
198 episodes

Cult Hackers Cult Hackers
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- Society & Culture
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4.9 • 19 Ratings
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A podcast about cult hacking! Cracking the code to understand what cults are, how they work, how people leave and how to make sense of the world after leaving.
Father and daughter team, media graduate Celine and former cult member, now organizational psychologist Stephen, explore how cults work, why they are so dangerous and the experience of leaving and making sense of the world. They speak to cult hackers from all over the world, from ex members to academics, from writers to filmmakers, and from therapists to activists.
Copyright Stephen Mather 2022
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Bonus: Science what is it good for? And Fusion News!
Belonging to a fundamentalist religious cult often means having a complicated relationship with science and scientific discoveries. After leaving, the joy of learning opens up, and many leavers study scientific subjects as part of a career change or just for fun. For this bonus episode we are please to welcome back Thomas our very own science guy to talk about the big fusion breakthrough and also why we should study fundamental science even without knowing if there will be a commercial return.
If you enjoy the podcast or find it useful you might want to support it by becoming a patron for just $1.50 per month.
https://www.patreon.com/culthackers/posts
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Recovering From Jehovah’s Witnesses: Mental Health Counsellor Claire Alison Hams
Claire Alison Hams was raised as a Jehovah's Witness and was a full time pioneer. She is now a mental health professional and is doing a PhD. It was so interesting to listen to Claire's journey out of the group and to talk about her insights into helping people recover from religious trauma as well as future research.
Links
Claire's website
https://clairealisonhams.com/
Ex JW Support Website
http://www.exjwsupport.co.uk/
Ex JW Facebook Group
https://www.facebook.com/groups/780904166280567/?ref=share
Scott Homan and Witness Underground
https://www.witnessunderground.com/
Become a patron for just $1.50 per month
https://www.patreon.com/culthackers/posts
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Cracking Cults Collaboration - Meet The Podcasters!
Today Stephen and Celine are joined by Elgen Strait ex Moonie - Falling Out Podcast, Frankie Tease ex Morningland Church - Frankie Files and Clint Heacock ex Evangelical - The Mindshift Podcast to talk about cults, coercive control, cult research, cult education and much more.
Thank you to Frankie, Elgen and Clint. If you've not already, check out their shows.
If you'd like to support the podcast you can for just $1.50
https://www.patreon.com/culthackers/posts
The Guest's Podcasts
The Frankie Files
https://pod.link/1615611478
Falling Out
https://pod.link/1550448436
Mindshift
https://pod.link/1199559501
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Bonus Cults on Film: The Master
Today's episode explores the 2012 classic The Master, written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, starring Joaquin Phoenix, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Amy Adams. The writer and director Paul Thomas Anderson admitted that the themes in the movie had been inspired by L Ron Hubbard the founder of Scientology and it’s clear that there are many recognisable elements in the film. But although it may have been a starting point Anderson has created something new that draws from cults and cultic groups in general. In today's episode Stephen explored the psychological manipulation cults use on their followers.
Become a patron for just $1.50 per month
https://www.patreon.com/culthackers/posts
Contact us at
https://culthackers.com/
As referenced, Chris Shelton's YouTube Review of The Master
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1rQGVEKOFI&t=1074s
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From the Children of God to the Army: Uncultured with Daniella Mestyanek Young
In her memoir, 'Uncultured' Daniella Mestyanek Young tells her story of being raised in the Children of God, her escape at just 15, finding herself in a world she didn't understand, getting an education and then joining the US army and becoming an intelligence officer. It's a compelling story and Daniella talks about her book, her life and her research into both healthy organizations and toxic ones as well as her reflections on effective leadership.
Daniella's Website
https://www.uncultureyourself.com/
Become a Cult Hacker Patron for just $1.50 per month
https://www.patreon.com/culthackers/posts
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Children of the Cult: Joy Cranham from The Family Survival Trust
Today's guest is Joy Cranham from the Family Survival Trust, a charity that specialises in helping victims of cults and supports the families of those impacted. Joy's own background is as a born-in member of the Exclusive Brethren (also known as the Plymouth Brethren) so we talk about her childhood, and reflect on the hundreds of thousands of children raised in highly controlling groups with frightening beliefs. Joy also talks about the work of the Family Survival Trust and more generally how to educate society to understand damaging cults and what to do about them.
Just Giving Page to contribute to Stephen's fund-raising page for the Family Survival Trust.
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/cult-hackers
Become a Patron
https://www.patreon.com/culthackers/posts
Reach out to us
https://culthackers.com/
Customer Reviews
“Jonestown in Slow Motion”
I listened to the podcast about Christian Science with Hillary Alexander. It’s hard to believe that such 18th century beliefs are still being held in the mind of people in this day and age.
I like the interviewers and the person interviewed did a good job explaining the horror that is Christian Science (not to be confused with Scientology).
I look forward to more podcasts on this topic and on the other cult topics too.
Great channel/ podcast
This information is so important! Children are being trafficked in the Jehovahs Witness organization. Just view the open litagation of Monica Hines versus Watchtower. Countless children are signing full time ministry contracts and their education is being hindered. If you ever need a guest on your channel. I just released the first graphic novel for any of the anti-cult communities, it’s called CULT GIRLS by Natalie Grand. It’s a light educational comedy/ romance of 4 women born, raised and married in the Jehovah’s Witness cult, based on a true story. Find me on Twitter… Natalie Grand
great podcast for new Exjw or PIMO
I found this podcast in the beginning of my leaving the JW faith. After I wasn’t struck by lightning by listening to someone who gives validation to your thoughts as a newly emerging exJW, I listened harder. I took notes, i read the books mentioned. This podcast is insightful especially for a born in JW like me. I don’t always have to agree but the material that’s presented seems so thoughtful & it makes you think. Always a good listen and the interviews are very diverse but the experiences are the same.