Let's Talk About Sects

Sarah Steel

Let's Talk About Sects is an award-winning monthly podcast focusing on a different cult each episode. Sarah takes a storytelling, deep dive approach, looking at the history of a sect's leaders, the recruitment of members, their experiences, psychological aspects, and notable incidents during its existence. You can support us on Patreon, with a one-off donation, or grab some merch. Sarah Steel's debut book Do As I Say is available now. “A fascinating and well-researched look into cults and the charismatic leaders behind them.” Peter Wells, The Sydney Morning Herald “A fantastic examination of sects, cults, and religion… a fact-based program that’ll hook you in and keep you coming back for more.” Zach Johnston, Uproxx “Cleverly named, meticulously researched.” Elena Nicolaou, Refinery29 “The best podcast of its kind – I can’t wait for another episode!” Apple Podcasts review from a US listener “I study cults and sects and for this reason listen to many podcasts on these subjects. This one is by far the best.” Apple Podcasts review from a US listener “Best podcast about cults I’ve found.” Apple Podcasts review from an Australian listener Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. 12 May

    The Aggressive Christianity Missions Training Corps with Harrison Hill

    The Aggressive Christianity Missions Training Corps, or ACMTC, is a hardline fringe religious cult that was led by a former hippie who went by the name Deborah Green. In The Oracle’s Daughter, author Harrison Hill tells the story of the group through the experiences of three women: Deborah, the self-proclaimed oracle; Maura, who nursed Deborah’s ailing brother and became one of her first followers; and Sarah, the oracle’s daughter of the title. The group’s practices included harsh punishments of children and extreme forms of exorcism, and its crimes included kidnapping and abuse. Through his book, Harrison examines the dwindling gap between the fringe and the mainstream in the United States, and shows how we may be much more vulnerable to extremism than we think. Links The Oracle's Daughter — by Harrison Hill, Scribner, April 2026The Oracle’s Daughter: Sarah Green escaped her mother’s cult 22 years ago. She still thinks about those she left behind. — by Harrison Hill, The Cut, 8 June 2021harrisonhill.me — Harrison's website Credits: Produced by Sarah Steel Music by Joe Gould You can support Let's Talk About Sects here. If 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). Find Sarah's audiobook Do As I Say here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    54 min

  2. 3 May ·  Bonus

    Update: The Nannup Four

    The ABC’s internationally award-winning podcast Expanse, exploring big stories from across Australia, looked at the mysterious case of the Nannup Four for its sixth season. Host Dominique Bayens investigated the 2007 disappearance of Chantelle and Leela McDougall, Tony Popic, and a man known as Simon Kadwill from the town of Nannup in Western Australia. Simon was actually a name taken on by a man called Gary Felton who led a doomsday group called The Truth Fellowship. Dominique spoke with Let’s Talk About Sects about the series in March, and is back to give us an update and a way that listeners may be able to help the families and loved ones left behind. Links Help find the Nannup Four — Barry McIntosh's fundraiserLast chance for answers in Nannup Four cold case as police admit search error — by Dominique Bayens, ABC News, 21 April 2026Expanse: The Nannup Four — Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 2026 You can support Let's Talk About Sects here. Find Sarah's audiobook Do As I Say here. If 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). 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 www.iasp.info. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    35 min

  3. 5 Apr

    Orgsm: A Memoir and a OneTaste update with Ruwan Meepagala

    The sentences just came down for OneTaste’s founder Nicole Daedone and her second-in-command Rachel Cherwitz – if you're unfamiliar with OneTaste you can listen to Let's Talk About Sects' deep dive in November 2020. From that episode, you may remember Ruwan Meepagala. When he spoke with LTAS five years ago, Ruwan had already been working on his memoir, which he finished writing and released last year. It’s called ORGSM: A Memoir. The sentencing was the perfect opportunity to revisit Ruwan's story and find out how his perspective has shifted over the intervening years. Credits: Written and hosted by Sarah Steel Music by Joe Gould Links Founder of ‘orgasmic meditation’ company gets nine years in prison in forced labor conspiracy — Associated Press, The Guardian, 31 March 2026ORGSM: A Memoir — by Ruwan Meepagala, Subversalist Publishing, October 2025Ruwando.com — Ruwan Meepagala's website You can support Let's Talk About Sects here. If 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). Find Sarah's audiobook Do As I Say here. With thanks to Money Saver Home Loans, supporting partner for this episode of Let's Talk About Sects. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    58 min

  4. 22 Mar

    The Nannup Four with Dominique Bayens

    Expanse is the ABC’s internationally award-winning podcast exploring big stories from across Australia, and it’s sixth season sees host Dominique Bayens investigate the unsettling circumstances surrounding the 2007 disappearance of four people from the town of Nannup in Western Australia: Chantelle and Leila McDougall, Tony Popic, and a man known as Simon Kadwill. Simon espoused a doomsday belief system in online forums and through his book, Servers of the Divine Plan. And when it came to his relationship with the much younger Chantelle, many close to her had noticed his controlling behaviours. Links Expanse: The Nannup Four — Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 2026The curious case of the Nannup Four — by Dominique Bayens for the Expanse podcast, ABC, 7 March 2026 You can support Let's Talk About Sects here. If 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). Find Sarah's audiobook Do As I Say here. With thanks to Money Saver Home Loans, supporting partner for this episode of Let's Talk About Sects. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    36 min

