Let's Talk About Sects

Falun Gong is familiar to many as a spiritual exercise movement, and a sect that has been persecuted by the People’s Republic of China. In Sydney you'll often see practitioners demonstrating by Town Hall with flyers sharing stories of organ harvesting of wrongfully imprisoned members. But former devotees have come forward with stories of coercion and abuse, alleging that in one thing the CCP is correct: Falun Gong is a socially harmful cult.Full research sources listed here.Links:“I am the only one propagating true Dharma”: Li Hongzhi’s Self-Presentation as Buddha and Greater — by James R. Lewis, ColomboArts Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vol II, Issue 2, 2017The life and times of Li Hongzhi: ‘Falun Gong’ and Religious Biography — by Benjamin Penny, The China Quarterly 175, 643–661, 2003The power of Falun Gong — By Eric Campbell and Hagar Cohen, Foreign Correspondent-Background Briefing, ABC, 21 July 2020Shen Yun: The Dark Side of a Dance Troupe — The Daily, New York Times Podcasts, 3 April 2025Facebook bans ads from The Epoch Times after huge pro-Trump buy — by Brandy Zadrozny and Ben Collins, NBC News, 23 August 2019This Pro-Trump YouTube Network Sprang Up Just After He Lost — by Craig Silverman, BuzzFeed News, 8 January 2021A key source for Covid-skeptic movements, the Epoch Times yearns for a global audience — by Alessio Perrone & Darren Loucaides, coda, 10 March 2022DoJ accuses far-right Epoch Times of being money-laundering operation — by Richard Luscombe, The Guardian, 4 June 2024Behind the Pageantry of Shen Yun, Untreated Injuries and Emotional Abuse — by Nicole Hong & Michael Rothfeld, The New York Times, 15 August 2024Stepping Into the Uncanny, Unsettling World of Shen Yun — by Jia Tolentino, The New Yorker, 19 March 2019Their posters are everywhere, but behind Shen Yun lies a darker story — by Anthony Segaert, The Sydney Morning Herald, 25 February 2025Consider supporting Decult in NZ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the wake of updates to Child Safety Standards emerging from Australia’s Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, Mirriam Francis wrote to Victoria’s Commission for Children and Young People outlining the ways in which she sees Scientology teachings and practices to be violating these standards. While concepts of religious freedom and choice can muddy the waters of certain discussions around coercive organisations, Mirriam sees the regulations and laws to protect children as a key lens through which such practices need to be viewed and pursued. She speaks from personal experience that spans three countries.Links:Child Safe Standards — Commission for Children and Young People Victoria (you can raise a concern here); Queensland Family & Child Commission (you can raise a concern here)Child Safe Scheme — NSW Office of the Children's Guardian (you can raise a concern here)Australian Child Safe Standards – A State By State Guide 2024 — Safe Space LegalRage Against the Dark Arts — Mirriam Francis' SubstackThetans in Young Bodies — Season 2, Episode 1 of Leah Remini's Scientology and the Aftermath in which Mirriam Francis featuresReport of the Board of Enquiry into Scientology — by Kevin Victor Anderson, Q.C., the State of Victoria, Australia, 1965The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma — by Bessel van der Kolk, Penguin, 2015Truth and Repair: How Trauma Survivors Envision Justice — by Judith Lewis Herman, Basic Books, 2023Dianetics excerpt re: 7-year-old child responding to kiss from adult maleA Children of God message to members mentioning their "friends in Scientology"Introduction to Scientology Ethics High CrimesYou can support us on Patreon. Sarah's book Do As I Say is available on audiobook. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Maria Esguerra escaped the Children of God at the age of 22 with her two children who have disabilities. Maria’s firsthand experience drives her passion to support fellow survivors of cults and institutions, advocating for specialised understanding, interventions and access to governmental schemes such as Redress. Maria has actively engaged in media and advocacy efforts to raise awareness about the challenges faced by people escaping coercive environments. She founded a support group for second and multi-generational survivors (also referred to as SGAs or MGAs) from all cults. It addresses the devastating impacts from these groups, including abuse, denial of basic rights and forced labour. Maria is also a psychologist and the founder of Assessable.Links:Maria Esguerra — LinktreeMaria Esguerra — Director at AssessableDecult profile — Maria's information at the recent Decult ConferenceI lived under the so-called 'law of love' and it was terrifying – cult survivor — by Ryan Boswell, 1News, 17 October 2024CIFS Australia — Cult Information & Family SupportThe Olive Leaf NetworkEscaping Utopia — by Janja Lalich & Karla McLaren, Routledge, 2017The Strange Situation Experiment — more about Mary Ainsworth's work on attachment theoryErikson's stages of psychosocial development — more about Erik Erikson's workMake it Meaningful: How to find purpose in life and work — by Debbie Haski-Leventhal, Simon & Schuster, 2023Walking Free from the Trauma of Coercive, Cultic and Spiritual Abuse: A Workbook for Recovery and Growth — by Gillie Jenkinson, Routledge, 2023Stop Religious Coercion Australia — Advocacy group started by a former Geelong Revival Centre memberWriting to Reckon — Gerette Buglion's workshops, retreats, journal, and moreYou can support us on Patreon. Sarah Steel's book Do As I Say is available on audiobook. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gerette Buglion holds a B.A. in Elementary Education and Special Education, and earned her ‘Master's Degree’ in cult awareness education from the school of life. She emerged from her 18-year cult odyssey in 2014 at age 52, and asked herself, "How did I, an educated, caring mother, wife, and business owner become that lost and for that long?" Gerette then set to work studying cultic dynamics, while reclaiming her autonomy with the help of a supportive family, therapy, and countless hours immersed in nature and writing.Gerette's memoir An Everyday Cult was published in 2021, and followed by her second book, Writing to Reckon Journal – for Survivors of Spiritual, Religious, and Cultic Abuse. She is the founder of Living Cult Free, a nonprofit supporting the creative expression of survivor stories and empowering advocacy through education.Links:Gerette Buglion — Gerette's websiteAn Everyday Cult — by Gerette Buglion, 2021Writing to Reckon Journal — by Gerette Buglion, 2023 (PDF version for US$5 here)Writing to Reckon — Gerette's workshops, retreats, journal, and moreLiving Cult Free — 501c3 nonprofit empowering and educating cult survivors and advocatesLiving Cult Free: the podcastDr Dan Siegel — executive director of the Mindsight Institute and founding co-director of the Mindful Awareness Research Center at UCLAGentle Souls Revolution — Esther Friedman's websiteFaith Jones — author of I Own Me and Sex Cult NunBeth Matanaer — Finding the Path Within You (or as Beth says, "You are your own expert")You can support us on Patreon. Sarah Steel's debut book Do As I Say is available on audiobook now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ewan Whyte's feature essay, ‘The Cult That Raised Me’ – about the United States based Community of Jesus and Grenville Christian College – includes the introduction, “When I was 11, my parents sent me to Grenville Christian College, a prestigious Anglican boarding school in Brockville. It turned out to be a perverse fundamentalist cult that brainwashed, abused and terrorized students. For decades, the school tried to intimidate us into silence. It didn’t work.”Ewan Whyte is a writer, art and cultural critic. He has written for the Globe & Mail and the Literary Review of Canada. He is the author of Desire Lines: Essays on Art Poetry & Culture, Shifting Paradigms: Essays on Art and Culture and Entrainment, a book of poetry, and a translation of the rude ancient Roman poet Catullus. His feature essay 'The Cult that Raised Me' was a finalist for a National Magazine Award. Ewan's upcoming book, Mothers of Invention: Essays on the Community of Jesus and Grenville Christian College, will be released in June and is available for preorder now. In advance of its release, Ewan shared some of his research and thoughts about these two organisations.You can support us on Patreon. Sarah Steel's debut book Do As I Say is available on audiobook now.Links:Mothers of Invention: Essays on the Community of Jesus and Grenville Christian College — by Ewan Whyte, Wolsak & Wynn, 2025The Cult That Raised Me — by Ewan Whyte, Toronto Life, 5 January 2021I-Team: Former Members Of Cape Religious Group Allege Emotional Abuse, 'People Don't Realize The Mind Control' — WBZ News, 4 November 2021Aaron Bushnell: Friends struggle to comprehend US airman's Gaza protest death — by Kayla Epstein & Angelica Casas, BBC News, 3 March 2024 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When asked about the Hare Krishnas, most people will conjure images of dancing, chanting people with colourful robes and joyful dispositions. Members of the general public, whom Hare Krishnas refer to as 'karmis', may have encountered devotees through their vegetarian food offerings at music festivals or city restaurants. Their anti-LGBTQI+ and patriarchal beliefs, as well as the darker aspects of