The Influence Continuum with Dr. Steven Hassan MeidasTouch Network

I had the privilege of a second opportunity to talk with Michelle Dowd, a journalism professor and author of Forager: Field Notes on Surviving a Family Cult. I watched Michelle’s three-and-a-half-hour interview on Joe Rogan’s podcast. Joe was utterly fascinated by Dowd’s cult experience and asked many questions, including what a cult is. Michelle mentioned me and my BITE Model. Indeed, I was on Joe Rogan’s show in 2015, and he remembered me. I was astounded to hear Joe say that he thought anyone who was on social media all the time had a mental illness. Dowd’s story of being raised in an Apocalyptic survivalist cult on a mountain is a powerful testament to the resilience of the human spirit. It offers valuable insights into overcoming the psychological grip of cults. This post explores key themes from her experiences and offers practical advice for recovery and empowerment.Definitely great to learn about using creativity to help recover from abuse and mind control. Michelle is wonderful.
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I read David Lipsky’s article in Rolling Stone last year on how the Moonies have been the center for global climate denial for 50 years through their Washington Times organization. I immediately bought his book, The Parrot and the Igloo: Climate and the Science of Denial and wanted to interview him. Well, the paperback is now out and we had a great interaction! This enlightening conversation delves into how anti-science sentiments have flourished in American society, drawing unsettling parallels between cult behavior and climate change denial. If you are interested in the Climate crisis, disinformation, propaganda and cult mind control, this is an episode you will want to listen to throughout!
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For those who know Combating Cult Mind Control and my work, you know I was in the Moon cult. However, if you are under 50 years old, most people have no idea what the Moonies are about.  Allen Tate Wood was a four-year member of the Unification Church–aka The Moon organization. He was the Chief Political Officer of the Unification Church in the United States, commander for the state of Maryland, workshop Director and Chief lecturer for the state of Maryland, and an expert witness for the congressional subcommittee investigation led by Donald Fraser into the Korean CIA infiltration into the United States. He also authored Moonstruck: a memoir of my life and a cult to warn people against cult dangers. Wood said he left in 1973 because “they were making people into fanatics.” In addition, he testified in The London Daily Mail lawsuit where the newspaper wrote that the Moonies brainwashed members and separated them from their families. The Daily Mail won the case and the Unification Church had to pay some 2 million dollars. Perhaps most importantly, Wood testified before the US Supreme Court in 1979 and 1981in the case involving Moon’s conviction of conspiracy to defraud the US Government. Mr. Moon was sentenced to 18 months and served 13 in a posh prison in Danbury, Connecticut. Mr. Moon died in 2012, and two sons fight with their mother over billions of dollars. Sean Moon claims to be “king” and has created a religious cult called the Rod of Iron Ministries. He claims that God wants people to own and know how to use AR-15 assault rifles. Sean Moon went to the January 6th coup attempt at the Capitol and tweeted that Antifa was making the attack- a lie also pushed by Moon’s newspaper, The Washington Times. His brother Justin Moon owns a gun factory in Pennsylvania to make assault rifles and train people for civil wars. After Biden’s inauguration as President of the United States, his predecessor Moon went to the January 6th coup attempt at the Capitol and tweeted that Antifa was making the attack- a lie also pushed by Moon’s newspaper, The Washington Times. Trump, Pence, and Pompeo all appeared for a virtual event for Hak Ja Han, endorsing her. Trump received 2.5 million dollars for this. This was just a few weeks after the attempted violent coup. The Washington Times has been the center of 50 years of climate science denial according to David Lipsky.
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One of the most publicized authoritarian cults is Scientology and the world’s leading authority is Jon Atack. Jon and I have been friends and colleagues He is the author of Let’s Sell These People A Piece of Blue Sky, considered the definitive book on Scientology, Dianetics, and L. Ron Hubbard. During our podcast, we discussed the new audiobook versions of Scientology: The Cult of Greed and Opening Our Minds: Avoiding Abusive Relationships and Authoritarian Groups. A significant portion of our discussion focused on the struggle former cult members face in processing the mind control they endured. We consider ourselves “elders” in the work helping people to understand and recover. Yet we both are frustrated that former members fail to see “the big picture” and continue to operate out of a cult mindset of “us vs. them”- even when it comes to fellow ex Scientologists. There is a lot of interesting things we unpack, including the fact that the founder of the cult was a hypnotist. Our conversation delved deeply into the complexities of mind control, the importance of processing and healing from cult experiences, and the challenges former members face in reclaiming their lives.
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Jonathon Sawyer is urgently speaking out against involvement of the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) in education for a very clear reason. He stated, “More people need to know that those who are discriminated against [sometimes] become those who discriminate.” In psychology, we call this the victim, victimizer paradigm. It is the idea that without healthy self-reflection, people exteriorize or project their own inner “demons” onto others. This cycle of religiously motivated harm is a concern for both individuals and society: “One of the concerns that I have...is that we’re seeing more and more taxpayer-supported religious schools in the United States, particularly at the K through 12 levels,” said Jonathon—“…[and] adolescents, young people, and children are especially susceptible to some of the most...harmful aspects of radical religion.” He is the author of the important journal article titled (Un)hidden from self: on LGBTQ students and the conspiratorial demonology of the New Apostolic Reformation. A really important conversation!
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Anke Richter co-founded FACT (Fight Against Conspiracy Theories) and is organizing the first cult awareness conference in Australia, DECULT. Anke’s bestseller “Cult Trip: Inside the World of Coercion & Control” is about her ten-year investigation into sex cults –from tantra yoga to the Human Potential Movement to fundamentalist Christianity. She is a voice against cults, conspiracies, and undue influence in New Zealand and is working to harness efforts worldwide to fight disinformation and radicalization, especially online. Her book is now out in paperback and it was a delight to help spread the work of a citizen activist.
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