A podcast about cult hacking! Cracking the cult code to understand what they 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. https://pod.link/1540824671 https://www.patreon.com/culthackers https://culthackers.com/ Music is Snap by Purple Planet Music Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
Episodes
Saturday Apr 08, 2023
Saturday Apr 08, 2023
The Universal Church of the Kingdom of God (UCKG) is described as the largest worldwide megachurch. Rachael Reign was recruited at 13 and became an 'Assistant', a position of responsibility within the group. She tells her story of manipulative recruitment methods, coercive control, interviews with demons and fear of going to hell as well as financial exploitation. Rachael also talks about her activism and her efforts to wake up the authorities to the harmful practices within this church.
If you're finding this podcast interesting or useful please consider becoming a patron to support it. To become a patron is just £1 ($1.50) per month and for this you will have access to our sister podcast Cult Hackers Extra exclusive to patrons. https://www.patreon.com/culthackers/posts
If you'd like to contact us you can do so here.
Useful links from Rachael
Saturday Apr 01, 2023
Saturday Apr 01, 2023
Do cults exploit our desire for simple answers? Do they mire us in complexity to keep us in? Or do we prefer to complicate life? Is life simple or is it complex? Why do we reduce everything down to binary choices? Can we answer these questions in about an hour? This week Celine and Stephen explore the concepts of simplicity and complexity and their relation to cult tactics and life in general.
Would you like to support the podcast for just $1:50 per month? And get a bonus exclusive podcast every month as well as other Patreon benefits?
https://www.patreon.com/culthackers/posts
Contact us at
Opinion piece about complexity
https://fs.blog/complexity-bias/
Saturday Mar 25, 2023
Saturday Mar 25, 2023
Todd Brown talks about his moving and emotional story of his 23 years in a small Sufi group, his suppression of self and sexuality, how the pandemic provided a way to break free, and his slow journey of rediscovery.
If you'd like to contact Cult Hackers you can do here https://culthackers.com/
To support the podcast why not become a patron for just $1.50 per month. https://www.patreon.com/culthackers/posts
Todd's first essay
Todd's YouTube Channel
Saturday Mar 18, 2023
Saturday Mar 18, 2023
Who gets to call themselves an expert? In a world where anyone can be a film producer, documentary maker or online guru, how can we navigate the vexed question of who to believe? Today is part 2 on the question of authority and Celine and Stephen build on the first episode about authority, to this time examine how the authority of expertise is being challenged and how some experts are fighting back. Stephen also discusses with Celine some feedback from the previous episode around reactance and anarchy.
Become a patron for just $1.50 per month and get an exclusive extra weekly podcast as well as other benefits.
https://www.patreon.com/culthackers/posts
Friday Mar 10, 2023
Saturday Mar 04, 2023
Saturday Mar 04, 2023
We welcome back filmmaker Scott Homan and former Jehovah's Witness to update us on his amazing film Witness Underground, as well as to talk about his support for creative projects made by ex Jehovah's Witnesses. Scott updates us on Debutante, a movie for which he was an executive producer, written, produced and Directed by Kamila Dydyna, another former guest. Stephen also talks to Scott about the importance of art as part of the healing process. As fellow ex JWs Scott and Stephen also consider the organization's reasons behind maintaining three of the most controversial Jehovah's Witness doctrines; shunning, the ban on blood transfusion and the handling of abuse cases.
Witness Underground Website
https://www.witnessunderground.com/
Become a Cult Hackers Patron
https://www.patreon.com/culthackers/posts
Contact us
https://culthackers.com/
Saturday Feb 25, 2023
Saturday Feb 25, 2023
Why do we rebel against authority? When is it a good thing? When is it maybe not so good? How do ex cult members react to "the one who calls for the tribute"? Part 1 of our series looking at authority both governmental and that related to knowledge. We also explore the psychological phenomenon of reactance and reverse psychology.
Become a patron for just $1.50 per month
https://www.patreon.com/culthackers/posts
Contact us
Paper, Reactance theory 40 years later
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/240218056_Reactance_Theory_-_40_Years_Later
YouTube Reference
Natacha Océane
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u75pz25OuPY
Saturday Feb 18, 2023
Saturday Feb 18, 2023
Guests today are Narissa and Lara from the 2 Girls 1 Cult podcast. Sisters and former Jehovah's Witnesses they talk about their experiences of being raised in the group and the challenges of leaving, including making friends and becoming happy with oneself.
You can support Cult Hackers by becoming a patron for just $1.50 per month.
https://www.patreon.com/culthackers/posts
Contact us:
Listen to 2 Girls 1 Cult podcast
Featured podcasts
I Was a Teenage Fundamentalist
Witness Underground
https://www.witnessunderground.com/podcast
Saturday Feb 11, 2023
Saturday Feb 11, 2023
Frankie Tease was a member of Morningland Monastery at Long Beach California group from the age of 8 through to 22. Frankie describes the group as a New Age religious soup of Jesus, Buddha and Gandhi and she describes some harrowing experiences. She now hosts her own podcast called The Frankie Files which focuses on cults, mind control and sexuality in society.
If you are enjoying the podcast you can support for just $1.50 per month by becoming a patron. You will also receive a weekly exclusive podcast and other benefits.
Patreon
https://www.patreon.com/culthackers
Contact us at
https://culthackers.com/
The Frankie Files Podcast
Saturday Feb 04, 2023
Saturday Feb 04, 2023
Celine and Stephen explore the question of identity and how cults attempt to control the individual, social and group self. And, what's the journey after leaving?
Contact us
If you find the podcast useful and you'd like to support it you can do so through our Patreon page.
https://www.patreon.com/culthackers/posts
Reference
Leary, M. R., & Tangney, J. P. (Eds.). (2011). Handbook of self and identity. Guilford Press.