, CA, CSA, mentions of rape Misty Griffin returns to the studio to further discuss her experience growing up at the hands of her tortuous mother and step father, who isolated her and her sister on a mountainside, then forced her into an Amish settlement at 18 years old. Unfortunately, claiming religious exemption means a parent can fly under the radar ab*sing their chiIdren. Misty now fights back, on a mission to help chiIdren in similar situations, stuck in ab*sive environments, that have no voice. Misty has created a petition called "Child Rights Act" that she hopes will one day become a bill, asking congress to step up and protect these voiceless chiIdren locked in cults. Currently at 33,000+ signatures, she hopes that with your help, in signing, and sharing this video / petition, she can gather enough signatures to get the attention of congress and get this bill passed. Sign petition here: Http://www.Change.org/childrightsact Watch her original interview Find and Support Misty! Buy her book "Tears of the Silenced" IG @mistyelainegriffin Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100067656562700&mibextid=LQQJ4d Website: https://www.mistygriffin.com Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Our Merch! Patreon: Patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Website CultsToConsciousness.com Find Shelise on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon Chapter Marks 00:01:13 Intro 00:02:52 How to help/get involved with the Child Rights Act 00:03:24 What is the goal of the Childs Rights Act? 00:04:41 How mandated reporters help prevent ab*se 00:08:13 What Misty's chiIdhood in the Amish was like 00:13:32 The control and isolation Misty experienced as a chiId 00:23:45 Misty's education and homeschooling experience 00:28:18 How Misty's parents evaded any government interference while homeschooling 00:30:42 Misty joins the Amish and witnesses the perpetual ab*se in the community 00:39:41 How the Child Rights Act addresses the right to religious freedom 00:48:59 Is the problem really bad enough for a federal law? 00:52:32 What is means to take action and make real change Theme Song Produced and Composed by Christian Guevara **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

CW: CSA… Featured in “Let Us Prey: A Ministry of Scandals” a new four-part docu-series exposing the pred*tory and insidious behavior within the Independent Fundamental Baptist (IFB) Churches – survivor, Ruthy Heiler, shares her account of ab*se as a chiId at the hands of her bible teacher, Aaron Willand. Insidious efforts to cover up pastors’ ab*se, silence survivors, manipulation and suspected cover-ups of other members, Ruthy explains the troubling culture within the IFB, and the stronghold the churches have on its members. As well as her experience pursuing justice against her ab*ser. Watch this episode on YouTube Ruthy is the founding member of the Blind Eye Movement: https://www.instagram.com/blindeyemovement Our Merch! Patreon: Patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Website CultsToConsciousness.com Find Shelise on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon Chapter Marks 00:00:00 Intro 00:02:55 Filming “Let Us Prey” 00:04:56 Ruthy's chiIdhood in the IFB 00:06:43 Positive memories in the IFB 00:07:01 Not so positive memories 00:10:17 Ruthy's family rules 00:12:47 Keeping sweet in the IFB 00:13:04 Changing churches 00:14:37 Did family rules change? 00:15:36 Ruthy's family's experience at the new church 00:17:07 Ruthy's sisters come back from the girls' home 00:19:25 Ruthy's mom's experience at the new church 00:20:27 Ruthy's job as a baby sitter for her ab*ser 00:22:27 Ruthy's ab*ser takes steps to get closer to her 00:24:55 How IFB teachings perpetuate ab*se 00:25:42 Ruthy's relationship with her ab*ser's family and their involvement 00:27:43 Lack of s*x education 00:29:09 Ruthy's mental health 00:30:03 When did Ruthy realize what happened? 00:33:28 Going to the police vs the church pastors 00:36:06 Ruthy and her mom go to the police 00:37:16 Timeline of events 00:40:43 Going to Washington for the summer 00:43:59 First court proceedings 00:47:49 The case in Michigan reopens 00:54:00 The Blind Eye Movement 00:55:14 The consistent issue of victims being turned away by church leaders 00:57:44 Should pastors and other church leaders be liable for knowing about and not reporting ab*se? 01:01:25 Where is Ruthy now? 01:02:43 Ruthy's future advocacy plans 01:04:08 Linda, listen Theme Song Produced and Composed by Christian Guevara **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Timmy Gibson is a former fundamental Evangelical Pentecostal Pastor who graduated bible college and spent a total of 30 years of his life teaching and preaching the stories in the Bible. 17 years of which were spent preaching in a church he started himself, which grew to 300 followers. Timmy and his congregation believed he was a conduit of God, as well as a “Healing Evangelist” who could save you from illness, as well as teach you how to speak in tongues, and interpret the meaning. Ironically, his “pursuit of truth” lead him to walk away from the Evangelical Christian faith he once held so near and dear to his heart. Timmy now feels he used to be a cult leader. We discuss his experiences, as well as dive into whether or not he has any regrets. Watch this episode on YouTube Find Timmy on social media: Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@timmygibsonkc IG: @timmygibsonkc Our Merch! Patreon: Patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Website CultsToConsciousness.com Find Shelise on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon Chapter Marks 00:00:00 Intro 00:04:30 How Timmy was raised, which led him to going to / getting kicked out of bible college 00:06:20 Bible college was so strict Timmy wasn't allowed in a bar 00:10:15 Why Timmy was compelled to go to bible college 00:11:43 What led to becoming a Pastor 00:13:47 What it was like growing up Pentecostal (speaking in tongues) 00:17:26 Life after bible college 00:18:59 Timmy started his own church with 300 followers 00:21:49 Timmy would teach his congregation how to speak in tongues 00:25:02 Confirmation bias; did Timmy feel he was doing the right thing? 00:29:06 How Timmy felt he intentionally & unintentionally manipulated his followers 00:36:24 What Timmy was doing to successfully grow his church 00:41:51 How Christians feel about Timmy now 00:49:24 Timmy breaks down his "healing sessions" 00:52:59 One of Timmy's biggest regrets is turning away officiating a gay couple’s wedding ceremony 00:58:54 How Timmy grew away from his own theological thinking 01:02:02 Did he send any of this followers into a Faith Crisis? 01:04:53 What ultimately led Timmy away from his church 01:13:33 What does Timmy think about those following a Pastor who doesn't believe the bible is literal? 01:21:25 What Timmy misses from his days as a Pastor 01:25:14 What brings Timmy joy now 01:30:52 Linda, listen Theme Song Produced and Composed by Christian Guevara **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When her well off British family moved to Saudi Arabia near Mecca, Nuriyah Khan ( @HolyHumanist ) lived in two worlds at once— a plush Muslim life inside a compound which protected her from a fundamentalist Islam. Hoping to continue to live a progressive Muslim lifestyle, she married and moved to Dubai. Once her relationship became unsafe, she asked for a separation and was confronted with Sharia law, Islamic religious law that guides the moral and religious lives of Muslims. He relentlessly stalked her along with the Dubai police who were trying to force her to stay with him, confiscating her passport. Watch this episode on YouTube Find Nuriyah on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@HolyHumanist Our Merch! Patreon: Patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Website CultsToConsciousness.com Find Shelise on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon Chapter Marks 00:00:00 Intro 00:04:56 Sunni Muslim, explained 00:05:41 Where Nuriyah grew up and her family's views 00:06:47 Moving to Saudi Arabia 00:09:49 TW: m*rder, v*olence, amp*tations 00:10:03 Sharia law 00:15:14 Witnessing and understanding these things as a chiId 00:17:01 Daily life in Saudi Arabia 00:18:40 TW: r*pe 00:21:06 Did Nuriyah feel safe? 00:23:35 Teenage years in Saudi Arabia 00:25:59 S*x education at an international school in Saudi Arabia 00:27:42 Practicing Islam so close to Mecca 00:31:42 Islam in Dubai 00:32:26 Moving to Dubai 00:33:45 Marrying to date 00:36:41 Things start to change in the relationship 00:44:20 Finally leaving the relationship 00:45:53 Sharia law creates obstacles 00:48:41 Islamic couples counseling and a turn for the worse 00:53:00 Stalking and harassment from Nuriyah's ex-husband and Dubai police 00:55:51 Escaping Dubai 01:01:00 The end of a marriage 01:03:47 Deconstructing Islam 01:12:47 Starting to speak out and starting a YouTube channel 01:19:13 Linda, listen 01:20:44 Outro Theme Song Produced and Composed by Christian Guevara **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sometimes becoming more devout can actually spark the biggest faith crisis. When  @ApostateProphet  fiercely read to understand the Quran in depth, there were things he could no longer ignore. Learn about his life growing up Muslim in Germany and Turkey and even at one time becoming a communist. AP’s video: The Scientific Mistakes of the Quran https://youtu.be/8yMD99gyr14?si=X7PHkuOxs8FWRGZa Find and connect with Apostate Prophet! YouTube:  @ApostateProphet  IG @Apostate_Prophet https://www.instagram.com/apostate_prophet Patreon patreon.com/apostateprophet Support Shelise Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! https://cults-to-consciousness-shop.fourthwall.com/en-usd Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann **FULLY BOOKED** Our C2C vacation where we can meet you in real life and go on adventures together has sold out! Our Merch! Patreon: Patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Website CultsToConsciousness.com Find Shelise on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon Chapter Markers 00:00:00 Intro 00:02:45 Apostate Prophet's story in a nutshell 00:07:11 Why leaving Islam and speaking out can be life threatening 00:09:39 How the Islamic apostasy law is practiced differently among Muslims 00:15:05 Living in Germany as a Muslim 00:18:40 What the Quran says in regards to other religions 00:26:23 Interacting with those outside of Islam in Germany 00:28:50 Moving from Germany to Turkey as a teen 00:34:29 TW: R*pe & M*rder of young girl 00:36:46 Rules that changed in Turkey 00:41:31 TW: CA- when he wouldn't pray as a chiId 00:42:21 Rebelling and joining communist political parties 00:46:55 TW: DV & m*rder- Why AP's aunt was k*lled 00:58:34 Were there ties to Islam for the m*rderer's actions? 01:04:42 Diving deeper into Islam and becoming more religious 01:13:51 Leaving Turkey and leaving Islam 01:18:21 What drove AP to start his channel? 01:23:32 How AP is doing now 01:24:20 Linda, Listen Theme Song Produced and Composed by Christian Guevara **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A product of the first generation of bi-ethnic children in Saudi Arabia, as an Italian-Arab, Jasmin Faulk-Dickerson faced new challenges. She lived a double life. One which was very Western, liberal and open and another which was Eastern, focused on Islamic law and extremely strict. Her heart yearned for a western life, but situation didn’t allow for it. Determined to flee to America with a man she fell in love with, she tricked her father into giving legal permission for her to travel on her own. He didn’t know she would never return. Find and Support Jasmin! IG: @jasmin.faulk.dickerson Website: https://www.jasminfaulkdickerson.com Book: The Last Sandstorm Use “sandstorm” code for 15% off through the end of July! Amazon Podcast: I Want you to Meet Our Merch! Patreon: Patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Website CultsToConsciousness.com Find Shelise on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon Chapter Marks 00:00:00 Intro 00:03:13 Growing up with a progressive Italian mother and conservative Saudi father 00:08:14 The difference between culture, race, and religion 00:14:00 Jasmin's upbringing, and the value of a woman 00:16:56 When young girls officially become "women" 00:18:35 Jasmin hid the fact that she had gotten her period 00:20:48 Jasmin clarifies about her region-specific experience 00:23:35 Why young Jasmin thought she had to wear a veil 00:25:15 The s*xualization of chiIdren 00:27:40 Did Jasmin's progressive mom embrace Muslim culture? 00:29:50 What teen life was like for Jasmin 00:32:27 Did Jasmin believe in the religious doctrine? 00:36:28 The shame and guilt 00:38:36 Jasmine breaks down engagements, weddings, marriage from the woman's perspective 00:47:37 Trying to escape by getting married young 00:57:52 How Jasmine tricked her father into getting permission to leave 01:00:57 The tense moment at the airport during Jasmine's escape 01:07:09 Life in Wyoming with her 2nd husband 01:09:09 Jasmine's life turning upside because of 9II 01:11:47 Jasmine finding her own identity 01:16:05 What came of Jasmine's relationship with her family? 01:18:39 Women need male guardian's to give them permission 01:24:07 A devastating end to her 2nd husband's life 01:27:35 Jasmine's new life with her current husband 01:29:03 What brings Jasmin joy now 01:33:31 Linda, listen Theme Song Produced and Composed by Christian Guevara **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Blinded by what appeared to be special psychic gifts and years of professional accreditation, Lauren Geertsen fell hard for an energy worker who manipulated her emotionally, financially and spiritually. A predator who had many other victims simultaneously. This is the story of a whistleblower who risked it all and lost almost everything to expose him. Check out Lauren's book: The Scorpion and the Lion Find and support Lauren: YT: @LaurenGeertsen IG: @body_connection_coach Our Merch! Patreon: Patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Website CultsToConsciousness.com Find Shelise on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon Chapter Marks 00:00:00 Intro 00:03:34 Spiritual truth paradox 00:05:30 Defining grooming 00:09:11 When someone is unable to give informed consent 00:11:32 Lauren's upbringing and how it laid the groundwork for future ab*se 00:16:16 How religious and purity culture prevents awareness of signs of a predator 00:22:14 S*xual repression in Purity Culture 00:26:06 Going from one end of the spectrum to the other 00:28:04 A divine pathway and higher purpose 00:31:26 The signs of grooming 00:36:50 Spiritual gaslighting 00:40:54 Using spiritual power as a manipulation tactic 00:45:20 Figuring out the truth 01:00:20 Using trauma as an excuse for toxic and bad behavior 01:04:13 Having to dissolve the business 01:08:17 Friendships during the healing journey 01:12:37 Being an example for others on the same journey 01:18:19 How Lauren is doing today 01:22:25 Linda, listen 01:23:07 Outro Theme Song Produced and Composed by Christian Guevara **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

