Joshua Paddison: Unraveling America’s First Sex Cult Scandal (Part 2)
A Little Bit Culty22 Loka 2025

Joshua Paddison: Unraveling America’s First Sex Cult Scandal (Part 2)

Think cult scandal is just a modern phenomenon? Think again. In Part 2, historian Joshua Paddison unpacks America’s original sex cult, Fountain Grove—complete with group bathing, soulmate mysticism, financial abuse, and a scandal that turned “cult” from a neutral word into a headline-grabbing accusation. Josh guides us through all the weirdness: the rise and fall of Thomas Lake Harris, survivor red flags, bitter public smear campaigns, historical cover-ups, and the jaw-dropping parallels between 1890s California communes and today’s cult headlines. Plus: why California became cult central, how cult terminology shapes survivor stories, and what historians wrestle with when labeling new religious movements. This one’s got epic takedowns, wild twists, and enough historical intrigue to keep you curious for days.


Be sure to nerd out on Josh’s book, Unholy Sensations: A Story of Sex, Scandal, and California's First Cult Scare.


Also…let it be known that:


The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business, individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad.


**PRE-ORDER Sarah and Nippy's newest book here

Check out our amazing sponsors

Join A Little Bit Culty on Patreon

Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag

Support the pod and smash this link

Check out our cult awareness and recovery resources

Watch Sarah's TED Talk and buy her memoir, Scarred


CREDITS:

Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames

Production Partner: Citizens of Sound

Co-Creator: Jess Tardy

Audio production: Will Retherford

Production Coordinator: Lesli Dinsmore

Writer: Sandra Nomoto

Social media team: Eric Skwarzynski and Brooke Keane

Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin



See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jaksot(318)

In Pursuit of Love: Rebecca Bender’s Journey from Trafficked to Triumphant

In Pursuit of Love: Rebecca Bender’s Journey from Trafficked to Triumphant

Today’s episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Rebecca Bender grew up in a small town, played varsity sports, made high school honor roll, and would have started college early except she got pregnant. Sh...

7 Elo 202354min

Breaking Character: Ex-Acting Students Speak Up (Part 2)

Breaking Character: Ex-Acting Students Speak Up (Part 2)

Today’s episode is sponsored by BetterHelp.  Last week, Alberta Mayne Bligh, Brooke Henderson, and Erin Boyes dove into what attracted them to Michèle Lonsdale-Smith’s acting classes – the good, the b...

31 Heinä 202347min

Breaking Character:  Ex-Acting Students Speak Up (Part 1)

Breaking Character: Ex-Acting Students Speak Up (Part 1)

Today’s episode is sponsored by BetterHelp.  Alberta Mayne Bligh, Brooke Henderson, and Erin Boyes are among the 26 ex-students who recently spoke up about their experience under the acting tutelage o...

24 Heinä 20231h 2min

Citizens of Sound Presents: Tiny House Tales

Citizens of Sound Presents: Tiny House Tales

Citisens of Sound presents: Tiny House Tales, a podcast about the experiences of people who have joined the tiny house movement.  Join your hosts Zack Giffin and John Weisbarth, known from the popula...

21 Heinä 202355s

Bursting the Bubble: Morgan Tyler on Leaving the Church

Bursting the Bubble: Morgan Tyler on Leaving the Church

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp.  In the age of social media, many of us are aware that choices are increasingly made for us by algorithms—which is unfortunately not a reference to Vice Presid...

17 Heinä 20231h 9min

Behind the “Reality:” Jessica Willis Fisher on her Childhood Abuse

Behind the “Reality:” Jessica Willis Fisher on her Childhood Abuse

This podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. While in their youth, Jessica Willis Fisher and her eleven siblings were thrust into the spotlight for being the perfect musical family. Having achieved nation...

10 Heinä 20231h 6min

Subversive Science: Isabella Constantino on NXIVM’s Tourettes Study (Part 2)

Subversive Science: Isabella Constantino on NXIVM’s Tourettes Study (Part 2)

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Of the many subplots within the NXIVM story, one of the most unusual (and that says a lot) was the cult’s dance with Tourettes Syndrome and research surroundin...

3 Heinä 202339min

Subversive Science: Isabella Constantino on NXIVM’s Tourettes Study (Part 1)

Subversive Science: Isabella Constantino on NXIVM’s Tourettes Study (Part 1)

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. NXIVM’s timeline unfolds like a (horror) film with its own subplots. One of the cult’s best known smaller mythologies was its ability to cure Tourette's Syndro...

26 Kesä 202342min

Suosittua kategoriassa Koulutus

rss-murhan-anatomia
psykopodiaa-podcast
voi-hyvin-meditaatiot-2
adhd-podi
rss-narsisti
rss-rahamania
rss-vapaudu-voimaasi
psykologia
aamukahvilla
rss-liian-kuuma-peruna
rahapuhetta
rss-valo-minussa-2
kesken
jari-sarasvuo-podcast
mielipaivakirja
rss-tietoinen-yhteys-podcast-2
uskonnon-pitka-oppimaara
rss-eron-alkemiaa
rss-koira-haudattuna
rss-arkea-ja-aurinkoa-podcast-espanjasta