35: Séance Science (w/Susannah Crockford)

Charismatic influence thrives in online spaces, regardless of spiritual overtones. Matt Browne and Chris Kavanagh of Decoding the Gurus have traced a path parallel to our own; examining the popular figures they call "secular gurus." They join us for a lively panel discussion on the overlaps and differences regarding conspiritualists, as well as their patented "Gurometer'' method of decoding and ranking contrarian influencers. As scholars of psychology, anthropology, and religion, we also asked them to finally resolve the enduring argument between Matthew and Julian about the power of sacred beliefs to shape political worldviews and motivate actions in the world. 8/21: Cancel your unwanted subscriptions and manage your money the easy way by going to rocketmoney.com/conspirtuality Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

24 Elo 20231h 45min

Trump promised to “drain the swamp.” But his campaign attracted a carnival of corrupt influence peddlers and conspiracy mongerers. He pretended to be in a holy war against the “deep state” but his administration was defined by cronyism and long-time amoral operatives who groomed him to enable their own enrichment. Now he’s finally, hopefully, being held to account—but who were those swamp creatures who slithered around his ankles and whispered in his ears? In this new Bonus series, Julian tells the intersecting stories behind the news of the 7 years that culminate in Trump’s latest slew of criminal indictments. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

21 Elo 20237min

Deep Cut pulls from our bonus episode archive to unearth previous ideas that remain relevant today. News from Alabama: after a 23-year ban on yoga in schools, generated by a Republican moral panic, Governor Kay Ivey signs a bill that lets kids do yoga again, but with some restrictions: "All instruction in yoga shall be limited exclusively to poses, exercises, and stretching techniques. All poses shall be limited exclusively to sitting, standing, reclining, twisting, and balancing. All poses, exercises, and stretching techniques shall have exclusively English descriptive names. Chanting, mantras, mudras, use of mandalas, induction of hypnotic states, guided imagery, and namaste greetings shall be expressly prohibited." Those who promote yoga as universal goodwill welcome this Indian art form being made more accessible for children in a State with terrible educational markers. Hindu nationalists, on the other hand, might be outraged at a secularized version of yoga, stripped not only of references to Hinduism but of signs of any type of Indian spirituality. And a lot of white yoga progressives will look at this policy—mostly from the urban North— and worry about authenticity and appropriation. How will the children feel? In considering who wins and loses with this new development, Matthew reviews recent U.S. yoga-war history: battles between the Hindu American Foundation and Yoga Journal, the rise of Christian non-yoga-yoga "Praise Moves", and Encinitas Union School District got sued for allegedly violating the Establishment Clause by contracting devotees of Pattabhi Jois to teach the kids yoga. It's not a stretch to see an overlap between this theme and the medical-moral panic over vaccines. In both cases, the focus is on the imagined corruption of children, whether by poison, politics, or inner quiet. Go to HelloFresh.com/50conspirituality and use code 50conspirituality for 50% off plus free shipping. Deep Cut Intro Music Single Origins — Pete Kuzma Show Notes Alabama lifts three-decade-old ban on yoga in public schools—with a catch. New study ranks Alabama as 43rd for student achievement, grade of D+ 12 Reasons Why Yoga is NOT Good for Christians Hindu Group Stirs Debate in Fight for Soul of Yoga Hindu American Foundation: Hindu Roots of Yoga Shukla's letter: Is Hindu a bad word? Explained: The Hindu American Foundation’s defamation case against Hindus for Human Rights founders Audrey Truschke's tweet Over 300 Writers, Academics and Scholars Repudiate HAF's Attempt to Silence Hindus for Human Rights — Hindus for Human Rights Detroit's Satanic Statue Has A Political Point to Make Encinitas school yoga lawsuit stretches on Yoga-for-Trophy-Wives Fitness Fad That’s Alienating Discipline Devotees Next Article Yoga's Culture of Sexual Abuse: Nine Women Tell Their Stories Candy Gunther Brown amicus brief for the plaintiffs, against the yoga programme Mark Singleton amicus brief for the defendants, for the yoga programme Chris Chapple amicus brief for the defendants, for the yoga programme Yoga Alliance amicus brief for the defendants, for the yoga programme Sedlock v. Baird -  Brown’s summary SEDLOCK v. Yes! Yoga for Encinitas Students, Intervener and Respondent Yes! Yoga for Encinitas Students filing The World's Most Influential Yoga Teacher is a Homophobic Right-Wing Activist Translation of the Dattātreyayogaśāstra, the earliest text to teach haṭhayoga Barkataki: How to Decolonize Your Yoga Practice Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