One of the most sacred tenants of The Order, a fundamentalist polygamous break of sect of the mainstream mormon/LDS church, is living polygamy. Nephi knew he was gay, but hid it most of his life because living authentically was never an option for him. He was essentially assigned a wife at a young age and had 7 children before he realized he couldn’t pretend anymore. His father, who had 14 wives and over 160 children was pushing him to take another wife, so he came out to him. Nephi was told he was gay for various reasons such as eating too much chicken and he needed to stay faithful lest he go to the depths of Hell. Thankfully, he didn’t listen, got out and isn’t hiding his true self any longer. Click here to watch on YouTube Connect with Nephi! FB: Nephi Robinson If you or someone you love has left polygamy and needs assistance, please reach out to "Holding Out HELP" at 801-548-3492 or visit their website at www.holdingouthelp.org Our Merch! Patreon: Patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Website CultsToConsciousness.com Find Shelise on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon Chapter Markers: 00:00:00 Intro 00:02:13 Nephi's polygamous family dynamic 00:03:59 Oldest of 13 kids in immediate family- parentification at 8-10 yrs old 00:05:40 Women are responsible for the chiIdren and income 00:08:42 ChiId labor in The Order 00:11:22 What Nephi's dad Daniel was like 00:15:03 Pre-destined families 00:20:28 Dance cards for betrothals at 16 yrs old 00:26:30 Allowed genres and dance styles for the dances 00:28:08 Being gay was not an option 00:29:55 TW: suic*de ideation 00:32:28 The struggles of being gay with no support 00:34:07 Daniel chose Nephi's college major 00:38:35 The courting process of The Order- no dating till engaged 00:41:53 Nephi's engagement 00:43:28 Plural wives get to make up their last name 00:45:09 Getting married & being pressured to take another wife 00:52:07 Nephi's mom's medical negligence 00:58:19 How Daniel reacted when Nephi came out to him 01:06:45 Nephi's family's reaction to him coming out and leaving 01:09:22 Conversion therapy? 01:15:21 When Nephi left to start a new life, what was it like? 01:18:35 How Nephi is doing now 01:20:28 Linda, Listen Theme Song Produced and Composed by Christian Guevara **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Amanda Rae ( @TheAmandaRaeGrant ) shares 3 of her most prominent and shocking post-cult relationships, full of betrayal and manipulation. High control groups, by design, eliminate intuition, manipulate people into doing things they don’t want to do, and make them believe they are freely choosing that lifestyle. This can also happen in relationships. It’s far too common for cult survivors to fall prey to people who can take advantage of their vulnerabilities. Check out Shelise’s horror stories on Amanda’s channel Find and support Amanda! YouTube: ​⁠​⁠ @TheAmandaRaeGrant  IG: @amandaraegrant If you or someone you love has left polygamy and needs assistance, please reach out to "Holding Out HELP" at 801-548-3492 or visit their website at www.holdingouthelp.org Our Merch! Patreon: Patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Website CultsToConsciousness.com Find Shelise on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon Chapter Marks 00:00:00 Intro 00:03:00 Are bad relationships due to daddy issues? 00:06:43 What it was like growing up in The Order 00:14:29 Living in different mental worlds 00:16:22 The impact of a parent's prejudice on their chiIdren 00:18:14 Issues from the cult that lingered after getting out 00:21:11 Amanda's box of clothes 00:22:54 Cult men and narcissistic tendencies 00:25:01 Amanda's still in the cult mindset after leaving 00:27:32 Spiritual manipulation in relationships 00:29:00 A narcissist's lack of empathy and awareness 00:33:13 Leaving narcissistic relationships vs leaving The Order 00:36:35 Continuously in bad relationships after leaving a cult 00:37:28 Amanda's 2nd toxic relationship 00:45:20 Amanda's toxic behavior 00:51:19 Amanda's 3rd toxic relationship 00:52:02 Issues with love-bombing 00:54:21 Amanda's qualifications for relationships now 00:55:41 Amanda's most recent relationship 00:58:26 Little things that add up 01:01:09 The last straw 01:11:17 The good that came of it and meeting Winston's ex 01:14:00 The saga continues... in court 01:27:37 Emotional intelligence and accountability 01:31:45 What helped Shelise? 01:35:09 Listen, Linda 01:35:47 Outro Theme Song Produced and Composed by Christian Guevara **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Lindsey Williams of the hit Amazon Prime docu-series, “Shiny Happy People”, was an eager 18 year old when she was hand-picked by cult leader Bill Gothard to work at IBLP headquarters. After grooming her as one of his “Gothard Girls” Gothard would get too close in his one-on-one prayer sessions with her. After being kicked out for kissing a boy, forced to do free labor and write an apology letter to his parents, she finally reconnected with her love. Bill then tried to sabotage her engagement so he could have her in “single years of service” for longer. Watch pt. 1 of Lindsey's interview here IG: ⁠@thecultchronicles⁠ ⁠Lindsey’s hair and make up page⁠⁠ Lindsey’s link tree Our Merch! Patreon: Patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Website CultsToConsciousness.com Find Shelise on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon Chapter Marks 00:04:06 How Lindsey ended up at the Training Center 00:05:36 IBLP's "Umbrella of Authority" 00:08:46 Arriving at the Training Center 00:10:15 The free labor she was expected to do 00:14:14 How her health was negatively impacted by the trauma 00:20:33 Lindsey decided to sneakily reconnect with Bryce 00:28:10 Bill Gothard personally tried to sabotage her marriage 00:39:00 "Single service" years? 00:44:31 They finally got the green light to court each other 00:52:16 The beautiful path to Lindsey's new career 01:05:26 What Lindsey wishes they would have aired in the "Shiny Happy People" documentary 01:09:17 What brings Lindsey joy now 01:11:52 Linda, listen Theme Song Produced and Composed by Christian Guevara **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today we are joined by Lindsey Williams of the hit Amazon Prime docu-series, “Shiny Happy People”, exposing the Duggars and Bill Gothard’s IBLP practices. Lindsey dives deep into the lack of education growing up with Gothard’s ATI religious home school program, how she wanted to leave her ab*sive household at 18 and join the famous Gothard (who was seen as a prophet) at head quarters, and how Gothard began to groom her as one of his “Gothard Girls” once he had her alone. IG: @thecultchronicles Lindsey’s hair and make up page Lindsey’s link tree Support Shelise Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast Our Merch! Patreon: Patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast Website CultsToConsciousness.com Find Shelise on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon Chapter Marks 00:00:00 Intro 00:03:37 IBLP and Bill Gothard, explained 00:07:28 Modesty rules for women in the IBLP 00:11:02 Lindsey explains her home school education with the Words of Wisdom booklets 00:13:19 What Lindsey feels now is lacking from the Words of Wisdom 00:16:23 What the day to day education was like 00:21:11 Did Homeschool ATI-ers have to take a state test? 00:25:04 How Lindsey's parents reacted to the changes made at home 00:28:06 Does Lindsey feel she had a happy chiIdhood? 00:35:50 Lindsey plays a recording of her 18 year old self giving her Testimony at head quarters 00:47:52 Corporal pun*shment is encouraged in the IBLP 00:52:58 How Lindsey ended up at head quarters with Bill Gothard 00:58:18 Gothard preys on Lindsey 01:15:51 Gothard inserts himself as Lindsey's spiritual father (tries to get her mole removed) 01:19:32 Lindsey accidentally had some men sent away, and she was blamed 01:26:17 How Lindsey met her husband (and why he was sent home by Gothard) 01:33:46 After "the kiss" Lindsey is sent to a Training Center 01:36:52 Linda, listen Theme Song Produced and Composed by Christian Guevara **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Joined in the studio is friend, comedian, and ex-IBLP “cult kid” Davey Jackson. Having spent his childhood homeschooled by his mother, at 12, his parents decided to incorporate Bill Gothard’s practices into his education. As a form of punishment for having a girlfriend, at 16, Davey was sent to an intense IBLP training center. Instead of correcting his “bad” behavior, Davey further rebelled, which ultimately led him to spend 7 days in the Prayer Room, the center’s solitary confinement, which only had a bible. Davey recounts his losing-touch-with-reality experience, his attempts at escape, and now, all of these years later, going back to the center where the source of his decades of living with trauma began. (Also, Jonathan takes his first shot at a solo interview.) Watch this episode on YouTube here Youtube: @daveyjaxx Instagram: @daveyjax Davey Jackson - The Cult Kid | Full Comedy Special Watch our first interview with Davey Here Shelise and Lindsey Williams interviewed by Davey Our Merch! Patreon: Patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast Website CultsToConsciousness.com Find Shelise on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon Theme Song Produced and Composed by Christian Guevara **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Chapter Marks 00:04:15 What the Shiny Happy People docu-series was like for those that grew up in the IBLP 00:06:47 IBLP explained 00:09:50 What homeschool and ATI was like for Davey growing up 00:11:09 When Davey started questioning his religious home school education 00:12:47 Davey's parents send him to an education center as a form of punishment 00:16:06 Davey was not allowed to listen to music 00:19:08 What it was like for Davey at the IBLP Training Center 00:23:35 What led Davey to solitary confinement at 16 00:25:51 Similarities within IBLP, IFB, and the "troubled teen" industry 00:27:40 Solitary confinement 00:28:34 Davey tries to break out from the window 00:32:36 The rest of Davey's time at the Training Center 00:34:45 Coming back broken 00:36:06 Davey confronts his parents afterward 00:38:52 Davey using drugs and alcohol to escape and disassociate 00:45:01 When things started looking brighter for Davey 00:46:40 Davey revisits the Training Center all of these years later 00:58:37 It hits Davey once he sees the prayer room windows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

