”Feeling like a misfit”: Creative Struggles and Triumphs with Witness Underground

Today's special episode focuses on Stephen's endurance challenge as he trains for the Land's End to John o' Groats 970 mile cycle ride from the southern tip of England, through Wales to the northern point of Scotland. Celine and Stephen also preview some of the guests and events coming up on the show. To support Stephen's ride in aid of the Family Survival Trust you can donate on his Just Giving Page: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/cult-hackers To reach out to us: https://culthackers.com/ To become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/culthackers/posts The original Bike and Psych: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OuftwhR3Y4w

23 Juni 202358min

Susan Dones took on NXIVM before most of us had even heard about the cultic self-help group. Against the warning of the Judge, Susan defended herself in court against at the, then powerful and wealthy, self-improvement cult led by the now disgraced criminal Keith Ranieri. In this episode Stephen and Celine talk to Susan about her experience with the group, the coercive methods used to trap people and levels of accountability within the leadership. Susan is now an advocate for, and supporter of ex-members of cultic and coercive situations and seeks to provide useful information through her website and her appearances.  Susan's Website: https://susandones.com/ Support Stephen's Ride to Support the Family Survivor's Trust. https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/cult-hackers Contact us https://culthackers.com/ Become a patron https://www.patreon.com/culthackers/posts

16 Juni 20231h

Today's 'topic episode' is about grief, and Celine and Stephen explore the famous Kübler-Ross stages of grief and how they might apply to leaving a coercively controlling organization, relationship or cult. They also reflect upon the recent news items revealing the experiences of ex Jehovah's Witnesses and the Rebekah Vardy documentary, including the organization's responses. If you'd like to sponsor Stephen's charity ride in aid of The Family Survival Trust you can do so here. https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/cult-hackers If you'd like to contact us you can do so here: https://culthackers.com/ Shunning videos  https://avoidjw.org/news/jehovahs-witnesses-mysteriously-deleted-shunning-videos/ Papers Ransom, H. J., Monk, R. L., & Heim, D. (2021). Grieving the living: The social death of former Jehovah’s Witnesses. Journal of religion and health, 1-23. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10943-020-01156-8 Ransom, H. J., Monk, R. L., Qureshi, A., & Heim, D. (2021). Life after social death: Leaving the jehovah’s witnesses, identity transition and recovery. Pastoral Psychology, 70, 53-69. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11089-020-00935-0   The Guardian Review of the Rebekah Vardy Documentary  https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2023/may/16/rebekah-vardy-jehovahs-witnesses-and-me-review-this-harrowing-documentary-will-totally-surprise-you The Mail Online Piece About Dr Heather Ransom https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12097861/My-family-friends-rejected-fled-Jehovahs-Witnesses.html

9 Juni 202358min

Rebecca Woodward is a writer, published in the New York Times, Huffpost and Electric Literature. She was raised as a Jehovah's Witness and recently wrote a well received piece in the Electric Lit about Prince Harry's memoir 'Spare'. Rebecca talks about her experience growing up in and trying to be part of the religious group and her burning desire to write, her struggles to make her way in education and find a life of her own. Stephen, Celine and Rebecca also imagine the astonishing consequences of living forever in so-called perfection - can there be stories and drama when everyone and everything is perfect? Stephen is raising Money for the Family Survival Trust with a ride from Lands End to John ò Groats. You can sponsor him here. https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/cult-hackers If you's like to become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/culthackers/posts If you'd like to contact us: https://culthackers.com/ Rebecca Woodward's Website:  https://www.rebeccawoodward.com/

2 Juni 20231h 9min

Brent Lee, former conspiracist joins the podcast today to talk about his wild journey since we last spoke in January of 2022. He opens up about the importance of taking ownership of the past, dealing with accusations from former friends about being a government paid shill, and why he believes confronting and talking about grand conspiracy theories is important. Stephen and Brent also revisit some of their former interests including 'pyramids on Mars' and a common interest in the books of Graham Hancock. Sponsor Stephen on his Toe to Tip of the UK cycle ride raising money for cult survivors through the Family Survival Trust https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/cult-hackers Become a Patron to help support the podcast https://www.patreon.com/culthackers/posts Contact us https://culthackers.com/ Brent's podcast - Some Dare Call it Conspiracy Apple  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/some-dare-call-it-conspiracy/id1629532988 Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/4RJCyh4FEiQhZasSe7jHYk Also available on other platforms

26 Maj 202356min

This week Celine interrogates Stephen on his claim that it's only a matter of time before we see our first AI cult leader. Is there already a cult algorithm that coercive groups have been using for years? And what happens as AI gets smarter at deploying these online? How does YouTube's recommender algorithms brainwash people according to some computer scientists? Often described as a cult, online phenomena QAnon has spread largely thanks to algorithms, so Stephen and Celine find out where it came from and its effect. Finally the question: AI - what's the Bible's view? is a question no-one's been asking apart from JW.Org so Cult Hackers find out what they have to say on the matter. You can support the podcast here: https://www.patreon.com/culthackers/posts Contact us: https://culthackers.com/

19 Maj 20231h 1min

On today's bonus episode Joy Cranham, from the Family Survival Trust, speaks to Stephen about a special event they are hosting with Gillie Jenkinson, psychoanalyst and author of a new book "Walking Free From the Trauma of Coercive Cultic and Spiritual Abuse: A Workbook for Recovery and Growth". Stephen and Joy also talk about the challenges for leavers of cults and high control groups including finding work and even knowing what to put on your CV! They also discuss the need for more education about cults and how society can provide more support. Link to the FST Special Event with Gillie Jenkinson Eventbrite Page https://www.eventbrite.com/e/walking-free-a-talk-with-gillie-jenkinson-tickets-620755796297?mc_eid=a6c4434074&mc_cid=0514392dc8 Family Survival Trust Proposal For New Legislation https://www.thefamilysurvivaltrust.org/_files/ugd/b17260_d84acbbb99cd4fd9875972186e15e048.pdf Contact us at Cult Hackers through the contact page. https://culthackers.com/

18 Maj 202343min

Stephen talks to Anke Richter, an international journalist and author of Cult Trip, a book about her investigations into a number of cults including Counterpoint, Agama Yoga and Gloriavale. It's a fascinating discussion about the cult phenomena, coercive control,  sexual exploitation, blame within cults and the need for protection from damaging behaviours within dangerous groups.  If you find the podcast useful you can support it through our Patreon page https://www.patreon.com/culthackers/posts If you'd like to contact us: https://culthackers.com/ Links Anke's website www.ankerichter.net Centrepoint restoration project website https://www.centrepointrestorationproject.com/ Gloriavale leaver website https://www.gloriavaleleavers.org.nz/ Anke's Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/839211113870029

12 Maj 20231h 13min