Bonus: Living with an invisible illness

Riley from the Jexit YouTube channel joins Stephen today to analyse the 2002 movie Equilibrium, directed by Kurt Wimmer, starring Christian Bale, Take Diggs, Sean Bean and Emily Watson. Giving the movie a cult reading reveals some spine-tingling and remarkable parallels with living in a dystopian state and being in a High Control Group.  Become a patron for just £1 ($1:50). We only have a single tier with all benefits available. https://www.patreon.com/whatshouldithinkabout

15 Mars 20221h 22min

Today Celine and Stephen are joined by Jordan Robertson from the Shunned Experience to talk about the history of atheism. Is atheism a new phenomenon, and is it predominantly a Western idea associated with the period of Enlightenment? Also did the reformation and protestantism pave the way for critical thinking about religion, giving birth to atheistic thought and is that paralleled in religions like Jehovah's Witnesses?

13 Mars 20221h 4min

We manage risk every day but how we calculate it is often difficult to understand. Our attitude towards risk is influenced by our beliefs about what we think we know, as well as a balance of likelihood of something happening and the impact if it does. Leaving a cult is bound to impact upon this calculation as old beliefs about the world are replaced with new ways of making sense of what's going on.

9 Mars 202247min

Producer Bob joins us to talk about the use of signs and symbols in religions, cults and the social world in general. Producer Bob thinks about some of the symbolism she was taught as a Jehovah's Witness and Celine talks about semiotics - how meaning is created through symbols and why cults are different in how this is done. Stephen delves into types and anti-types and takes a look at the psychology of how we use symbols to make sense of our world while a member of high control group and then how that changes when we leave.

6 Mars 20221h 5min

As a member of totalistic group or cult, morals and ethics are to a large degree determined by the Group. Upon leaving, making decisions about right and wrong  can be difficult as we grapple with putting together our own moral code.  Celine and Stephen also discuss the famous trolly problem and explore the question of consequentialism vs deontology as well as the psychological research around how people make moral choices. Become a patron on our single tier of just $1:50 https://www.patreon.com/whatshouldithinkabout/posts Paper used on the discussion today is currently available through Wiley Online Library - PDF available https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1756-8765.2010.01096.x

2 Mars 20221h 1min

Daniel Schricker grew up in the Kwasizabantu Mission and since leaving has written a number of blogs about the psychological use of fear particularly on children. This is a follow-up to the discussion with Erica Bornman about this fundamentalist group with worrying cultic practices. Daniel's essays are themed 'Scaring the hell out of you', where he documents how (i) fear of God, (ii) fear of authority, (iii) fear of self and (iv) fear of the world permeates the lives of the children within the group. Although an analysis of Kwasizabantu cult watchers will recognise the familiar tactics. Become a patron and support the podcast for just $1:50 https://www.patreon.com/whatshouldithinkabout/posts Daniel's Essays Part 1 https://revivalreviewed.wordpress.com/2021/09/18/scaring-the-hell-out-of-you/ Part 2 https://revivalreviewed.wordpress.com/2021/09/19/scaring-the-hell-out-of-you-2/ Part 3 https://revivalreviewed.wordpress.com/2021/09/23/scaring-the-hell-out-of-you-part-3/ Part 4 https://revivalreviewed.wordpress.com/2021/09/29/scaring-the-hell-out-of-you-part-4/

26 Feb 202259min

This emergency podcast comes out on the day Russia launches an attack upon Ukraine. It's natural to feel some anxiety and for ex members of all-encompassing groups such as Jehovah's Witnesses, who interpret world events in very specific ways, it can be quite disturbing. How to think about these events is the theme of this discussion as well as a reality check for religious groups who claim to be able to identify and interpret Bible prophecy.

24 Feb 202219min

Celine and Stephen review Midsommer, a movie released in 2019, directed by Ari Aster and starring Florence Pugh. There are a number of readings of this movie but one that is often overlooked is the most obvious - that of recruitment and indoctrination into a cult.

23 Feb 202251min