With immense pressure being one of the sons of the FLDS prophet Warren Jeffs, Ammon would do anything to earn the approval of his father. When he was finally “worthy enough” to be called to the holy land (YFZ Ranch in Texas), he was worked up to 22 hours per day doing hard labor for the church. Assuming Warren truly spoke for God, when he prophesied that the government wanted to come take away the chiIdren, the people were only further convinced he was a prophet considering the 300 police who did just that. Ammon explains how the raid was traumatic for all involved and what it was that finally opened his eyes to who his father really was. Connect with Ammon! IG @ammonjeffs Ammon’s Book Texas Raid If you or someone you love has left polygamy and needs assistance, please reach out to "Holding Out HELP" at 801-548-3492 or visit their website at www.holdingouthelp.org Our Merch! Patreon: Patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast Website CultsToConsciousness.com Find Shelise on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon Theme Song Produced and Composed by Christian Guevara **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Chapter Marks 00:03:43:05 Ammon's childhood as Warren Jeffs' son 00:05:04:21 Warren marries his father, Rulon Jeffs’ wives after dies 00:06:04:08 How many chiIdren did Warren have? 00:06:45:12 Warren becomes prophet during Ammon's chiIdhood 00:07:37:16 FLDS prophet immortality 00:09:57:11 Crisis after Rulon's passing 00:10:58:20 Ammon's father becomes prophet 00:12:37:08 Warren implements changes 00:14:07:18 Warren stops major ordinances 00:15:16:20 FLDS members start to disappear 00:17:43:04 Ammon's mom's health declines 00:22:42:05 Ammon is called to move to the Texas Ranch 00:26:45:08 Ammon's job on the Ranch 00:27:49:05 Warren orders a large compound to be built 00:29:27:18 Were Warren's chiIdren treated differently on the Ranch? 00:31:26:10 Religious pun*shments and atonement 00:34:35:11 Was Warren Jeffs' just putting on a show? 00:36:46:23 Warren Jeffs' is caught by law enforcement 00:38:38:06 The Texas Raid 00:39:20:20 Allegations of abuse from a resident at the Ranch 00:41:30:05 Who called CPS? 00:43:40:07 The Raid in a chiId's point of view 00:47:17:04 Only those worthy enough can be on temple grounds 00:49:18:18 Evidence found 00:50:32:04 After the raid 00:51:49:19 Ammon in charge at the boys camp 00:53:05:14 Living conditions at the boys camp 00:54:44:02 Birthday at the boys camp 00:56:20:14 Sneaking off the boys camp at night 00:57:37:17 Going back to the FLDS ranch in Texas 00:59:15:13 Communication with Warren in the months after the raid 01:00:00:18 New requirements and revelations from Warren while in prison 01:03:36:22 Warren's information control from prison 01:08:00:00 Becoming an apostate 01:09:37:00 Warren starts meetings again 01:10:30:10 Warren excludes Ammon and most members from the meetings 01:11:49:06 Ammon's sisters leave 01:12:41:11 Warren's most recent revelations 01:14:50:19 Ammon's youngest sister visits apostate family members 01:17:53:07 TW: SA 01:19:03:13 Ammon learns the truth 01:20:53:12 TW: CSA 01:23:44:08 How Ammon is doing now 01:28:57:20 Linda, listen! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As the 13th wife of FLDS leader Warren Jeffs, Ada Marie was extremely devout in her faith and belief in her prophet and husband. Even from prison, the entire church population was conditioned to believe he was innocent and persecuted by the government. However, as the years went on, Ada explains how his prophesies and commandments would get more and more odd and demanding. He would continue splitting up families, send people all over different states, disfellowship, then re-baptize and for some, completely cut them off. Ada was sent away for what was supposed to be 10 months. Five years later, she realized even if he allowed her back home, she wouldn’t go. This is the slow process of how she deconstructed from the fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Watch pt. 1 of Ada's interview here Watch this episode on YouTube here Connect with Ada! IG: @adadraper1 FB: Ada Draper Our Merch! Patreon: Patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast Website CultsToConsciousness.com Find Shelise on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon Theme Song Produced and Composed by Christian Guevara **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Chapter Markers: 00:04:13 Does Warren believe his own theatrics? 00:10:04 How Warren treated Ada Marie 00:15:27 How many wives Warren had and how they always had to be "ready" 00:23:10 Warren's wild instructions from prison 00:26:22 Warren gave revelation to take away certain foods 00:30:25 The rollercoaster of Warren's revelations- forced to move 00:35:56 Ada Marie's mother is pun*shed and sent away as a "forever non-member" 00:41:44 Warren doesn't let a woman get lifesaving healthcare 00:43:59 Warren sends Ada Marie away from the "faithful" 00:50:06 She had to find her first job in her 30s in the "outside world" 00:52:34 When she first wore pants instead of her FLDS dress 00:55:59 Learning that outsiders were good people 00:57:53 TW: CSA- Warren m*lested his own daughters 00:59:50 Ada Marie starts to wonder if she actually wants to go back 01:14:39 How Ada Marie is doing now! 01:19:39 Linda, Listen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Warren Jeffs, currently in prison for CSA, is the leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, otherwise known as the FLDS. He claims that God commanded him to take dozens of wives, some of whom were as young as 12 years old. In his enormous temple/compound that his members built in Texas, he conducted what he called “heavenly sessions” which were essentially big orgies with his wives, which he taped. Ultimately, his disturbing records is what got him put into prison, but he continues to send revelations, which get more and more outlandish, to his faithful members on the outside. Watch this episode on YouTube here Watch pt. 2 of Ada's interview here Connect with Ada! IG: @adadraper1 FB: Ada Draper Support Shelise + Jonathan Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast **FULLY BOOKED** Our C2C vacation where we can meet you in real life and go on adventures together has sold out! However,  you can add yourself to our waitlist in case of cancellations.   Click here to go to the official booking page Our Merch!Patreon: Patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannAny donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcastWebsite CultsToConsciousness.comFind Shelise on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousnessHost Instagram @sheliseannTikTok @cults.to.consciousnessTwitter @cultstoconTheme Song Produced and Composed by Christian Guevara**Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

An ex-Muslim man converts his entire family to Mormonism when missionaries knock on his door. His stroke of genius combined with schizophrenia and tendency towards extreme punishments and every type of ab*se, created a cult-like environment for his chiIdren. He created his own religion and wrote a 2422 page manuscript of his own holy text. We take a look at his mindset and life through the lens of his son Adrian. Adding further clarification and commentary on generational trauma, Sami, Adrian’s daughter, joins us. Find Sami on social media: YouTube @mildwestsami IG: @mild_west_sami Support Shelise Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast **FULLY BOOKED** Our C2C vacation where we can meet you in real life and go on adventures together has sold out! However, you can add yourself to our waitlist in case of cancellations. Click here to go to the official booking page Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon Venmo @sheliseann Find Shelise on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon Theme Song Produced and Composed by Christian Guevara Adrian's father's chiIdhood in India and transition to America Effraim's mental illness impact Adrian's traumatic chiIdhood dynamics Adrian's guilt and shame and its breeding ground for Mormonism Growing up with drugs in the home TW: CSA How boys and girls were treated differently Converting to Mormonism How things changed in Adrian's household after converting Justifying Mormon beliefs Adrian's father becomes a prophet What Effraim's Book of the Priesthood of God contains The Table of Contents Is Effraim's Book historically accurate? Effraim becoming God TW: Suicide ideation Adrian standing up to his father's abuse Adrian's relationship with his mom during all everything happening with his father Sami's chiIdhood and the impact of Mormonism Leaving Mormonism and becoming authentic What happened with Adrian's father? **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Outsiders often criticize Mormonism for its wild beliefs and the scandalous actions of the founding prophet Joseph Smith, but the member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints are left in the dark about the truth of it history. Carah Burrell  @CarahBurrell  and Shelise, examine the life and actions of Joseph Smith from a non-faith promoting, historical view, different from their Mormon upbringing. From the ugly truth about polygamy, a Mormon Militia, and original secret temple rituals to Joseph Smith’s personal hit man, we cover it all! Carah's Greece opportunity has passed Find Carah on social media: YouTube IG @nuancehoe **FULLY BOOKED** Our C2C vacation where we can meet you in real life and go on adventures together has sold out! However, you can add yourself to our waitlist in case of cancellations. Click here to go to the official booking page https://trovatrip.com/trip/central-america/costa-rica/costa-rica-with-shelise-sola-aug-2024 Support Shelise Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! https://cults-to-consciousness-shop.fourthwall.com/en-usd Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find Shelise on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness https://www.instagram.com/cultstoconsiousness Host Instagram @sheliseann https://www.instagram.com/sheliseann/ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness https://www.tiktok.com/@cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon https://twitter.com/cultstocon Chapter Marks 00:00:00 Intro 00:04:01 Different branches of the Mormon church 00:08:57 Joseph Smith's early life & the fraud he was committing 00:11:59 The Book of Mormon as the keystone to the religion 00:16:27 Joseph Smith 00:29:13 Using women to manipulate other women 00:30:26 The "Happiness Letter" used to manipulate a young girl into marrying JS 00:37:27 The tactics JS used to score wives 00:42:27 Revelations at convenient times 00:45:48 How JS "translated" these holy revelations 00:55:29 How the LDS church hides truth 01:01:55 Ritualistic Free Mason temple ceremonies 01:11:25 Original temple rituals that were taken out 01:12:28 How did it end for JS? 01:26:19 Porter Rockwell- a hit man for JS 01:28:02 Back to the martyrdom of JS 01:34:59 Emma, the first wife of JS started her own branch 01:37:56 Why is there so much Mormon true crime happening now? 01:42:49 Linda, Listen Theme Song Produced and Composed by Christian Guevara **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

