Was I in a Cult?24 Feb 2025

Shiny, Happy People: "Shiny, Happy Lies"

Crystal was born into a world where women obeyed, children served, and questioning authority was a sin. Raised under the oppressive rule of the Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP)—yes, the same Christian fundamentalist cult as the Duggars, "Shiny Happy People"—she spent her youth cleaning toilets, raising her mother's children, and being prepped for a life of submission.

But Crystal had other plans.

This is the ultimate rags-to-riches story. She didn't just escape the cult—she obliterated every expectation it had for her. From eating half-eaten Snickers bars out of the trash to becoming a wildly successful entrepreneur, from being promised to a 30-year-old man at 15 to discovering (in the most hilariously ways possible) that she really enjoys sex—Crystal's life is nothing short of jaw-dropping.

At times hilarious, at others absolutely heart-wrenching, Crystal shares with raw honesty how indoctrination shapes identity, how control distorts self-worth, and how breaking free comes at a cost. But she also proves that no matter how deep the conditioning, you can defy every expectation, reclaim your power, and build a life beyond your wildest dreams.

__________________

You can find Crystal Ball on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn

Have your own story about high-control groups, or breaking free from an oppressive system? Email us at info@wasiinacult.com —we'd love to hear it.

Want ad-free episodes? Support us on Patreon and help fund our cult-unmasking, truth-telling, freedom-fighting journey.

Liz on "What Came Next"

Denne episoden er hentet fra en åpen RSS-feed og er ikke publisert av Podme. Den kan derfor inneholde annonser.

Episoder(164)

Gloriavale: "Gloria Fail" (UPDATE)

**NOTE: This episode originally aired in 2024, but a LOT has happened inside this cult since then. None of it surprising, all of it sick, and we'll fill you in on all of it. Jason Christian was bo...

10 Aug 1h 8min

UFO-Tantric-Doomsday-Alien-Fairy-Angel-Sex Cult - Pt2: "Jump Ship"

Everyone gathered on the deck the day Yo promised the mothership was finally coming. They waited… but alas, it never came. In PART 2, the magical fairy tale capsizes. Laurien becomes one of Yo's chos...

3 Aug 51min

UFO-Tantric-Doomsday-Alien-Fairy-Angel-Sex Cult - Pt1: "Whatever Floats Your Pleasure Boat"

Laurien had already been in one cult before she was old enough to understand what a cult was. At 22, she was invited onto a fleet of white "pleasure" yachts traveling the rivers of Europe, not knowing...

27 Jul 53min

"The Fleetwood Mac Star Who Vanished Into a Cult"

Before Stevie Nicks. Before Lindsey Buckingham. Before Rumours. There was another Fleetwood Mac. And one of its lead singers was a young guitarist named Jeremy Spencer. This week, we goes deep into a ...

20 Jul 1h 5min

International Socialists (Amsterdam): "How Come We're Socialists But We're Not Social?"

In 2007, at 19-years-old, Hella had a boss who molested her at work, and no one to turn to. Then one day, walking through her university square in Amsterdam, she met a group of people full of convicti...

13 Jul 51min

Hoyt Richards: After the Beauties

Hoyt Richards, a "Was I in a Cult?" legend, is back. After our original three-part series, Hoyt returns to talk about Bring Me The Beauties, the new HBO documentary about his life inside, and eventual...

6 Jul 59min

[ENCORE] Eternal Values - Pt2: "Vanity Un-Fair"

A dear friend of the show, Hoyt Richards, who we had on the show back in 2023, has a new HBO docuseries "Bring Me the Beauties: A Model Cult" featuring his story. We caught up with Hoyt to discuss eve...

29 Jun 51min