Cult Hackers

Unpacking Belief Systems with Kat Wallace

Kat Wallace is a 4th generation ex Jehovah's Witness and speaker at the recent ICSA conference, who struggled growing up to fit into the mould of the submissive JW woman. She shares some of her story of leaving, coming to terms with her self, her sexuality and her analysis of a process she describes as '7 Steps to Unpacking Belief Systems'. 

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Artificial Intelligence and Consciousness

Did Google just create a conscious A.I.? If it has, what would that mean? Today Celine and Stephen explore the recent claims by a Google employee that they had created a machine that had gained sentience. If Google had, how could we know? What is a 'Turing test'? What would it mean for religious people who believe in the soul? 

Links

Transcript of a conversation with Blake Lemoine and LaMDA

https://medium.com/@cajundiscordian/is-lamda-sentient-an-interview-ea64d916d917

Interview with Blake Lemoine

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgCUn4fQTsc

Commentary from Computerphile

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBouACLc-hw

 

Guardian article about Shinzo Abe assassination 

https://amp.theguardian.com/world/2022/jul/11/mother-of-shinzo-abe-killing-suspect-member-of-moonies-church

 

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ICSA Conference Highlights

Two conference speakers, the winner of an award, and the conference attendee first-prize winner! Today's special episode  welcomes Daniel O'Brien, presenter of 'Pathways to Healing', award winning author Erika Bornman and Kacey from top podcast 'The Cult Vault'. We talk about legal questions around cults, recovery from coercively controlling groups, identity and the stories we tell about ourselves and the strange tale of a Brainwashing Manual that never was, plus much more.

There's laughter, there are tears, there's self reflection and there's lots of discussion!

Abortion

This week's episode looks at the question of abortion and the recent Supreme Court decision in the USA. It's a subject that we've planned to talk about for some time and recent events have made it absolutely time we did.

Content warning: Obviously given the subject matter listener discretion is recommended.

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”To say it was awful was an understatement”: Alisha’s Story

Ex Jehovah's Witness Alisha tried to simply leave the religion she was raised in and build her own life. The elders had other ideas.

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Transformational Training

The promise that you can be transformed into the person you've always wanted to be is a tempting one. This week Celine and Stephen explore the LGAT - Large Group Awareness Training industry and similar interventions. Can they deliver their promise? Are there risks associated with them? Are some of them cultic in their methods? 

From Fear to Freedom with Kimberley Miller

One of the most emotional interviews ever on our podcast, author Kimberley L Miller talks movingly about her life as Jehovah's Witness. She describes growing up as a Witness and the struggle to just be a child, to just be herself, and the fear that came along with that upbringing. She also talks about her leaving the organization, her return and the lowest point in her life. Kimberley's story is ultimately life affirming and inspirational. It was such a privilege to talk to her.

Warning: This episode briefly discusses the suicide attempt Kimberley talks about in her book.

The Human Library

https://humanlibrary.org/

Kimberley's Book

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Go-Beneath-Water-K-Miller-ebook/dp/B09FLZVBRC

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Does Nature Tell Us Anything About God? With John Elson

In today’s episode I spend a very pleasant afternoon having a walk and a chat with a friend of the podcast and former guest John Elson at Castor & Ailsworth, a village just outside of Peterborough. John is a successful artist and he talked about his journey out of the Jehovah’s Witnesses back in September of 2021. 

Our main topic of conversation today is the natural world and we had an interesting chat about all things evolution, creation, our place in the Universe and other minor considerations. John also showed me the rewilding project he is working on as part of a local community project.

If you want to see the area we walked, Sarah and I recorded a little video of the area as we took a stroll with our little dog Pepper. You can watch the video here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oU5lQtSWJGQ

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Further exploration

Euginie C. Scott, PhD, Evolution and Creationism as Science and Myth

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kt5TgJkBXxI&t=2773s

African Myths

http://exploringafrica.matrix.msu.edu/african-creation-stories/

 

Theocracy to Democracy

When you are a fundamentalist Christian, Theocracy sounds like a great idea but when you leave, the reality becomes clear. Celine and Stephen discuss what it's like to live in a Theocracy and then explore more democratic forms. They get 'into the weeds' about how these systems work, and why sometimes they seem not to. What is a filibuster? And why gerrymander? are two of the topics of discussion, as well as why the Queen has no power and just who is the most powerful Joe in the USA?

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The Psychological Impact of Shunning with Dr Heather Ransom

The 'What should I think about..?' podcast goes 'sight & sound' this week on this special edition of the show, with an episode being shown on YouTube for the first time as well as a pure podcast.

Stephen speaks to Dr Heather Ransom, who researches the experience of living in, and leaving a high control group often called a cult. Dr Ransom is a former 'born-in' Jehovah's Witness who left as an adult and now works in academia. She has written two published papers about the effect of disfellowshipping and shunning on the psychology of leavers. Heather first talks about her own life and the process of leaving and then about her work.

Dr Ransom's papers:

Grieving the Living: The Social Death of Former Jehovah’s Witnesses

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10943-020-01156-8

Life after Social Death: Leaving the Jehovah’s Witnesses, Identity Transition and Recovery

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11089-020-00935-0

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