*Content Warning: self harm, physical abuse*  Anonymous YouTuber Apostate Aladdin shares his story of becoming a man in an environment that used fear to keep boys and girls and men and women separated. This intense fear that men need to be kept away so they don’t act on their uncontrollable desires, left him feeling scared, targeted, alone and shameful. Here we learn about purity culture through a different lens and how he was able to overcome his fear of interacting with women so he could create positive friendships and relationships.Click here to watch on YouTubeLive episodes together where we discuss the similarities and differences between Islam and Mormonism:Part 1Part 2Part 3Find Apostate AladdinYouTube: @apostatealaddinIG: @apostatealaddinLinkTree**FULLY BOOKED** Our C2C vacation where we can meet you in real life and go on adventures together has sold out! However,  you can add yourself to our waitlist in case of cancellations.   Click here to go to the official booking page Why AA wears a mask and has a pseudonym Specifically AA's experience & not every Muslim's experience Apostate as a derogatory term What kind of interactions were allowed with the opposite sex A young AA getting in trouble for liking a girl TW: CA- What happened when AA was caught texting a girl Vague rules within the purity culture he experienced Even young boys weren't allowed certain places alone What these restrictions did to the minds of boys and men The nightmare of puberty What happened when AA realized masturbation was considered a sin The pilgrimage- feeling unworthy  Was dating allowed? Does the hypersexualizaiton create odd turn ons? When did AA start pushing the boundaries? When did AA begin to have healthy interactions with women? What did AA find about Islam that he didn't resonate with? Did he convert his GF to being a Muslim? Where did AA land in his spirituality and relationships? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

*Content Warning: Many mentions of physical abuse &  sexual abuse*  Tricked into moving to Iraq at age 14, Ellaf was separated from her mother and forced into a chiId marriage by her father who felt she was too much of a burden to raise. Ellaf’s husband was even more controlling than her father and knew that he could get away with hurting her in many ways, because she was alone in an unfamiliar country and didn’t know the culture or the language. Forbidden to use birth control, she had 3 chiIdren before she was 21 years old and after years of suffering, courageously stood up to both her husband and father and got away. This is her story of perseverance and victory against all odds.Click here to watch on YouTubeConnect with EllafIG @ellaf_altamimi**FULLY BOOKED** Our C2C vacation where we can meet you in real life and go on adventures together has sold out!  However, you can add yourself to our waitlist in case of cancellations.  Click here to go to the official booking page  Our Merch! Patreon: Patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast Website CultsToConsciousness.com Find Shelise on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon Theme Song Produced and Composed by Christian Guevara **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

*Content Warning: Domestic Violence, SA, CA* Determined to fight for the human rights of the oppressed, Yasmine Mohammed speaks out and shares her experiences with Islam extremism.  Her mother forced her to marry a terrorist and it wasn’t until she fell pregnant with a daughter that made her realize she had to escape in order to secure her a better life. In search of freedom, she also found her voice and now she platforms countless other people who share their experiences.Find and support Yasmine!Her book: “Unveiled: How Western Liberals Empower Radical Islam”The Yasmine Mohammed PodcastYouTube: @yasminemohammedxxNon-Profit: Free Hearts Free MindsWebsite: https://www.yasminemohammed.com/IG @yasmohammedxx**FULLY BOOKED** Our C2C vacation where we can meet you in real life and go on adventures together has sold out! However,  you can add yourself to our waitlist in case of cancellations.   Click here to go to the official booking page Why is critiquing Islam is such a sensitive subject? What are some of the dangers of speaking out against Islam? Muslims vs the Islamic religion as a whole Yasmine on the current situation in Gaza TW: R*pe, SA- prisoners of war  How does this relate to Islamic doctrine? The nuance of Islam vs Palestine  Some of the good that has happened How Yasmine’s mother got more fundamentalist Forced to marry a member of Al-Qaeda What were some of the rules Yasmine had to follow as a chiId? TW: CA & SA- What was her stepfather like outside of his religious adherence? Did Yasmine ever fully believe in Islam? TW: DV& r*pe- Yasmine's first week of marriage How did racism effect Yasmine's ability to get help? Yasmine gets pregnant and has a daughter How University opened her mind What was the deconstruction process like for Yasmine? Creating your own values and morals after leaving a high demand religion  How did Yasmine's daughter impact her drive to change their lives?  Our Merch! Patreon: Patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast Website CultsToConsciousness.com Find Shelise on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon Theme Song Produced and Composed by Christian Guevara **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

**Content Warning: DV, rape, SA** Tia Levings discusses her dark reality in Christian fundamentalism, with evangelical patriarchy and religious trauma.  Having appeared in the Amazon docu-series, Shiny Happy People, and written a harrowing memoir, A Well-Trained Wife she reveals how she had to save herself and her family and details the ways that extreme views can manifest in a marriage.Recruited into the fundamentalist Quiverfull movement as a young wife, Tia Levings learned that being a good Christian meant following a list of additional life principles––a series of secret, special rules to obey. Being a godly and submissive wife in Christian Patriarchy included strict discipline, isolation, and an alternative lifestyle that appeared wholesome to outsiders. Women were to be silent, “keepers of the home.” But in the patriarchy, a woman with opinions is in danger, and eventually, Tia faced an urgent and extreme choice: stay and face dire consequences, or flee with her children.Click here to watch on YouTubePre order Tia’s book: A Well-Trained WifeFind Tia on social media!IG:  @tialevingswriterThe Anti-Fundamentalist **FULLY BOOKED** Our C2C vacation where we can meet you in real life and go on adventures together has sold out! However,  you can add yourself to our waitlist in case of cancellations.   Click here to go to the official booking page How Tia was raised that led to falling prey to her husband Did Tia's parents read her book? Nightmarish doctrine Tia learned in her youth All that's needed is a submissive and willing spirit You will drown in a lake of fire if you are not pleasing to God Selling the patriarchal movement to women- what that literally means Not allowed to have anything for yourself as a woman TW: Domestic ab*se- calling it a "correction" How Tia emerged from the isolation through secret online communication with women What it was like being a mother within this ab*sive reality Tia decided to escape when she saw how it was hurting her chiIdren  Tia's escape story How Tia's children handled it all  When did Tia feel safe enough to deconstruct and begin healing? Advice for someone going through a similar situation Our Merch!Patreon: Patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannAny donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcastWebsite CultsToConsciousness.comFind Shelise on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousnessHost Instagram @sheliseannTikTok @cults.to.consciousnessTwitter @cultstoconTheme Song Produced and Composed by Christian Guevara**Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Daniella grew up in the Children of God and Mike in Scientology. Together they discuss ways that the military, of which they were both in for many years,  is cultic and their differing perspectives.Click here to watch on YouTubeFind Mike!YouTube: @mikebrown101Mike’s Interview: “How Scientology Almost Killed His Elderly Mother”Find Daniella!IG: @daniellamyoung_TikTok: search #groupbehaviorgalWebsite: https://www.uncultureyourself.com/Amazon: "Uncultured: A Memoir"Previous episodes with Daniella“Her Horrific Childhood in the CHILDREN OF GOD S*x Cult ft. Daniella”“Her Parallels Between Children of God S*x Cult & the US Military ft. Daniella Mestyanek Young”“Escaping CHILDREN OF GOD, the Aftermath (ft. Daniella Mestyanek Young)”  **FULLY BOOKED** Our C2C vacation where we can meet you in real life and go on adventures together has sold out! However,  you can add yourself to our waitlist in case of cancellations.   Click here to go to the official booking page https://trovatrip.com/trip/central-america/costa-rica/costa-rica-with-shelise-sola-aug-2024 Daniella's cult backstory Mike's cult backstory When Daniella redefined what a cult was after learning about non Christian cults Comparisons Mike drew between Scientology and the Military upon joining Daniella's culty comparisons of the military and Children of God cult Difference in cultic experiences based on gender Mike's thoughts on r*pe culture in the military- Daniella responds  Difficulties of a misogynistic environment When the "process" works When "the process" to protect women doesn't work and why Combat barbie and her non-regulation hair Is the Military a cult? Daniella's perspective- Mike's perspective Group motivation in cult think The issue with talent management Is the fix giving back individualism and identity? Change? Mike says why the military isn't like a cult Daniella's differing opinion on camaraderie  Mike acknowledges why Daniella had a different experience than him Does the military HAVE to be like a cult for max effectiveness? Our Merch!Patreon: Patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannAny donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcastWebsite CultsToConsciousness.comFind Shelise on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousnessHost Instagram @sheliseannTikTok @cults.to.consciousnessTwitter @cultstoconTheme Song Produced and Composed by Christian Guevara**Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Cait West was completely under her father’s rule down to all her decisions. She was told he would even make the biggest decision of her life for her— who she was going to marry. She was gr**med to be a submissive wife under the patriarchy movement and stay-at-home daughters movement. Her homeschooling was completely unregulated and not much attention was paid to her education, because her sole purpose was to be a mother who eventually belonged to her husband. Terrified that anything less than strict obedience would land her in the fiery depths of Hell, she felt she had no choice but to go along with it well into her 20s. This is how she gained her independence and escaped that lifestyle.Click here to watch on YouTubeFind and Support Cait!Buy her book Rift: https://www.caitwest.com/bookWebsite: https://www.caitwest.com/Substack: https://caitwest.substack.com/IG: @CaitWestWritesFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/caitwestwrites/TikTok: @CaitWestWrites**FULLY BOOKED** Our C2C vacation where we can meet you in real life and go on adventures together has sold out! However,  you can add yourself to our waitlist in case of cancellations.   Click here to go to the official booking page  What is the patriarchy movement and where does it come from? What were some of the gender roles her dad believed in? How isolating was Cait's childhood? How did Cait's religion focused education impact her life? Did Cait ever yearn for a better education while being homeschooled? How did Cait's fear begin and impact her life? How did Cait's religious upbringing view mental health? Cait's scrupulosity and taking communion Cait learned s*x ed from movie reviews Feelings for men outside of a courtship What was courtship like for Cait? What is the Stay-At-Home Daughter Movement? What was Cait's parents' relationship like? How did Cait's dad become their church's courtship expert? When did Cait start to understand what she actually wanted? How did Cait's husband help her find her way? What was it like for Cait to discover her sexuality? What are some resources for those who are struggling? What was Cait's first Our Merch!Patreon: Patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannAny donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcastWebsite CultsToConsciousness.comFind Shelise on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousnessHost Instagram @sheliseannTikTok @cults.to.consciousnessTwitter @cultstoconTheme Song Produced and Composed by Christian Guevara**Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Isolated in a cult within a cult within a cult, Ashley was completely sheltered from the outside world. From infancy she was labeled as unruly and even demon-possessed. Determined to break her as a toddler, then later brag about it, her pastor grandfather took it too far. She would be forced into submission and gr**med to be a “stay-at-home daughter” until her father transferred authority to her betrothed husband. This is how she accidentally escaped the prison in her mind.Click here to watch on YouTubeFind and support Ashley!https://www.ashleyeaster.com/IG @iamashleyeasterTwitter: @ashleymeasterCults Hidden In Plain Sight- FREE Ebook:https://www.ashleyeaster.com/booksGet intuitive texts from Ashley! Text “Intuition” to 917-809-7311Courage 365: A non-profit for ab*se survivors:https://www.courage365.org/Watch Ashley’s TEDx Talk: Why You Could Be Vulnerable To A Cult | Ashley Easterhttps://youtu.be/eDvhN7rSLK4?si=uv9J4CYkuTZZVx3p**FULLY BOOKED** Our C2C vacation where we can meet you in real life and go on adventures together has sold out! However,  you can add yourself to our waitlist in case of cancellations.   Click here to go to the official booking page https://trovatrip.com/trip/central-america/costa-rica/costa-rica-with-shelise-sola-aug-2024 Ashley's IFB background IFB vs Southern Baptists Drum Beats and Racism Was there scripture to back their racism? What types of music was Ashley allowed to listen to? What it was like being isolated in the IFB home school The Patriarchy Movement What is the 200 year Quiverfull plan? How did submitting to these types of men affect Ashley? Ashley's grandfather locks her in the basement Ashley's trauma responses Starting the blog, The Stay-At-Home-Daughter Ashley's relationship with her mom How many siblings did Ashley have? What was Ashley's big goal? What was courtship like for Ashley? "I kissed dating goodbye" Were courtship relationships transactional? What was Ashley's breaking point? How Ashley's husband held space for her How is Ashley doing now? Our Merch!Patreon: Patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannAny donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcastWebsite CultsToConsciousness.comFind Shelise on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousnessHost Instagram @sheliseannTikTok @cults.to.consciousnessTwitter @cultstoconTheme Song Produced and Composed by Christian Guevara**Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Scientology doesn’t believe in the young. They teach that they are trillion year old beings in small bodies. Therefore, they are not treated developmentally correct. Neglected, exploited for work and severely mistreated, they suffer the most in this organization. Serge Del Mar tells his story of growing up in Scientology and his advocacy work to make people wake up and listen to the lost souls who are begging silently for help.Click here to watch on YouTubeFind Serge on Social!YouTube: @literallysergeIG @literallysergeIf you need help escaping Scientology, visit:https://www.theaftermathfoundation.org/https://sptvfoundation.org/**FULLY BOOKED** Our C2C vacation where we can meet you in real life and go on adventures together has sold out! However,  you can add yourself to our waitlist in case of cancellations.   Click here to go to the official booking page Our Merch!Patreon: Patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannAny donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcastWebsite CultsToConsciousness.comFind Shelise on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousnessHost Instagram @sheliseannTikTok @cults.to.consciousnessTwitter @cultstoconTheme Song Produced and Composed by Christian Guevara**Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

At age six, Katherine Spallino is separated from her parents and sent to train for her future in the Church of Scientology’s clergy—the Sea Organization. She rarely sees her parents and never goes to a normal school. Later, Katherine is sent to live at a secluded ranch with other young prospective Sea Org members, called cadets, where she studies Scientology and does manual labor—weeding fields, digging trenches, and works in the galley. The indoctrination escalates, and her family slips even farther into the background. But as she enters her teenage years, a host of new, more immediate concerns emerge, along with fantasies of what else life has to offer.  Should she commit herself to the church, or reject everything she’s ever known for a chance at a different life?Click here to watch on YouTubeFind Katherine on Social!IG @thebadcadetHer Book: The Bad Cadet:  Growing Up in the Church of Scientology's Sea Organization**FULLY BOOKED** Our C2C vacation where we can meet you in real life and go on adventures together has sold out! However,  you can add yourself to our waitlist in case of cancellations.   Click here to go to the official booking page Katherine was born in a Scientrology building with no SSN At a young age, Katherine saw L Ron Hubbard as a God Confimation bias when it comes to having super powers Did Katherine know she was growing up differently? Katherine joins a bootcamp for youth who want to become Sea Org members The jobs Katherine had to do as a SeaOrg member Incentivized to write knowledge reports (snitch on each other) The youth ran themselves, which is how they were kept in line Scientology getting around labor laws Katherine gets shamed for only being able afford 1 pair of underwear Did Katherine have non-scientologist extended family? Racism was so bad, she thought she was a completely different race as a kid Some medical care was provided among neglect What made Katherine want to leave the Sea Org High school shock- not like the movies How she ended up back in LA with other ex-cadets Why Katherine was declared a suppressive person How she started writing "The Bad Cadet" Katherine tries to reconnect with family after being cut off How Katherine's family treats her today How Katherine is doing now Our Merch!Patreon: Patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannAny donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcastWebsite CultsToConsciousness.comFind Shelise on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousnessHost Instagram @sheliseannTikTok @cults.to.consciousnessTwitter @cultstoconTheme Song Produced and Composed by Christian Guevara**Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Raised by Scientology and forced into the Sea Org and labor intensive youth camps, Mike Brown didn’t have a choice but to be indoctrinated and used by the organization. After he managed to escape, leaving behind his mother and wife, years later he learned of the extreme elder ab*se that was happening. Determined to save his mother who was quickly being worked to death, he devised a plan to break her out and nurse her back to health before it was too late. Click here to watch on YouTubeFi... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The troubled teen industry has been in the limelight lately for its more than questionable tactics to “reform” kids. Add in a heavy dose of religious extremism and you have the sometimes fatal Independent Fundamental Baptist all-girl’s school Ashley attended. The most common sentence was 1 year of brutal manual labor, peer-inflicted punishments and psychological warfare. Click here to watch on YouTubeFind Ashley on Social!IG @ashfilet Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ashley.kellam**FULLY BOO... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Disguised as a wholesome Christian school for troubled youth, was a house of horrors for those unlucky enough to be placed there. Diabolical and dangerous punishm*nts, intense physical labor left these girls scarred in more ways than one. The documentary “Let Us Prey”, finally started to expose the secrets behind the walls of the school and within the IFB (Independent Fundamental Baptist) churches as a whole. Amanda shares her story, as a young one of parents who ran one of these school... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Joined for a second time by Mary (former Amish) and Hannah (former Holdeman Mennonite), we discuss the ways in which being gay/bi in their settlements harshly affected them and how queer plain people are generally erased from society. Bringing awareness and visibility to the LGBTQ community, they share their experiences openly and shed light on the disproportionate harm they faced.Watch Mary's original episodeWatch Hannah's original episodehttps://www.lgbtamish.com/The Trevor ProjectHannah's ... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

*Content Warning : SA, CA, CSA, mentions of rape* After enduring an excruciating youth at the hands of her mother and step father, isolated on a mountainside, Misty was forced into an Amish settlement at 18 years old. Though in many ways this new lifestyle was far more liberating than what she was used to, it came with darker days than she could’ve ever imagined. Hurt and blamed by those most trusted she took a risk and tried to escape. Http://www.Change.org/childrightsact to sign Misty’s pet... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

*Content Warning: sexual assault, rape, prostitution, attempted murder* Due to lack of education when she left the strict Swartzentruber settlement, Naomi slipped into exotic dancing, prostitution, drugs, and almost getting murdered. In this episode, she opens up about her trials and tribulations with growing up Amish, her dark reality afterward, and eventually finding the light at the end of the tunnel.Naomi’s book: The Amazing Adventures of an Amish StripperFind and support Naom... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

*Content Warning: eating disorders, mentions of homophobia* In this follow up episode we’re going to continue with Oceana’s story growing up under the strict Institute in Basic Life Principles run by Bill Gothard who was recently exposed for preying on young girls. She opens up about coming home from the IBLP training camps, her parents’ reaction, how it led to further untreated eating d*sorders, how all of the programming and IBLP culture permeated into her adult life, and how it’s sti... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

*Content Warning: eating disorders, self harm* Further shedding light on the Institute in Basic Life Principles run by Bill Gothard who was recently exposed for preying on young girls, is Oceana who grew up living by their rules. Extreme patriarchy, silencing and sexualization of women and blaming those who are being hurt, are just a few things that create compounded trauma. Oceana fought through untreated eating d*sorders, because therapists were considered sinful, as well as the mental heal... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Independent Fundamental Baptist church is known for having extreme views on “worldly” things. Women are over-sexualized to the point where even the very young are blamed and punished for “temping” men into hurting them. Kathy was one of those young women. Her pastor purposely protected the perp and she was ostracized by family, friends and other church members. Our previous episode with her (linked below) illustrates the awful details of her childhood. In this episode, we speak more on th... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

*Content Warning: child sex abuse, child abuse, rape, mentions of attempted suicide* When purity culture is front and center in a strict religious organization, youth are blamed for being preyed on by adults. It creates an unsafe environment for those who don’t understand boundaries, consent, grooming, or have any s*x education at all to even have proper vocabulary for what might be happening to them. Kathy Durbin explains this harmful culture and how she was ultimately a survivor of it. She ... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The cult doc “Let Us Prey” on HBO, highlights the issues within the high control religious group Independent Fundamental Baptist, of which Eric was a part of. From the covering up of predatory behavior of the leaders, to extreme patriarchal control which blames victims and breeds perpetrators, Eric walks us through what his life was like being isolated in this group until his adult years. Which eventually led him and his wife to belong to another cult like group!Watch this episode on YouTube ... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

*Content Warning: rape and sexual assault* Yoga instructor Larissa Anderson took yoga “guru” Bikram Choudhury to court for s*xual assault and blacklisting her yoga business after Larissa rejected a s*xual advance by Bikram (who had r*ped her before). He refused to promote her studio and she was blacklisted from the Bikram Yoga community.At the time of the s*xual assault, Bikram had already personally approved her studio down to the floor plan and knew that Larissa had begun negotiating ... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

“Guru” Bikram was responsible for bringing hot yoga to the states and popularizing it. Without realizing, Larissa Anderson was slowly groomed by her then boyfriend and yoga studio owner to seamlessly fall right into Bikram’s hands. He would eventually request massages from Larissa in front of hundreds of students and get more and more bold when they were alone together.Larissa underwent the intense 9 week bootcamp-style training to become an official Bikram yoga teacher so that she coul... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