their history – including horrifying stories of abuse, and even murders – come as a surprise to many.Full research sources listed here. You can support us on Patreon. Sarah Steel's debut book Do As I Say is available on audiobook now.Links:Srila Prabhupada’s arrival in the USA — by Ramai Swami, 27 September 2021Authoritarian Culture and Child Abuse in ISKCON — by Nori J. Muster, Cultic Studies Review, 3(1), 2004Children of ISKCON vs. ISKCON complaint — Plaintiffs’ original petition in the Dallas lawsuit, Surrealist.org, filed 25 October 2001How I Once Was a Hare Krishna… — by Christopher Fici, Medium, 7 January 2023Holy Cow, Swami — documentary by Jacob Young, 1996History — ISKCON Child Protection Office, accessed January 2025Child Abuse in the Hare Krishna Movement: 1971-1986 — by E. Burke Rochford, Jr. with Jennifer Heinlein, ISKCON Communications Journal, Vol. 6, #1, June 1998Children of ISKCON vs. ISKCON Timeline — Surrealist.org (Nori Muster’s website), accessed January 2025Tortured Souls — by Mark Donald, Dallas Observer, 6 December 2001Dial Om for Murder — by John Hubner & Lindsey Gruson, Rolling Stone, Issue 497, 1987Religion: Control Stressed at Krishna Children’s School — by Eleanor Blau, The New York Times, 25 November 1973Why ISKCON Needs to be on Guard Against “Cultic Behavior” — by Anuttama Dasa, ISKCON News, 26 July 2024The Krishna Cult — by Paul Ford, Mad After Krishna, 1994 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When asked about the Hare Krishnas, most people will conjure images of dancing, chanting people with colourful robes and joyful dispositions. Members of the general public, whom Hare Krishnas refer to as 'karmis', may have encountered devotees through their vegetarian food offerings at music festivals or city restaurants. Their anti-LGBTQI+ and patriarchal beliefs, as well as the darker aspects of their history – including horrifying stories of abuse, and even murders – come as a surprise to many.Full research sources listed here.Links:Srila Prabhupada’s arrival in the USA — by Ramai Swami, 27 September 2021Authoritarian Culture and Child Abuse in ISKCON — by Nori J. Muster, Cultic Studies Review, 3(1), 2004Children of ISKCON vs. ISKCON complaint — Plaintiffs’ original petition in the Dallas lawsuit, Surrealist.org, filed 25 October 2001How I Once Was a Hare Krishna… — by Christopher Fici, Medium, 7 January 2023Holy Cow, Swami — documentary by Jacob Young, 1996History — ISKCON Child Protection Office, accessed January 2025Child Abuse in the Hare Krishna Movement: 1971-1986 — by E. Burke Rochford, Jr. with Jennifer Heinlein, ISKCON Communications Journal, Vol. 6, #1, June 1998Children of ISKCON vs. ISKCON Timeline — Surrealist.org (Nori Muster’s website), accessed January 2025Tortured Souls — by Mark Donald, Dallas Observer, 6 December 2001Dial Om for Murder — by John Hubner & Lindsey Gruson, Rolling Stone, Issue 497, 1987Religion: Control Stressed at Krishna Children’s School — by Eleanor Blau, The New York Times, 25 November 1973Why ISKCON Needs to be on Guard Against “Cultic Behavior” — by Anuttama Dasa, ISKCON News, 26 July 2024The Krishna Cult — by Paul Ford, Mad After Krishna, 1994 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Let’s Talk About Sects did a deep dive episode about the Two by Twos, also known as The Truth, in October 2020. In the years since we recorded, huge numbers of followers in the USA in particular have left as more and more allegations of child sexual abuse have been made against workers, and the FBI is currently investigating the organisation.It was never Abbi and Mike Prussack's intention to become involved in advocacy work, but once the couple became aware of the extent of the abuse and how it was concealed, there didn’t seem to be an option other than putting the real truth out into the world and attempting to create some transparency where there was none before. Abbi and Mike have been releasing information that the Two by Twos have kept hidden for decades, and Abbi co-founded a not-for-profit called Voices for the Truth to help provide education and resources to victim-survivors of the organisation.You can support us on Patreon. Sarah Steel's debut book Do As I Say is available on audiobook now.Links:Voices for the Truth — victim-survivor-led NFP co-founded by AbbiSeeking Victim Information in 2x2 Investigation — FBI page with links to form to submit tipsVoices for the Truth RAINN Hotline: 928-756-8654 (US only)Ex-2x2 Support Group on Facebook — this group membership is limited to ex-members or those who are in the process of leavingEx-2x2 Support Group on YouTube2x2 Church Updates — current events pageOur 2x2 Story — Mike & Abbi's TikTokKyle Hanks' YouTube — channel discussing many aspects of 2x2 lifeTimeline of events and publicly named perpetrators since the release of the Dean Bruer letterBridges and Balm — Survivor care organisation with funding available internationally to help with therapeutic carePreserving the Truth — by Cherie Kropp-Ehrig, Clarion Call Publishing, 2022 (also on Amazon)Telling the Truth — Cherie Kropp-Ehrig's informational websiteWith thanks to The Finance and Property Survival Guide, presenting partner of Let's Talk About Sects. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Richard Baker's Pray Harder podcast for LiSTNR's Secrets We Keep series delves into the world of the Geelong Revival Centre, which Richard describes as “one of Australia’s most extreme” Pentecostal churches. The GRC has the same roots as the Revival Fellowship, and its pastor was a man named Noel Hollins who died in April 2024 after 65 years in leadership. Pray Harder shares some shocking stories of a number of former members, and it’s a vital listen.You can support us on Patreon. Sarah Steel's debut book Do As I Say is available on audiobook now.With thanks to The Finance and Property Survival Guide, presenting partner of Let's Talk About Sects.Links:Secrets We Keep: Pray Harder podcastStop Religious Coercion Australia — Facebook pageSouthern Ocean Media — Richard Baker's production companyIf you have been personally affected by involvement in a cult, or would like to support those who have been, you can find support with or donate to Cult Information and Family Support if you’re in Australia (via www.cifs.org.au), and you can find resources outside of Australia with the International Cultic Studies Association (via www.icsahome.com). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Melbourne you might have picked up a book or a comic from a Jesus Christian outside Flinders Street Station, or you could have seen their religious graffiti messages along Sydney’s railway lines. But while they portray themselves as an altruistic Christian community living life by faith and rejecting the money motivation of work, former members have been shunned and demonised, and parents tell heartbreaking stories of losing their relationship with their child after they have joined the Jesus Christians.Full research sources listed here. You can support us on Patreon. Sarah Steel's debut book Do As I Say is available on audiobook now.With thanks to The Finance and Property Survival Guide, presenting partner of Let's Talk About Sects.Links:JC History 1981 - 1996 — Jesus Christians official website, accessed December 2024Australians find godliness in latrines and sewers of Madras — by Tim McGirk, The Independent, 25 June 1994Kidneys for Jesus — Jon Ronson’s 2003 documentaryComments on Kidneys for Jesus — The Jesus Christians’ response to Jon Ronson’s documentary, accessed December 2024Blood sacrifice and Blood sacrifice (part two) — by Jon Ronson, The Guardian, 6 April 2002Kicked Out — by Alan, Making it Real, June 2013Why did we leave the Jesus Christians, led by Dave McKay? — by Sue, Making it Real, undatedThe Rise and Fall of the Jesus Christians — by Ross, Making it Real, 2013Australian Christian group fights claim it was linked to leader of Kenya starvation massacre doomsday cult — by Elle Hardy, The Guardian, 28 November 2023The Guardian's Shakahola Article by Elle Hardy | The Good, the Bad, and The Ugly — the Jesus Christians’ commentary on The Guardian article, undated Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The media coverage of the Jesus Christians tends to outweigh their size. Most people who have heard of them recognise the name ‘The Kidney Cult’, derived from an initiative where numerous members have donated one of their kidneys to a stranger. What may be surprising is that the person who first suggested that name was the Jesus Christians’ founder himself, Dave Mckay.Part 2 is already available to Patreon supporters, and will be released on the main feed on Wednesday 25 December. Happy holidays all!Full research sources listed here. You can support us on Patreon. Sarah Steel's debut book Do As I Say is available on audiobook now.With thanks to The Finance and Property Survival Guide, presenting partner of Let's Talk About Sects.Links:JC History 1981 - 1996 — Jesus Christians official website, accessed December 2024Australians find godliness in latrines and sewers of Madras — by Tim McGirk, The Independent, 25 June 1994Kidneys for Jesus — Jon Ronson’s 2003 documentaryComments on Kidneys for Jesus — The Jesus Christians’ response to Jon Ronson’s documentary, accessed December 2024Blood sacrifice and Blood sacrifice (part two) — by Jon Ronson, The Guardian, 6 April 2002Why did we leave the Jesus Christians, led by Dave McKay? — by Sue, Making it Real, undatedThe Rise and Fall of the Jesus Christians — by Ross, Making it Real, 2013Australian Christian group fights claim it was linked to leader of Kenya starvation massacre doomsday cult — by Elle Hardy, The Guardian, 28 November 2023The Guardian's Shakahola Article by Elle Hardy | The Good, the Bad, and The Ugly — the Jesus Christians’ commentary on The Guardian article, undated Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Revival Fellowship is a Pentecostal Australian sect that believes in Bible Numerics, a thoroughly debunked theory about numerical patterns found within the Bible. It also teaches British Israelism, generally considered to be unscientific and ahistorical and by some as a justification for racism. The Fellowship would say its teachings are in line with 'complementarianism', though women have no place in the hierarchy or leadership of the organisation. Over the years since it formed from a schism with Revival Centres International in the 1990s, the offshoot (as well as the RCI itself) has faced numerous accusations from former members that it operates as a cult.Full research sources listed here. You can support us on Patreon. Sarah Steel's debut book Do As I Say is available on audiobook now.Links:Heart of Fire: The Story of Australian Pentecostalism — by Barry Chant, House of Tabor, 1984The British-Israel Myth - Christian Identity and the Lost Tribes of Israel — by Nick Greer, 2004Revival Stories & Document Archive — “a historical document archive and collection of stories of members and former members of the Revival Centres groups of churches”, accessed October 2024An Open Letter from Paul Longfield (son of Lloyd Longfield) — 27 November 1988 letter and undated letterForum for ex-members of Revival Churches — accessed September/October 2024Revival On the Air Today — Revival Fellowships podcast featuring interviews with John & Janet Kuhlmann in 2019Leaving a Revival Church Is Hard, but It’s Worth It — by Mark Darbyshire, Medium, 20 July 2022The link between gender inequality and violence against women — Our Watch, accessed October 2024Letter to the Adelaide Revival Fellowship — by Jean and Frank O’Flaherty, 20 January 1998Ivan Panin and Friends — Australian National University webpage that includes links to Panin’s Panic, the program created by Brendan McKay in 1997Papua New Guinean revivalist churches push dangerous campaign for 'faith-healing' of AIDS — by Liam Cochrane, ABC News, 22 July 2014 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For his 2017 PhD, John Hunter put forward a hypothesis that offers insights into both the “transformational” experiences associated with large group awareness training (LGAT) participation and the common claims of psychological harm and problematic behaviour associated with participation. Dr Hunter presented his work at the 2023 International Cultic Studies Association conference, and for this episode, he breaks down some of his findings – including where LGATs may or may not intersect with cults and cult-like behaviour.Full episode page here. You can support us on Patreon or with a one-off donation. Links:John Hunter PhD websiteStress-induced hypomania in healthy participants: the allostatic “manic-defence hypothesis” — Dr John Hunter’s 2017 PhD DissertationRational Emotive Behaviour Therapy (Dr Albert Ellis)Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (Dr Aaron T. Beck)Robert J. Lifton’s Eight Criteria for Thought ReformThe Book of est — Kirkus Reviews'We're Gonna Tear You Down and Put You Back Together" — by Mark Brewer, Psychology Today, August 1975Mindbreakers — by Roland Howard, The Daily Mail, 23 July 2001Cults in Our Midst — by Margaret Singer, 1995Psychiatric disturbances associated with Erhard Seminars Training — by L. L. Glass, M. A. Kirsch & F. N. Parris, American Journal of Psychiatry, 1977Psychological effects of participation in a large group awareness training — by Fisher, J. D., Silver, R. C., Chinsky, J. M., Goff, B., Klar, Y., & Zagieboylo, C., Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 1989The Elaboration Likelihood Model of Persuasion — by Richard E. Petty & John T. Cacioppo, Advances in Experimental Social Psychology Vol 19, 1986Thinking, Fast and Slow — by Daniel Kahneman, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2011The Program: Cons, Cults and Kidnapping — Fishbowl Films, 2024 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A little update from Sarah about what to expect with Let's Talk About Sects now that we're winding up the sixth season of the show. Don't worry, we're not going anywhere! But there are a few small changes to make sure that this project remains sustainable.Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/ltaspodhttps://www.ltaspod.com/supporters Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the last episode of season 5, we looked into a Boulder, Colorado community then known as Divine Madness and led by Marc Tizer, usually referred to as 'Yo'. Its members were recognised for some amazing results in ultramarathons. At the time of researching that episode, updates about the current status of the group were hard to come by.Deru Youmans came across a listing for 'The Retreat' in the Gila National Forest on the World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF) website, and it sounded amazing. Their recent experience in this remote community had them very concerned for others who might come across a similar listing in the future.Full episode page here. You can support us on Patreon or with a one-off donation, or grab some merch. Sarah's debut book Do As I Say is available on audiobook now. Thanks to Audio-Technica, presenting partner for season 6 of Let's Talk About Sects. Links:Teachings of Value — website for The Retreat and other current activities of Marc Tizer's group once known as Divine MadnessScenic, secluded farm in the Gila National Forest — WWOOF listing for The RetreatInner Journeys Wilderness Camps — Summer overnight camps for girls at The RetreatInner Journeys Wilderness Camp for Girls — a new listing for the girls' camp, accessed after this episode was recordedHighland Intentional Community — Foundation for Intentional Community listing for the group's Boulder, Colorado farmA Running Club Is 100 Miles Outside of the Mainstream — by Jere Longman, The New York Times, 28 July 1997 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Journalist Emma Lehman is the creator of the independent podcast Gooned, which dives into the Troubled Teen Industry or TTI – a network of for-profit congregate care facilities for youth ranging from wilderness programs to therapeutic boarding schools. In the podcast, Emma interviews survivors, parents, staff members, experts and activists.Across the USA, young people are funnelled into this $23 billion industry not only by their caregivers but by government agencies. While these places advertise themselves as solutions to everything from troublesome conduct to mental illness, Emma shares through Gooned that they are ground zero for emotional, physical, and psychological abuse with lasting traumatic impacts on the teens they say they serve. And a number of the dubious and damaging methods many of them use can draw a straight line to a cult.Full episode page here. You can support us on Patreon or Acast+, with a one-off donation, or grab some merch. Sarah Steel's debut book Do As I Say is available on audiobook now. Thanks to Audio-Technica, presenting partner for season 6 of Let's Talk About Sects. Links:Gooned — podcast, website and TikTokUnsilenced — US non profit organisation that serves past, present, and future victims of institutional child abuseEmma Lehman — Emma's website where you can find out more about her work Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Harry Palmer created Avatar after his presidency of the Church of Scientology's Elmira Mission ended in the mid-1980s, as a result of legal proceedings around trademark infringement. Avatar says that it aims to create an 'enlightened planetary consciousness' or EPC through its courses, which are expensive and numerous. Former students say they have been left with massive debts as a result of their attendance.Full research sources listed here. You can support us on Patreon or Acast+, with a one-off donation, or grab some merch. Sarah Steel's debut book Do As I Say is available on audiobook now, and you can order Joe Gould's LTAS soundtrack album here. With thanks to Audio-Technica, presenting partner for season 6 of Let's Talk About Sects. Head here to enter our competition to win a pair of ATH-SQ1TW Wireless Earbuds!Links:Who is Harry Palmer? — archived founder bio on former Avatar website, May 2006Living Deliberately: The Discovery and Development of Avatar — by Harry Palmer, Star’s Edge International, 1994Harry Palmer’s Scientology Mission, Star’s Edge, and Avatar — special report series by Lisa Bennett, Elmira Star-Gazette, 2-7 February 1988We'd like to welcome you to 'enlightenment' — by Russell Blackstock, NZ Herald, 17 August 2014Interview with Margie - Ex-Scientology / Avatar | The Origins of the Avatar Course - Part 1 and Part 2 — Avatar Uncovered YouTube channel, 15 & 19 January 2018Avatar Uncovered — website maintained by former Avatar Master Amanda Reed, accessed January 2024An Interview With Harry Palmer — by Matt Ding, HP Magazine, 1996, interview excerpt archived from About Harry Palmer websiteAvatar: Scientology-style sect causes concern in Netherlands — by Anna Holligan, BBC News, 31 March 2018 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thomas