Cult Hackers

Sarah, joins Stephen for our Christmas Special as we think about the joys and 'tricky bits' of celebrating Christmas after leaving a cult, especially one that banned it. We think back to our own experience and how we came to feel about it. We finish with a song Celine and I recorded back in 2019.

Video for the song can be accessed here. 

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Clint Heacock was raised in a Fundamentalist Christian group. As a young man he studied theology and Bible studies in various academic settings and completed his PHD in 2011 with his dissertation being a rhetorical-critical study of the book of Ezekiel. He is a former pastor of an Evangelical church and served in full time ministry. 

He moved to the UK and started a podcast called 'The Preacher's Forum'. Already deconstructing his fundamentalist beliefs he found during the podcast that he was questioning everything. He changed the name of the podcast to MindShift and now explores christian deconstruction, religious trauma and dominion theology.

We talked to him about his story and about his research into Dominion Theology and what it means for politics in the US and beyond.

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The term 'Self Efficacy' describes the amount of belief an individual has that they can achieve something. In study after study the degree of self efficacy is a great predictor of whether the individual will achieve the goal. But it's in the interests of a coercive individual or group to reduce the belief that you can achieve goals that are not of use to them.

How do cults increase self efficacy in some areas but reduce it in others? What can we do to increase levels of self efficacy?

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References

Heslin, P. A., & Klehe, U. C. (2006). Self-efficacy. Encyclopedia Of Industrial/Organizational Psychology, SG Rogelberg, ed, 2, 705-708.

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Peter-Heslin/publication/228210952_Self-efficacy/links/09e4150e7a1b51924e000000/Self-efficacy.pdf

This week in the series of Cults as Organizations Stephen explores Herzberg's Two Factors, and Expectancy Theory, often used in Organizational Psychology,  to understand what motivates teams and individuals in the workplace, and applies these to high controls groups and cults.

References

Grant, A. M., & Shin, J. (2012). Work motivation: Directing, energizing, and maintaining effort (and research).

Van Eerde, W., & Thierry, H. (1996). Vroom's expectancy models and work-related criteria: A meta-analysis. Journal of applied psychology, 81(5), 575.

Anderson, N., Ones, D. S., Sinangil, H. K., & Viswesvaran, C. (Eds.). (2001). Handbook of industrial, work & organizational psychology: Volume 1: Personnel psychology. Sage.

Patrick Ryan found himself deeply involved in Transcendental Meditation during the 1970s until he started to believe he was part of a harmful group. He is now a cult mediation specialist, otherwise known as exit counselling. He is also the head of TM-EX, an organization of ex-members of Transcendental Meditation and has worked extensively with The International Cultic Studies Association. He is also co-author of “Ethical Standards for Thought Reform Consultants". We talk to Patrick about his life inside and outside and the perspective he has gained in his many years working in this space.

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Links for Patrick Ryan

Patrick's profile on the ICSA (International Cultic Studies Association) website

https://docs.google.com/document/d/14MrthY0JHGYI4IfyeNFk0azw4lY7tupf6bsIlNJ8ZDE/view

ISCA Home

icsahome.com

CultNews 101

https://www.cultnews101.com/

Cult Mediation

http://cultmediation.com/about/

Today Celine and Stephen explore dreams. Religion, psychoanalysis, neuroscience and psychology all attempt to explain what happens when we dream and whether they mean anything. Stephen also talks about how one dream by a ancient King had a profound impact on millions of people including himself.

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2nd Annual International eConference on Atheism

https://www.gcrr.org/god-and-suffering

Discount Code:  #Atheism

References

The Mind After Midnight: Where Do You Go When You Go to Sleep?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stXhGMVJuqA&t=3947s

Website

Psychology Today

https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/dream-catcher/201703/dream-interpretation

Magazines

The Psychologist March 2017. A brave new world of sleep pg. 22

The Psychologist April 2020. Dreams and their relationship with waking emotion pg. 48

Book

Psychology The Study of Human Experience, Third Edition

Robert Ornstein

pg 478 - 479 

ISBN0-15-572685-4

Today is a very personal episode with a very special guest because it's Sarah, Celine's mum and Stephen's wife. Warning that the episode contains some stories about familial abuse, threats and suicide attempts. Sarah talks openly about her difficult childhood, becoming a mum and dealing with matters of faith. Stephen and Sarah also talk about how they met and the hurdles they had to overcome both to be together and then to grow together as they exited the Jehovah's Witnesses. 

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Support services (UK)

NHS Psychological Therapies Service (England only)

https://www.nhs.uk/service-search/find-a-psychological-therapies-service/

Faith to Faithless

https://www.faithtofaithless.com

Faith to Faithless is Humanists UK’s support programme for so-called ‘apostates’ and those who leave high-control religions.

Telephone General enquiries: 020 7324 3060

Email [email protected]

Mind

https://www.mind.org.uk

We provide advice and support to empower anyone experiencing a mental health problem. We campaign to improve services, raise awareness and promote understanding. We won't give up until everyone experiencing a mental health problem gets support and respect.

Contact information

Infoline Call 0300 123 3393 Email [email protected]

Today Celine and Stephen argue! Is there such thing as free will? Is everything predetermined at the moment of the Big Bang? What does science, religion and philosophy say about it? Do we like the answer? Is Celine going to storm off the podcast because her dad is getting on her nerves? All covered in this week's spicy episode.

As a Jehovah's Witness Stephen was taught to reject predestination - a form of pre-determinism, but free will doesn't sit well with an omnipotent God who can see the future. Upon leaving, the question still holds resonance. Buckle up for a mind bending episode of What should I think about..?

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This week's interview is with filmmaker Scott Homan, Writer, Cinematographer and Director of the documentary movie Witness Underground about a group of Jehovah's Witnesses who start an Indie record label, and their subsequent journey out of the organization. Scott is also joined by Ryan Sutter one of the principle characters of the film. Fascinating and inspiring.

Witness Underground Website

https://www.witnessunderground.com/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfInUcKLJM8&t=39s

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To celebrate the 100th episode of the 'What should I think about..?' podcast and the 1 year birthday, Celine and Stephen take a look back at just a few of the episodes and guests from the past 12 months. It's been a wild ride. Plus music from Luke Stevenson a former guest of the show and the latest WhatSITA Showcase act. 

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Music by Luke Stevenson

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjQakVeHTyI