jon atack, family and friends

Many of us in the counter-cult world are alarmed at the prospect of a Trump presidency. Trump has proved himself to be an authoritarian. His following accept the vague promises of greatness and the lack of policy, despite hundreds of leading Republicans declaring for Harris. Buy the NEW edition of Steven Hassan's Cult of Trump!

Spike joins Jon to discuss the books, movies, and documentaries that can help people wean themselves from Scientology's problematic beliefs. Please leave your own viewing/reading recommendations in the comments below! As always, please be kind and respectful of others' viewpoints. Links: Jon on Andrew Gold Jon on LadBible Secret Lives: L. Ron Hubbard The Shrinking World of L. Ron Hubbard Scientology: Inside the Cult (featuring 1980's Jon!) Captive Minds Stolen Youth (on Hulu) Steven Hassan's interview with Larry Ray Cult survivor Daniel Barban Levin Spike's Cialdini infographic poster The Getting Clear videos on our channel NOTE: Spike misspoke; it's only videos 1 & 2 that we have here The Getting Clear Toronto 2015 conference for rent on Vimeo Spike's story, also known as "Toledo, Tarot & Trouble" And one last bit of penguin paraphernalia

in his "How to roll trolls and stump Trumpists", Jeremy has outlined his own approach to disappointing Trump's followers. Jeremy lays out his fascinating analysis of the 'herobot' the follower who avoids self-doubt by attaching to the 'dumbergogue' Trump. As usual, Jeremy is eloquent and spills over with ideas that will make you smart. Jon suggests an approach to deconverting Trumpsters. Watch for some excited moments as we find that far from playing three-dimensional chess, Donald Trump is simply eating the pieces.

Christian is an expert on those groups most often called 'cults'. He explains his own less emotive description of such groups. As usual, Christian dispenses with psychobabble and offers a useable and useful model for the better understanding of the 'cult' experience. Spike's note: Zoom cut this discussion a bit short; we apologize for the abrupt ending. Spike's other note: usually there are links to these talks; there were none this time. So enjoy this short video of my budgies playing with some string. https://youtu.be/79A1sCrTy-M?si=3KGpE2ehBNI9Mor1

Belief doesn't simply evaporate when we leave a group. Hoyt and Jon talk about their own experiences on the road to claiming authority for their own beliefs. Jon suggests an easy way to kickstart the process. To the outside world, Hoyt seemed to exemplify success - a sports star, Princeton graduate who earned a fortune as the first man ever called a supermodel. In reality, his life was a mess of anxiety keeping to the cult's rules and giving millions to the leader. After years of turmoil, Hoyt has become a successful actor and documentarian. Links: Jon's book, Opening Our Minds The Big Picture - Rethinking Dyslexia Allegre’s Miserere Secret Lives: L. Ron Hubbard and another documentary on Scientology featuring 1980's Jon: Scientology: Inside the Cult

Chris Kilham talks about a lifetime searching the world for health-giving plants. Not only has he travelled across continents and helped to establish local production, he has also been consulted by many pharmaceutical companies that are finally moving towards the use of tried and tested natural remedies. Chris talks about his own legal cannabis crop, the mind-altering aspects of chocolate, lemon balm as a safe calming agent and his upcoming trip to the Champagne region to see the extraction of medicine from grape seeds. Links: Chris' website the Report of the India Hemp Drugs Commission Roman Vishniac's photography

Steve is a lifelong jazz fan. He even used to write a column under the name Dr Jazz. Jon and Steve both believe in the redeeming qualities of music. Steve expresses his enthusiasm at finding that a current presidential candidate shares his love of jazz. The usual wide-ranging conversation about jazz and music in general peppered with fascinating facts and opinions about such topics as cultural appropriation and the huge contribution of black Americans to the arts. Links: Kamala Harris and her jazz records Obama's speechwriter and jazz The Gloaming Lonesome Touch Son House, Death Letter Ralph Von Williams, Lark Ascending Dragonfly Kirwan Blues from Laurel Canyon Shadows and light Don Juan’s Reckless Daughter Spike Robinson, Cicada