Parsons joined the Twelve Tribes community in Hiddenite, North Carolina in April 2019, and left in November 2021. With Hiddenite being the unofficial headquarters of the organisation, he had direct contact with a number of senior leaders of the Tribes. Following last week’s live episode release, this conversation with Thomas provides an interesting insight into some of the more recent developments in the communities, as well as a more recent personal experience there.Full research sources listed here. You can support us on Patreon or Acast+, with a one-off donation, or grab some merch. Sarah Steel's debut book Do As I Say is available on audiobook now. Thanks to Audio-Technica, presenting partner for season 6 of Let's Talk About Sects. Use promo code LTAS10 at Audio-Technica’s Australian store for 10% off and to support the show! Links:The Twelve Tribes LTAS episode page with a full list of resources is hereCult Information and Family Support (CIFS) — Australian volunteer-run support serviceICSA (International Cultic Studies Association) — cult info since 1979 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode was recorded live at Woodford Folk Festival on 1 January 2024. Many people in the audience would have come across the Twelve Tribes previously at that very festival, as they used to build a big Common Ground cafe by the lake where tens of thousands of festival-goers ate and drank over the years.Numerous wonderful people have devoted themselves to the communities and the lifestyle of the Twelve Tribes. Thousands of fantastic individuals and families are truly dedicated to a way of life that in certain respects has a lot to offer. Their positive experiences, however, don’t negate the stories of those who have come out with less positive things to say. And it’s important to understand why there have been numerous stories with similar themes of harm that have come out of this group over the decades since they formed.Full research sources listed here. You can support us on Patreon or Acast+, with a one-off donation, or grab some merch. Sarah Steel's debut book Do As I Say is available on audiobook now.Links:The Restoration of All Things — a history on the Twelve Tribes’ official website, dated 14 January 2021Our Child Training Manual — Twelve Tribes text, 2000Châm: The Proverbial Lesson to the Whole World — Twelve Tribes teaching, 19 March 2005Châm and Servitude — Twelve Tribes teaching, 19 March 1991Homosexuals and Lesbians — Twelve Tribes teaching, 3 July 1990Lying — Twelve Tribes teaching, 29 November 1998Twelve Tribes Teachings — links to teachings not meant for the public, compiled by the Question 12 Tribes blog, 1977-2008Taking Moral Responsibility for Your Children (An Introduction to Effective and Defective Parenting) — Twelve Tribes teaching, 8 July 2004Children of the Tribes — by Julia Scheeres, Pacific Standard Magazine, 1 September 2015“They are evil”: Ex-Twelve Tribes members describe child abuse, control inside religious cult — by Shelly Bradbury, The Denver Post, 3 March 2022 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matson Browning is a law enforcement officer who, along with his wife Tawni, spent years undercover infiltrating various hate groups to research and report on the rise of hate crimes and white supremacy in the United States. Together they wrote the book The Hate Next Door: Undercover Within the New Face of White Supremacy, which was published in July 2023.What others dismissed as fringe groups, Matson quickly recognised as large and interconnected organisations permeating every facet of American society, effectively spreading their dangerous and repugnant rhetoric at unprecedented speeds. Now, with the violent polarisation in our communities and an increase in hate crimes, the threat posed by these toxic organisations feels as acute as ever.Episode page here. You can support us on Patreon or Acast+, with a one-off donation, or grab some merch. Sarah Steel's debut book Do As I Say is available on audiobook now.Links:Matt & Tawni Browning — Matson and Tawni's websiteThe Hate Next Door: Undercover Within the New Face of White Supremacy  — by Matson & Tawni Browning, Sourcebooks, 2023If you have been personally affected by involvement in a cult or would like to support those who have been, you can find support with, or donate to, Cult Information and Family Support if you’re in Australia, and you can find resources outside of Australia at icsahome.com.If you or someone you know is in crisis or needs support right now, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 in Australia, or find your local crisis centre via the International Association for Suicide Prevention website at iasp.info. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.