  5. 16/12/2025

    Nephew of the Universe: Sri Chinmoy with Harry Rob Bruner

    Harry Robert Bruner was brought into Sri Chinmoy as a child, joining the organisation run by Chinmoy Kumar Ghose at the age of 12. Chinmoy claimed he lifted weights totalling 7063¾ pounds (or over 3,200kg) with one arm on 30 January 1987. He also faced multiple allegations of sexual misconduct with female devotees. Harry left at the age of 30, and wrote and performed a solo show about this experiences in Sri Chinmoy called ‘Nephew of the Universe’. Through Creative Exit Coaching he now helps others disentangle from destructive beliefs, reclaim their voice, and tell their own stories. Links Creative Exit Counselling — Harry's work assisting survivors to reclaim their creativity after leaving a high-control groupI Was in a Cult. Leaving Wasn’t the Hardest Part — by Harry Rob Bruner, Medium, 16 August 2025The Media’s Love Affair With Alleged Sex Criminal Sri Chinmoy — by Edwin Lyngar, Salon, 9 May 2014New York Times Crossword — 10 December 2025 If 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). Find Sarah's audiobook Do As I Say here. With thanks to Money Saver Home Loans, supporting partner for this episode of Let's Talk About Sects. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1hr 5min

  6. 18/11/2025

    Empire of Orgasm: OneTaste with Ellen Huet

    Empire of Orgasm: Sex, Power, and the Downfall of a Wellness Cult is Ellen Huet’s excellent new book, described as “a cautionary tale of sex and salvation for the wellness generation: how orgasmic meditation turned into a cult.” Let's Talk About Sects dived into OneTaste back in November 2020, and a lot has happened since then, including arrests, trials, and guilty verdicts. So it was the perfect time to speak with the journalist who broke one of the most important stories about the true nature of OneTaste back in 2018. Links Empire of Orgasm: Sex, Power, and the Downfall of a Wellness Cult — by Ellen Huet, MCD, November 2025The Dark Side of the Orgasmic Meditation Company — by Ellen Huet, Bloomberg Businessweek, 18 June 2018 If 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). With thanks to Money Saver Home Loans, supporting partner for this episode of Let's Talk About Sects. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1hr 11min

  7. 02/09/2025

    The Collective: Dark Squares with Danny Rensch

    Danny Rensch grew up in the Church of Immortal Consciousness, a cult he usually refers to as ‘the Collective’. Started by Steven and Trina Kamp, the group followed the teachings of a Dr Pahlvon Duran, whose spirit first visited Trina when she was 9. In trances, she would convey the teachings of Dr Duran, whose last lifetime was lived as an Englishman in the 15th century. The group lived communally dispersed across basic housing in Tonto Village, Arizona. The Collective’s small charter school, the Shelby School, became renowned for the performance of its chess team, and Danny Rensch was its star performer. By 14 he was a US Chess Federation national master, which was an Arizona state record at that age, and at 19 he was ranked first in the United States for his age, when he also achieved his first international master norm. Today he is the Chief Chess Officer and co-founder of Chess.com. In his memoir, Dark Squares: How Chess Saved My Life, out on 6 September and available now for pre-order, Danny delves into this part of his story for the first time. Links: Dark Squares: How Chess Saved My Life — by Danny Rensch, Hachette, September 2025Chess.com — With Danny Rensch's profile and statistics If 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.

    1hr 27min

  8. 13/08/2025

    Conspiracy Theories, Cults, and Crimes

    From Jonestown to Heaven’s Gate, to the Octopus Murders and the Waco Siege, the world is full of deception, manipulation, and destruction. Listen to Conspiracy Theories, Cults, and Crimes every Wednesday as we explore the real people at the centre of the world’s most shocking secrets and nefarious organizations. Conspiracy Theories, Cults, and Crimes is a Crime House Original powered by PAVE Studios. Follow the show now so you don’t miss a single story. Listen and follow here: https://link.podtrac.com/c6zbxkmi Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    8 min
See All (117)

About

Let's Talk About Sects is an award-winning monthly podcast focusing on a different cult each episode. Sarah takes a storytelling, deep dive approach, looking at the history of a sect's leaders, the recruitment of members, their experiences, psychological aspects, and notable incidents during its existence. You can support us on Patreon, with a one-off donation, or grab some merch. Sarah Steel's debut book Do As I Say is available now. “A fascinating and well-researched look into cults and the charismatic leaders behind them.” Peter Wells, The Sydney Morning Herald “A fantastic examination of sects, cults, and religion… a fact-based program that’ll hook you in and keep you coming back for more.” Zach Johnston, Uproxx “Cleverly named, meticulously researched.” Elena Nicolaou, Refinery29 “The best podcast of its kind – I can’t wait for another episode!” Apple Podcasts review from a US listener “I study cults and sects and for this reason listen to many podcasts on these subjects. This one is by far the best.” Apple Podcasts review from a US listener “Best podcast about cults I’ve found.” Apple Podcasts review from an Australian listener Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Information

  • Creator
    Sarah Steel
  • Years Active
    2017 - 2026
  • Episodes
    117
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Sarah Steel
  • Show Website
    Let's Talk About Sects

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