Jeremy gifts us some of his new words that portmanteau concepts. Criticism of Malkin's model of narcissism ('feeling special') and Jeremy's embrace of the doctrine of foregone inconclusions. A delight for the eager mind. Jeremy's Book, Neither Ghost Nor Machine, can be bought here: https://www.amazon.com/Neither-Ghost-nor-Machine-Emergence/dp/0231173334/ Notes: From Scouting for Boys, 1908: “The practice is called ‘self-abuse’. And the result of self-abuse is always - mind you, always - that the boy after a time becomes weak and nervous and shy, he gets headaches and probably also palpitations of the heart, and if he still carries it on too far he very often goes out of his mind and becomes an idiot. The use of your parts is not to play with when you are a boy but to enable you to get children when you are grown up and married. But if you misuse them while young you will not be able to use them when you are a man: they will not work then. So for all reasons be on the look out against this temptation, it is easier to stop it at first than when it becomes a habit. The next time you feel the desire coming on don't give way to it; resist it. If you have the chance just wash your parts in cold water and cool them down. Wet dreams come from it especially after eating rich food, or too much meat, or from sleeping with too warm a blanket over your body or in too soft a bed or from sleeping on your back. Therefore avoid all these. Avoid listening to stories or reading or thinking about dirty subjects. You will soon find that the temptation will not worry you so much. Be strong and don't give way to it.” And this, from Scouting For Boys, 1911: In this chapter much has been said of the active measures which a boy should take in order to become strong and well. We should be equally concerned in saving and storing up natural forces we already have. In the body of every boy, who has reached his teens, the Creator of the universe has sown a very important fluid. This fluid is the most wonderful material in all the physical world. Some parts of it find their way into the blood, and through the blood give tone to the muscles, power to the brain, and strength to the nerves. This fluid is the sex fluid. When this fluid appears in a boy's body, it works a wonderful change in him. His chest deepens, his shoulders broaden, his voice changes, his ideals are changed and enlarged. It gives him the capacity for deep feeling, for rich emotion. Pity the boy, therefore, who has wrong ideas of this important function, because they will lower his ideals of life. These organs actually secrete into the blood material that makes a boy manly, strong, and noble. Any habit which a boy has that causes this fluid to be discharged from the body tends to weaken his strength, to make him less able to resist disease, and often unfortunately fastens upon him habits which later in life he {233} cannot break. Even several years before this fluid appears in the body such habits are harmful to a growing boy. To become strong, therefore, one must be pure in thought and clean in habit. This power which I have spoken of must be conserved, because this sex function is so deep and strong that there will come times when temptation to wrong habits will be very powerful. But remember that to yield means to sacrifice strength and power and manliness. For boys who desire to know more of this subject we would suggest a splendid book by Dr. Winfield S. Hall, entitled, "From Youth into Manhood." Every boy in his teens who wants to know the secret of strength, power, and endurance should read this book. And if you want to read the whole thing (it's really fascinating, actually): https://www.gutenberg.org/files/29558/29558-h/29558-h.htm And to learn more about the Portuguese Man O' War: https://animalia.bio/portuguese-man-o-war

how to turn religious ideas into monetary wealth. An age-old story. And Joe's ideas on the eye in the pyramid and other pyramid schemes. Links: Joe's websitediscussion on PythagoreansBart Ehrman's YouTube More about the Ambani wedding in India

Jeremy has been working with neuroscientist Terrence Deacon at Berkley for 30 years. He shares insights about his head on challenges to true believers which contrasts with Jon's more gentle approach to mindchanging. Spike's note: Regarding the Universe-spinning, tutu-wearing rhino, I couldn't resist. I plugged the prompt into Meta's AI, but it would not attach the universe to the rhino's horn. So I dragged it into Photoshop and moved the universe over onto the horn myself. The things I do... Links: Jeremy's book, What's Up with A**holes? Jon's translation of the Tao Te Ching Jon's ideas on how to reach out to people who are trapped in authoritarian groups, relationships, and patterns of thought are summed up in these two infographics, which you may download and print out for free. Share and enjoy. What To Say Questions to Unlock a Captive Mind

Jon is joined by Spike for this discussion about how we can tell if we're truly free from the clutches of our former high-control group - it's far more involved than just leaving; often it takes a concerted effort lasting years to unwind oneself from deep psychological indoctrination and fully heal the damage done. Here's all the links: the crimes of Josef Fritzl Steven Hassan's TedX talk "How do you know if you're brainwashed?" Possible Origins for Dianetics and Scientology: the paper The videos: Part one Part two More on Semmelweis The Report of the India Hemp Drugs Commission The episode of Big Question where Jon was on the panel Never Believe a Hypnotist the paper the video All about the Bear Fedio Index Download your own copy of our Human Predator poster