19 Elo 20231h 14min

Dr. Bradley Onishi, is the author of Preparing for War: The Extremist History of White Christian Nationalism - And What Comes Next. He is the co-host of the excellent Straight White American Jesus podcast. His work has appeared in the New York Times, NBC News, Politico, Rolling Stone, Huffpost, and many other outlets.  Bradley got personally drawn into evangelical Christianity as a teenager—and from a secular family—and had the strange experience of burying his part-Japanese heritage in a white coded, Christian Nationalist identity. It took him years of scholarship to see how this political ideology had been baked into the religious indoctrination. Now he’s a religious studies scholar, doing work in the world from that perspective. And his struggles with all of this stuff have brought his empathy and his humility up to the surface in really profound ways.  Bradley has a lot of family history in Maui, and on his behalf and for people there who have just survived a catastrophic fire and now must bury their dead and rebuild, we would like to encourage you to consider donating to the Maui Mutual Aid Fund.  Show Notes Straight White American Jesus Preparing for War: The Extremist History of White Christian Nationalism--and What Comes Next Go to HelloFresh.com/50conspirituality and use code 50conspirituality for 50% off plus free shipping. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

17 Elo 20231h 25min

Are you ready to live your best life ever? Because if you’re not always on volume 10, eating the purest foods and shouting your truth at every turn, you’re certainly doing life wrong.  Derek looks at the ever-growing anxiety marketed as optimal health in wellness spaces, wondering when will enough be…enough? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

14 Elo 20236min

Following up on our review and coverage of Satan Wants You, Matthew talks with Canadian filmmakers Sean Horlor and Steve Adams about how they excavated the origin story of the Satanic Panic movement. Show Notes 151: Satan Wants You Watch Party (Spoilers) Satan Wants You Conspirituality: UNLOCKED: Swan Song Series 4 | Michelle Remembers: Context & History Conspirituality: UNLOCKED: Swan Song Series 5 | Michelle Remembers: Themes & Framing Conspirituality - UNLOCKED: Michelle Remembers: Literal Symbols Conspirituality - UNLOCKED: The Courage to Heal Pt. 1 Conspirituality - UNLOCKED: The Courage to Heal Pt. 2 The Smoke of Satan on the Silver Screen: The Catholic Horror Film, Vatican II, and the Revival of Demonology Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

12 Elo 202339min

In 2017, 4chan user "Q" started LARPing as a Deep State insider with predictions about Hillary Clinton and the pedophile cabal. 10 months later, the online antifascist world assembled its emergency podcast response team: three dubiously-credentialed shitposters( two using pseudonyms themselves) dedicated to covering “the best conspiracy theories of the post-truth era. Exploring online fever swamps and tripping over deranged historical facts that make conspiracy theories sound sane.” The digital soldiers of QAnonAnonymous Podcast subjected themselves to the most cursed content the internet has to offer. But the real world they traveled through was just as smelly. They went to live QAnon protests, parades, and conferences. They conducted the first interviews with the QAnon Shaman. They attended ball-slapping workshops to raise their testosterone for the Great Awakening. They caught COVID many, many times, all for the cause. And now, as their reward, they get to see their favorite redpilled celebrity, and Mel Gibson's favorite Jesus, Jim Caviezel, star in the fake-u-mentary, "Sound of Freedom." It’s been a long road to Hollywood for our guests Travis View and Jake Rockatansky, but this is their red-carpet moment where we get to ask them: How did they like working on this show? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

10 Elo 20231h 28min

Notes from Matthew in response to a great question from a listener: How do you keep from hating these people? The blasé unimaginative crackpots like Aubrey Marcus, the gaslighting meanderings of RFK Jr., the hordes of ignorant, ignorant, ignorant (trying to keep from saying st*pid) jackasses that follow in their wake, so desperately certain of their completely subjective fever dreams? It’s not easy, but there are some ways of avoiding hatred and disgust, and it’s important to lean into them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

7 Elo 20239min