First, there was Guru Bhajan. A self proclaimed master of what he called Kundalini Yoga. Later known as an ab*ser on every level, he died and left a gaping hole in the Western market for the next “master” to step in as a celebrity Guru. Enter Guru Jagat. A charismatic female leader who started her own school, attracting young, enthusiastic millennials who wore all white with turbans to her classes. Filled with promises of enlightenment, abundance and more, one of her followers, Charlotte, bec... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Is Mormonism a cult? Jubilee’s “Middleground” had on a panel of current believing Mormons and ex-Mormons to debate this and other nuanced topics. Join us, along with one of the ex-Mormon panelists, Dr. John Dehlin of @mormonstories as we dive deeper into some of the more “cringeworthy” responses, and un-aired behind the scenes details, to decide who really won.Click here to watch this episode & see on screen photosCheck out Jublilee's "Can Mormons and Ex Mormons See Eye ... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Harvard graduate Joelle Tamraz, was young, enthusiastic and a perfect target for a fake yoga guru. Seeking enlightenment, purpose and peace, she came across a man who swept her off her feet and used spiritual manipulation to eventually exploit her and her family out of thousands of dollars. He told wild stories of channelling and inhabiting someone else’s body to justify cheating right in front of her face. Find out how after 18 years, despite having built a yoga studio together, she was able... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ben John: "As a beginner entrepreneur/business owner in 2019, I was introduced to a book by Grant Cardone(The 10X Rule) that lured me into mentorship from him. After 3.5 years and $250k spent with Grant & his organization, I realized that I had ignored all the signs in that environment that encouraged me to idolize Grant as a God, seek him for success, disconnect with those who don’t align with him or me, chase money, deceive, & manipulate others to get what I want. I later foun... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS or Mormon Church), has long been known for their secret temple rituals that only the worthy saints can participate in. Shelise grew up in this mainstream Mormon Church, learning that going to the temple was the ultimate goal, that if she could only be worthy enough, she might even get to see Jesus himself walking the halls. The picture that is painted to it’s members (because NOTHING is disclosed ahead of time) is vastly different than what... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Celia was a daughter of the cult leader Ervil LeBaron, who practiced a fundamentalist Mormon teaching called Blood Atonement which meant taking lives in the name of God. Things got even more out of control when he was put in prison for his crimes and a hit list he created was beginning to be carried out by some of his younger followers. Thankfully, the practice of blood atonement, by way of the LeBarons has been disavowed today, but the effects of these tragic teachings still linger in the li... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Polygamist, Fundamentalist Mormon (FLDS) leader, Warren Jeffs, is currently serving a life sentence in prison for CSA which he claims was revelation from God. He currently still has a few thousand members of his church who believe he was wrongly convicted and completely innocent. A man God being”persecuted” because he’s a true prophet, they would say. Years and years have gone by and he continues to give dangerous "revelations" to his followers including telling his own daughters to stop eati... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Narrowly escaping out of her window where she was held prisoner, Briell, the 65th wife of FLDS cult leader Warren Jeffs, continued to be on the run from her family who wanted to k*ll her. Warren was in prison and he knew she would testify against him, so he ordered people to take her down. After years of seeking safety and peace of mind, she returned to the hometown of the cult and was able to claim Warren’s 45 bedroom mansion. This is what she decided to do with it…Watch pt 1 with Briel here... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

**TW: CSA, Suicide, threats of murder** Born into the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS/Mormon), Briell was groomed at a very early age to one day become a plural wife to the prophet Warren Jeffs. Her parents wept when they found out the prophet’s plans, but had no choice but to give her, at 18, to the over 50 year old man as his 65th wife. When Briell saw what Warren was doing with his 12 year old wives in Texas, she was mortified and resisted Warren’s at... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As seen in the new and popular Hulu documentary “Daughters of the Cult”, Anna LeBaron shares with us stories the documentary missed as well as some additional details to her story as Ervil LeBaron’s daughter. We discuss blood atonement, her childhood being moved from place to place with little money for food, shelter or clothing among the plural wives and their kids, as well as conspiracy theories for how her father Ervil actually died in prison.Book: The Polygamist’s Daughter: A MemoirIG: @A... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

At only 17 years old, Ceci was assigned to become a plural wife and instant mother to 5 children before having her own child 5 months later. She then became 1 of 5 plural wives in this Fundamentalist Latter Day Saint (polygamous Mormon break off) community led by Warren Jeffs who is now in prison for CSA. Warren had a tendency to separate families for seemingly no reason and one night, she was told her husband and the other 4 wives were being sent away to “repent”, leaving the 20+ kids solely... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Raised primarily in rural China, Faith Jones went a myriad of ab*ses before finally escaping The Children of God cult to pursue higher education. The cult is known for its far too liberal views on s*xuality which ended up being forced polyamory and free love, even extending to the young members of the communes. She grew up singing on the streets or performing in restaurants to make money for “the family” as none of the adults had jobs. Once she left, she was able to become a lawyer and now sp... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Spending most of his young life in India, Philip endured unspeakable things at the hands of his own parents and other adults in the COG cult. These principles and disciplinary actions were taught directly by the leader David Berg, who twisted the Bible to hurt a lot of people, including the young. This is a graphic story of what he faced and how he managed to escape and create a new life. Find Philip on Social IG: @phil_seibel Website: https://www.philipseibel.com/https://www.my-print.ch/His ... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Growing up abroad in the COG cult meant that Daniella Mestyanek Young was isolated from birth to be a subservient, s*x item for the men in the group. At 15, a few months before she was about to be "on the menu" she realized she needed to get out. We talk about how difficult it can be when leaving a cult and rediscovering one's identity along with learning how the world works. Daniella Mestyanek Young is an Author, a TEDx Speaker, a s*x-cult survivor, a US Army Combat Veteran, an extremely adv... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Chelsea Goodrich endured years of CSA from her Mormon Bishop father John Goodrich. Chelsea and her mother Lorraine went to the Mormon/LDS church for help in prosecuting him, but they let her down at every turn, despite making it seem they wouldn’t. What seemed like a good faith payment for Lorraine’s rapidly deteriorating health due to all the stress, ended up being disguised as a gag order given by the LDS church. This is a layered and complicated case that has been frequently misrepresented... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

After years of committing CSA with his own daughter, Mormon bishop John Goodrich confessed his sins to a higher authority called the Stake President. However, the information was never passed to his wife, Chelsea’s mother, or the authorities, and the CSA continued. Years later, Chelsea confided in her mother about what had happened in her childhood which led to a series of more unfortunate events. We go into depth about her hardships and confusion after deconstructing these traumatizing event... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Born and raised in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Katie's home life was less than perfect. However, her parents remained very loyal to the teachings and the gospel of the LDS Church. After years of SA from an older brother, Katie's sister reported it to the Bishop during a confession. The Bishop advised to keep it a secret from everyone, including her parents, as the shame the perpetrator would have faced being forced to come home early from his LDS mission... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

**Content Warning: rape and self harm** It's well known that pre-marital s*x among members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is a huge sin. This is the shocking story of what happened to a member of 18 years old, who's "virtue" was stolen from her. Not only did she have to recount every detail of her traumatic experience alone to multiple men, she was eventually disfellowshipped for her "sins". Years later, after trying again as a faithful, devout, Mormon mom, Kris realized s... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Her father, who got many ideas from his time in the Embassy of Heaven cult, claims to be a prophet. In his paranoia and attempts to escape the US government, he moved his family from state to state and then eventually to Ecuador. Determined it was the right thing to do as ordered by God, his family was completely isolated from proper education and mainstream society. At 18 years old, just 7 months ago, Ella realized she was in a cult and was able to escape.Click here to watch on YouTube Our C... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

**THIS EPISODE IS MEANT TO BE WATCHED- THIS IS TO INFORM YOU TO HEAD OVER TO YOUTUBE TO SEE THE WHOLE THING AFTER THE INTRO**CLICK HERE TO WATCHWe can't wait to share with you footage from our Old Hollywood Glamour themed wedding, set in the Historic 1930s Movie Palace! It was a dream lost in time. First, you'll see our actual 5 min wedding film created by the ever so talented couple at Amora Cinema. Next, you'll get to see the 1930s B&W silent short film rendition of our love story which... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jehovah's Witnesses make it a point to separate themselves from "worldly" things which creates a social isolation within mainstream society. Unfortunately, this rule applies to members of all ages. Owen Morgan shares his experience growing up being completely cut off from having friends who were outsiders and explains how JWs now use animated propaganda to perpetuate these rules to young people. Find and Support Owen!YouTube: @OwenMorganTelltale @owensfiresidechat &n... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Creative expression is part of our human nature. When belonging to a high control group, one of the first things that is sacrificed is individuality, freedom of self expression, and education about the world outside of the group. Scott was always craving creativity, especially when it came to music. After breaking through the chains of Jehovah’s Witness restrictions, he found continued solace in music. However, that came with the high cost of extreme shunning from his former friends and immed... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Two young teens fell into a forbidden love. After being shunned from their fundamentalist Mormon polygamous community, they had the option to be welcomed back, only if they got married immediately. Seven little ones later, Chris had been living in fear of losing his family since dozens of men were sent away to repent for unknown reasons. One day, the call came. He was being excommunicated. Click here to watch on YouTubeResources for those escaping polygamy:https://holdingouthelp.org/ https://... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ben grew up in the FLDS (Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) living with 2 moms and 28 siblings. He started working on a construction site around 8 years old and had his own crew by 16, despite only having a 3rd grade education from the private FLDS school. After realizing the outside world ISN’T all evil, he escaped the cult around age 18 and became the go-to person (along side his now-wife Wendy) for other “Lost Boys” to seek out for help. Ben and Wendy explain what ... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Kelly recounts her difficult childhood growing up Catholic as an undiagnosed autistic girl. There were good times and traumatic times that completely shaped her life path and who she is today. She spent 3rd grade through high school in a private catholic school mostly run by nuns who weren’t happy about Vatican II and she explains how they often took out their frustrations on the children. Now, as a mother, after trying Catholic school for her own children, she recounts the things she wishes ... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Homeschooled in a Traditional Catholic co-op, Anthony was given extreme guidance from a priest which has had negative long term ramifications. He explains the difference between traditional Catholicism and mainstream Catholicism and how one operates using common mind controls tactics. We also discuss themes of how purity culture can be damaging to men also, creating an unspoken dutiful contract between husband and wife. Click here to watch on YouTubeResource for SA statistics: https://www.rai... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

From the TV show “Escaping Polygamy”, Amanda Rae is known for calling out The Order, which is the incestuous polygamous cult she was born and raised in. She goes into depth on her channel about the stories of the men who have nearly 200 children with multiple women. However, everyone is dying to know how SHE has been coping since escaping the cult at 18 years old. We explore the all-too-common toxic relationship dynamics that can result from leaving a high-control group and how to find a heal... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