Christian Szurko is a leading expert on extremist authoritarian sects. In almost five decades, he has helped thousands of people to digest and integrate their experience and become thriving survivors. Christian explains his compelling model of the process of cult involvement, which is helpful in undoing exploitative persuasion and understanding the perils of group involvement. This is one of the most important discussions on our channel. Links: Christian's map of internal reality Kahn Academy: website YouTube You can read the appendix to 1984 FREE here Learn more about the - BITE model Singer’s six criteria Lifton’s eight criteria Ex-Scientology kids

Shawn is fascinated that Jon's positive attitude is not based in religious belief. Jon talks about the wide range of influences that have led him to lose any concern for personal immortality. links: Jon's current website Jon's defunct website with the art Jon's writings on the Underground Bunker Never believe a hypnotist - the paper the video Possible Origins of Scientology and Dianetics - the paper the video part one the video part two Jon's translation of the Tao Te Ching Spike's gospel song for all faiths, "Precious Child":

a discussion about the egotism that makes us prey to cults, maintains our relationship with them, and makes it difficult to accept the ways in which cults modify our beliefs and behaviour. As ever, Hoyt shares his own dreadful experiences and helps to explain how to overcome obstacles to recovery from authoritarian abuse. Ex-Scientology Kids Socrates for Six-Year-Olds

Chris is an expert on a wide range of psychoactive plants including cannabis. He has travelled the world for decades, visiting indigenous people to discover natural medicines, superfoods, and psychoactives. He has revisited these communities and helped to establish trade routes to their and the world's benefit. Chris first visited Brazil in 1997 and would spend 12 years taking westerners to ayahuasca ceremonies in South America. Chris works with Kew Gardens, the UK's primary plant research centre. Spike's notes: Yes, "New Coke" launched in 1985, almost 40 years ago. I feel old now; how about you? You can see the full story of Phineas Gage here.

absurd beliefs can lead to atrocities. Cult specialist Joe Szimhart is an artist whose journey into the world of cults began with his interest in the paintings of Nicholas Roerich who led Agni Yoga. Roerich believed he was the 'king of the world' and cultivated an influential following - including Henry Wallace, FDR's Secretary of State for Agriculture and FDR's wife Eleanor. Mikhail Gorbachev and his wife were also members, as was Putin's former wife. The Russian Orthodox Church has declared both Theosophy and Agni Yoga satanic. Agni Yoga is a major source of New Age material - Joe tells the story of its use as the secret teaching at the heart of the Church Universal and Triumphant. And some discussion of Nazi beliefs, which were also influenced by Theosophy. Spike's note: For those of us who can't just hop on over to Spain (yes I'm jealous), I highly recommend the Prado Museum's interactive website.

Frances spent the first 44 years of her life as a Jehovah's Witness. Since leaving, she has dedicated herself to counselling former members. As Frances says, authoritarian cults give members overwhelming and impossible responsibilities. They can also diminish the real responsibilities we should accept. After leaving a cult, it is important to reassess beliefs and responsibilities. Read Jon's paper, Possible Origins of Dianetics and Scientology, here or check out the videos: Part one Part two For more on Ira Chaleff's work on Intelligent Disobedience and Courageous Followership

a discussion about the recent D-Day and Memorial Day commemorations, the recognition of PTSD and the recent decision of the American Psychiatric Association to create a Caucus on Peace. We talk about the successes and failures of the Truth and Reconciliation process and the need for dialogue in all fraught situations. Spike's note- it seems someone has replicated Leonardo's horse, not just once, but three times; you can read more here.

We are delighted to hear that Scientology critic John Sweeney is standing for the UK parliament in the July 2024 elections. John is famous for his 'exploding tomato' response to the taunts of a Scientology agent while filming for BBC Panorama. He subsequently wrote a book about group and has made criticism of Scientology central to his campaign for election as a Liberal Democrat (a UK centre party). Alex also tells about his communication with former Labour shadow minister Dianne Abbott who is determined to launch a government investigation into Scientology abuses. Jon's paper, "Never believe a hypnotist." Steven Hassan's TEDx Talk: "how to tell if you're brainwashed?" John Sweeney's site Not sure how to find your government rep to write to them? US UK

Jon talks with L. Ron Hubbard's great-grandson, beat poet and award-winning filmmaker, Jamie DeWolf, about Scientology, extreme evangelical Christianity, life, philosophy, and belief. Comedy routine by Stewart Lee: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvf07P7fhu0&t=6913s