After begging for a proper education at 14, Allison had to take things into her own hands. Knowing she was about to be forced into polygamy, she went around her parents at every turn to give herself a different future. One that didn’t involve reproducing with 1/2 siblings or cousins. A road block at every turn didn’t dissuade her from listening to the little girl inside of her who just wanted out. Resources for those escaping polygamy:https://holdingouthelp.org/https://www.hopeafterpolygamy.o... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Manipulated into saying yes to a betrothal to her cousin at 8 yrs old, Michelle knew there was no way she would raise her future family in this incestuous polygamous cult. Her father had 16 wives including half sisters and nieces (one of which was her mother). The horrible treatment in the group caused her to plot her escape and get emancipated at 17. Who knows what would’ve happened if her cousins from the TV show “Escaping Polygamy” didn’t come to help her when they did.Click here to watch ... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

**Content Warning: Multiple depictions of child abuse and infant death** This incestuous polygamous Mormon sect promotes and endorses extreme punishments. Michelle had a father who took pleasure in these punishments. Aside from that, her first job was at 4 yrs old which grew to 3 jobs by the time she was in Jr High. Against all odds, she graduated High School at 15 years old, then college a few days after her 18th birthday. Make sure to subscribe and hit the bell so you don’t miss when part 2... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

*Content Warning: Sexual Abuse, Domestic Violence, Attempted Suicide, Rape* Growing up in a cult known for its incestuous polygamy and grooming for marriage at 3, Shanell was set up for failure from the beginning. After being coerced into choosing a husband at 18, she married her first cousin and everything quickly went downhill. Her relationship was so dangerous, her husband went to jail and she fled her home to safety, eventually deciding to leave The Order as well. Three years later,... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

**Content warning: multiple depictions of child abuse** Growing up with 14 moms and nearly 200 siblings in an insulated community with very strict rules, proves to be extremely challenging and confusing. Shanell wasn’t even supposed to know who her biological father was, but was smart enough to figure it out. Not allowed to go to High School, she had what they considered the “privilege” of getting a job instead, to earn money that she needed permission to access. A second mother to her 11 sib... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Forced into the Amish lifestyle, Audrey had no choice but to conform to the strict Amish standards. She married young, and later found out her husband had been hurting their daughters in unimaginable ways. Most Amish mothers side with their husbands in this situation, but not Audrey. After taking her soon to be ex husband to court, the entire community shunned and stalked her and her family. Resources for those in need:Generations Unleashed Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/Generations.Unleash... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

An expert witness for Amish and Mennonite court cases, Lizzie explains the rules of her intense settlement before taking us through her unbelievable story of disaster, lethal betrayal, tragedy, abandonment and perseverance. She even gives us a glimpse of the strange dating practice which takes place in the woman’s bedroom. Resources: https://www.theplainpeoplespodcast.com/resourcesWebsite: https://www.lizziehershberger.com/Her book: “Behind Blue Curtains: A True Crime Memoir of an Amish Woman... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

*Content warning: SA, beastiality, DV, infant death, miscarriage** Having been blissfully unaware of the methods of control and "ownership" of women growing up in the Amish, Elizabeth was not prepared for the dark and brutal marriage that followed. Her husband forbid her to going to the hospital for her 8 births which left her in questionable and dangerous hands. After she finally got the courage to get police involved, her community put her in shunning for 4 years straight, before she realiz... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

From an atheist household to strict Mennonite, Jasper had an incredible amount of adjusting to do as a teenager. Her love for riding horses and asking questions branded her with “unruly” and “rebellious”. Anyone who got close to her was shipped away and eventually, due to lack of socialization and acceptance, her mental health quickly deteriorated. She now hosts “The Plain People’s Podcast” where she platforms former Mennonite and Amish so they may tell their stories.Click here to watch on Yo... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The reality of having multiple mothers can be a dark one. The little ones are the ones who suffer the most. Within this clear imbalance of power lies an eldest son, laden with far too many responsibilities. Eventually, Val is kicked out of his own community, partly due to his sexual preferences. Although, he was well on his way out to freedom and happiness within the "normal world".Click here to watch on YouTubeResource for those escaping polygamy:https://holdingouthel... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Apostolic United Brethren prophesied this now comedian would restore the true LDS (Mormon) church to the earth. In Ben's case, 2 moms prove to be far more difficult than convenient, as he was dealing with working long hours for little to know money at 8. Click here to watch on YouTubeFollow Ben on Social:Instagram @thefreshkingbenjaminhttps://www.instagram.com/thefreshkingbenjaminwww.thefreshkingbenjamin.comOur Merch! Patreon: Patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannAny d... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

**Content warning: CHILD SA, ANOREXIA, CA, TRAFF*CKING** At 9 Years Old, Isami Daehn was traded by her narcissistic mother, in exchange for piano lessons for her and her siblings. Isami now speaks out about the horrors of growing up in a narcissistic, high demand family, while being raised an Independent Fundamentalist Baptist in Japan. Not all high control groups are major churches or large corporations. Sometimes, certain personality disorders, when combined with strict religiosity, c... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Once a top ranking Scientologist, now a former, Claire Headley was called to testify in the 2nd, most recent trial of Danny Masterson on his SA convictions of 3 women. As an Expert Witness, her testimony helped the jury understand why Scientology itself played a crucial role in the suppression of evidence. He has just been found guilty, and sentenced to life in prison. Claire now speaks out on the details of her time on the stand.Click here to watch on YouTubeFind and Suppor... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

**Content warning: Open dialogue around sex & mentions of SA & Rape** Purity culture seems innocent and shiny on the outside, but when you look closer, understanding there are two sides to every coin, it gets dark and dangerous. Kendra and I take an honest look at the intentions of purity culture and how it often backfires and creates more issues including abuse and self hatred. Click here to watch on YouTubeEpisodes with the Ex- Mormon Sex Therapist:LDS Sex Therapist Ousted for Views... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Scientology Sea Org employees who work at the headquarters in Southern California, are treated like prisoners. After Marc was falsely accused of embezzling money, they threatened to take hime away from his wife to put him in a rehabilitation center. His only other option was a dangerous escape off of the property. Learn how a civilian saved his life, and how Scientology began to stalk and harass Marc and his family for speaking out about the abuses within the organization. Click here to watch... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

His mother converted to Scientology when he was 6 years old and his life changed forever. When he rejected the teachings, she kicked him out of the house and he was forced to find friends to live with which was never permanent. At 15 years old with no place to live, no money, no job and no real world experience having only an education at a Scientology school, he caved and joined the Sea Org. His audio/visual skills were immediately put to work at Golden Era Productions at headquarters in Sou... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Commercial director Mitch Brisker was scouted by Scientology to put them on the map and he did! His Dianetics commercials were a huge hit and mostly responsible for selling millions of copies of the books. They convinced him to go work at Golden Era Productions where he turned around the entire film department and started making good quality work for training and marketing purposes. Shelise shares how she was on set around the same time as an actor in a few Scientology films. Most surprisingl... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Claire was raised as product of Scientology. Her early childhood years spent in Scientology boarding schools away from her parents. As a teenager, she doubled down and rose up to one of the highest ranks possible where she was working directly for David Miscavige. Witnessing David's abusive ways and after she was forced to do horrific things, she knew she had to escape. Her story will leave you on the edge of your seat as she describes her master plan to escape the headquarters of Scientology... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Claire Headley, President of The Aftermath Foundation, recounts her difficult childhood in the primary hands of Scientology in the UK. Coerced to sign a billion year contract by 7 years old, her life was dedicated to learning how to be the best Sea Org member she could possibly be. Longing to be a “normal” kid like those in her public school, she had plans to escape. Until, a major life event shook her which cemented her beliefs in Scientology. She had no idea the horrors that awaited her whe... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Back again for our 1 year channel anniversary is @nuancehoe ! Peek behind the curtain with us to discover the dark and dirty past of Mormon (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) history and even what current LDS apologists are up to in the name of fundamentalism. We both believe that true change, does not come from gaslighting or pretending things weren't harmful, but by full acknowledgement, apology and tangible steps to undo the hurt caused by dangerous doctrine and leader... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

**Content Warning: self harm, brief mention of child SA** From forced Molly Mormon into rockstar, Irene discusses what her life was like being raised in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormonism) and the extreme manipulation tactics that were used to keep members active. She attended the Mormon university BYU and served a mission in Honduras, before meeting someone who completely changed her life and helped open her eyes to the cult mentality she was in. Click here to watch o... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Liz was brainwashed and sucked into a dangerous Korean cult, groomed to be one of the cult leader's spiritual brides. They preyed on her love for Christianity and longing to belong. This episode explores her upbringing as a Pentecostal Christian which adds layers of context to help us understand how she was primed to fall into the JMS cult.Click here to watch on YouTube Find her previous episode here "How the Korean JMS Cult Brainwashed and Hospitalized Her"Find Liz on Social!TikTok @lizthefo... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Featured in “The Sins of the Amish”, Meg endured a life of t*rture at the hands of her father and other family members. First in an Old Order Amish settlement, then a black bumper Mennonite Settlement, the ab*se was condoned and accepted by the community. Using books like “To Train Up A Child”, it was normal for fathers to break the will of their children as early as 18 months old. Against her wishes, she was forced into an arranged marriage which had many of the same characteristics of her f... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

**Content Warning: Child SA, abuse, r*pe, suic*de ideation** We have learned about people who grow up in abusive environments who don’t have a good chance of breaking that cycle while they are still in the cult bubble. But what about the people who understand abuse not only goes unnoticed in these cults, but is even celebrated, and they join for this reason? Hannah’s story illustrates how when the outside world can clearly see a group where abuse thrives, and they don’t want to get caught, th... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

**Content Warning: Frequent mentions of child SA & r*pe among other forms of abuse & suic*de ideation**Mary Byler’s story is horrific and shocking, yet one of the reasons she is being so brave in sharing her story, is because it’s not uncommon. The Amish are often romanticized for their “plain” lifestyle, yet people don’t understand or know about the sheer terror facing the women and children of these communities. Extreme forms of purity culture combined with a no-questions-asked “alw... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

**Content Warning: Child SA, Incest, Rape** Along with extreme sexual distortions and a severe lack of sexual education, the Old Order Amish are taught that pregnancy means women have “The Sickness”, and that any talk of sex is forbidden until marriage.Having left the Old Order Amish 25 years ago, Eli Yoder, has helped 200+ people flee the Amish community. In today's episode, we discuss the dark corners of the seemingly bright and simple groups that exist today, along with the shocking ... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

People in the "modern world" tend to romanticize the Amish. They seem to live simple lives and keep to themselves with their big families and old traditional ways of doing things. This may be true AND it's possible that a world of secrets, abuse and lack of care for those suffering mental illness are also extremely common. Joined by ex Old Order Amish, Eli Yoder, we discuss the dark corners of the seemingly bright and groups that exist today.Click here to watch on YouTubeResource for current ... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

An unsuspecting Aussie girl was intentionally recruited and manipulated to eventually become one of cult leader's Jung Myung Seok thousands of spiritual brides. The the self proclaimed reincarnated Messiah and convicted r*pist was in jail when she met him through the plexi-glass in Korea. Forced to restrict her food intake to please Jung, she lost so much weight her health deteriorated and she was hospitalized. Learn how her near death experience saved her life, by helping her escape the dang... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

After 1 year of horrific cult stories, we thought it would be nice to celebrate these brave souls with all of their best advice and funny statements through their “Linda, listen” moment. An empowering statement, be it sassy, inspirational, funny or all of the above. This video can also serve as a recap of what we have been up to all year and give you a peek into each episode which you may have missed. Watch on YouTubeepisode 02 - Nuancehoe episode 04 - Ashleyepisode 05 - True Mormon Quotes ep... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Fresh out of the sheltered sexuality of Mormonism, Kirsten had just gotten a divorce and badly needed a job. Convincing herself that she just didn't know what "normal" body positivity and sexuality looked like, she got a job at a nudist, sex club that lured people in by pretending to be a zen, meditative, buddhist retreat. For the first time ever, someone is speaking out against the One Love Temple, otherwise known as the Sea Mountain Resort in Las Vegas, NV.Click here to watch on YouTubeTo w... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Brigham Young was the second prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and who Brigham Young University was named after. Brigham is known for a LOT of heinous actions against the saints, so it shouldn't come as a surprise when learning about the abhorrent policies of the school. Since Kirsten went there, it's only gotten slightly better. Find out what these students have to go through just to get an education. We also go into what EFY/FSY is, and why it was/is problematic for... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

BONUS EPISODE! Disney, don't come after us! In making the new Little Mermaid movie, we get you were tied to the 1989 classic, which was tied to the 1845 fairy tale, but we couldn't help but notice all of the CULTY parallels. From an oppressive polygamist father with an "us vs them" mentality, to a banished sea witch with her own agenda of ownership and rule, literally taking Ariel's voice and leaving her voiceless, we breakdown all the ways the Little Mermaid is super culty.... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

**Content Warning: Child Abuse/Suicide Attempt** The book that is linked to 3 deaths of children, completely warped Kendra's life. Her parents took the abusive techniques to "train" their 7 children to the extreme. Fighting for her life everyday, trying to understand what she did to deserve this pain, when she turned 18 she ran. Little did she know, she ran right into the arms of another predator who married her 2 weeks later and got her pregnant 6 months after that. When the abuse continued,... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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 finally finds her way out of the cult and begins to acclimate to the completely foreign outside world.&... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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 found himself unable to connect with society and he turned to extreme drug and alcohol abu... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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 videos to share with you. Also, stick around to the end for some MAJOR channel updates! Thank yo... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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 today's episode, Mark dives deeper into the disturbing details of his personal experienc... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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 Markers available on YouTube)Parallels between John Dehlin's Mormon past and cult do... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

**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 Gothard himself, she joined a lawsuit against IBLP and Bill and deconstructed the toxic teachings f... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

**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(clickable chapter markers on YouTube)FLDS, explainedPurity Culture: saving first kiss for ... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

**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 oppressive practices that force children and wives to obey at all costs. Jen joins us and tells (for ... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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 on YouTube)Her incestuous family bushThe leader, Paul, has 27 wivesThe deformities with inbreedi... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

"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 the same. Learn the ins and outs of this cult and why she so badly wanted out. Click here to watch ... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

**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. Not only did she deconstruct end times Mormonism, but found herself deconstructing mainstream Morm... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

**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. Listen with care. Click here to watch on YouTube(clickable chapter markers available on ... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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 available on YouTube) Growing up Jehovah's Witness in VirginiaWho are the Jehovah's Witnesses?Not ... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

**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 breaking point. Click here to watch on YouTubeClick here to watch the previous video with Daniella(c... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

***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 the story of her childhood behind the walls of the compounds all over the world. The next episode, ... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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 unearthing social media for the first time at 17, they are now living the life THEY chose for themselves... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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 a lot to discuss! Click here to watch on YouTube(clickable chapter markers availabl... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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, explaining more of his childhood and the backstory of the FLDS.Click here to watch the episode on YouTu... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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(clickable chapter markers available on YouTube)The run down of FLDS doctrine when they split from... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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 the "real world".Click here to watch the episode on YouTube(clickable chapter markers available on... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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 were sentenced to death, how fear kept the members controlled, and how she ultimately devised ... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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 the episode on YouTube(clickable chapter markers available on YouTube)No functional education for i... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

**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, this episode is as heavy as it is inspirational and incredible. Click here to watch it on YouTu... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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 where he discusses mythology, history and more! Check it out!Click here to watch this episode... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

*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 chapter markers available on YouTube)How her parents got involved in ScientologyHer earliest memo... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Is it ethical to raise children in a high demand group/religion? What if you think it is what is best for them? Aaron and I discuss the unintended consequences of raising your children with steadfast beliefs that could ultimately harm them in the future. As someone who was raised a Scientologist and now has a channel totally dedicated to the topic @GrowingUpInScientology , Aaron shares his thoughts and opinions and personal stories. Click here to watch on YouTubeClick here to watch him interv... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

After over 350 interviews with ex-cult members, psychopaths, experts and more, Andrew Gold has a diversified and educated perspective on Cults. The frequently asked question, "Are all religions cults?" is answered and contemplated in this thought-provoking interview detailing his experiences and opinions. Check out his channel at @AndrewGold1 We will be releasing a second episode on his channel very soon!Click here to watch on YouTube!(clickable chapter markers available on YouTub... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

An often overlooked demographic in the discussion of high-demand groups are people with various disabilities, who are treated differently and even told some outlandish doctrine about their bodies. René comes on to openly discuss what it was like converting to mormonism and then recognizing the harm it was causing her differently abled son & grandchildren. Click here to watch on YouTube(clickable chapter markers on YouTube)René's first introduction to religiosity Her friends' opinions... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

He signed a 1 billion year contract of service to Scientology and then they kicked him out when he expressed that the "tech" wasn't working for him. Stories of manipulation with an honest heart, secrets about the alien god Xenu and more, in this awesome interview with @apostatealex Click here to watch on YouTube How Apostate Alex became Apostate Alex on YouTubeDifferences in Scientology between the US & UKThe documentary that made Alex interested in ScientologyThe story of Xenu... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

**Trigger Warning: brief mention of SA towards the end of the interview** It's time we talk about the little humans who are raised in cults. Parents do the best they can with the information they have, so the blame is not on them. It is on these high-demand organizations who first con the parents, and then indoctrinate the kids. A vicious cycle until someone is able to break free. Let's take a look into the childhood of Dani, a former Scientologist who was raised in the church, and the reperc... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

***Content Warning: Brief mention of sexual assault in regards to repentance***Public shaming, excommunication, proselytizing, information control and more are just a few of the similarities between Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses. Joined again by Altworldly for a sometimes funny, sometimes heartbreaking episode, we unpack what it's like to be in the CULTure of the two religions. Click here to watch the episode on YouTube!(clickable chapter markers available on YT)ProselytizingPurity Culture ... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Secret societies, the second coming, Armageddon and specially translated bibles, Jake and I are back again for a deep dive into the similarities between Mormonism and Jehovah's witnesses! After an hour of only doctrinal and theological comparisons, we realized we needed to record an entirely separate episode on just the cultural similarities! Subscribe and hit the bell so you don't miss it!Click here to watch the episode on YouTube!(clickable chapter markers available on YT)Deconstructing one... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Modern day struggles of a millennial mom who was raised a Jehovah's Witness, but wants a different life for her child. We discuss the moral compass absent of God or punishment, embracing and celebrating self, and letting go of shame that stifles one's voice. Enjoy this vulnerable account of Brooke Chanel's story!Click here to watch on YouTubeAs mentioned: For FREE daily intuitive text messages from Ashley Easter:Text the word Intuition to 917-809-7311 (USA only)Watch Ashley's episode HERE(cli... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Can Mormonism stand up to legal criticism when it comes to their truth claims? In this short bonus episode, Kolby—an ex-Mormon lawyer— explains why certain things can't just be explained away by Mormon apologists and how definitions of words are bent when it suits them. Let's see how they might hold up if Mormonism was on trial! Click here to watch on YouTube!Make sure to check out the rest of Kolby's story here(clickable chapter markers available on YouTube)Why Apply Legal Principals to God?... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When disturbing events disrupt the comfortable flow of Kolby's life, he starts to see the cracks in his faith and uses his abilities as a lawyer to take a real critical look at its truth claims. After further examination, he recounts how his shelf had been slowly getting heavier and heavier starting from a very young age. Click here to watch on YouTubeMake sure to check out part 2! (clickable chapter markers on YouTube)Mormon Stories Interview Update5-7 years old, testing his faith by walking... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

She came home early from her Mormon mission due to medical negligence, all while dealing with the news that her parents no longer believed in the church. Hear from both mom and missionary, Collette and Keylee, in this heartfelt episode of ups downs and lemons on asses. You’ll see. Click here to watch on YouTube(clickable chapter markers available on YouTube)Why Keylee wanted to go on a missionCollette's Mormon background The Argentina training center & language barrierBaptizing ... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Experiencing pure love, purging in technicolor, and releasing years of pent up guilt over Shelise’s childhood trauma, Mom takes us on a wild ride through Ayahuasca, Mushrooms, San Pedro, and Sapo (the God Molecule), to reveal exactly what it was like to travel solo to the jungles of Peru, to try all of these medicines for the first time. Click here to watch on YouTube!(clickable chapter markers available on YouTube)Mom's Thoughts on Shelise trying Ayahuasca in Peru Mom finds out sh... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Can psychedelics really change who you are? Is it possible to release years worth of trauma in only a single session? What are the things people DON'T tell you when it comes to psychedelics? Brittany Bannerman pops the lid off of all of it. If you have ever considered going into the the depths of your consciousness to heal and find peace, this episode is for you! Check out her list of credentials below.Click here to watch on YouTube(Clickable chapter markers on YouTube) Why is Brittany p... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Two, married-with-children Latter Day Saint women experience a faith crisis, then realize they had been repressing their sexuality after being overcome with strong feelings for each other. A 2-in-1 crisis sent Lena and Sal on a journey of divorce, self-discovery and a queer marriage merger. Find out insider details that the Hulu Original "Mormon No More" left out & see how they are doing today! Make sure to check out their podcast "Peace Out" where they help those coming out of the closet... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

**Content Warning: Child Sex Abuse** Self-help goes dark when a now-convicted and imprisoned sex trafficker and pedophile was at the helm of the ship. Unbeknownst to most of the members of NXIVM, curriculum was created to groom the inner circle to do whatever he wanted in a sex slave/master context. I speak with Sarah Edmondson, a key whistleblower and top recruiter, who went public with her story after being literally branded into a women's secret society within NXIVM. She tells the story of... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Born into a box, or molded and shaped into a box? Tanner and Sam had different experiences having to conform to Mormon standards, ways of thinking and outward presentation even when those perspectives were negative towards themselves. Having left the church, they have blossomed into a brighter and more colorful version of themselves that feels authentic to who they really are or were all along. Let's talk about cringy things we did as Mormons, faith crisis spirals and psychedelic awakenings!C... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.