Cult Hackers

Today we discuss our personal strategies to avoid falling into the 'pit of despair' - a feeling of anxiety about self and the world. Leaving an all encompassing groups can leave a person feeling overwhelmed and dad talks about that, but The News and making our way through a complex world affects everyone, so Celine talks about her ways of managing that. We hope you enjoy this very personal episode.

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Geoffrey Wallis is a current Jehovah's Witness who has written a book about what it's like to be a Physically In, Mentally Out (PIMO) Jehovah's Witness. Geoffrey has a fascinating perspective coupled with well researched thoughts on religious trauma and other psychological effects of belonging to a captive organization.

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Useful links for this episode

Geoffrey Wallis website

https://www.wallisbooks.com/

Buy A voice from inside at Amazon 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Voice-Inside-Religious-Captive-Organization/dp/B097XFM94Z/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Geoffrey+wallis&qid=1629574349&sr=8-1

Geoffrey Wallis Blog on Medium

https://geoffreywallis.medium.com/

Stephen has a bit of a rant about the documentary 'Persona: The Dark Truth Behind Personality Tests. Also, what are psychometrics? Do they say anything interesting? Are they all born equal? Is there a sinister side to them?

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Interesting links

The Vox article

https://www.vox.com/2014/7/15/5881947/myers-briggs-personality-test-meaningless

Scientific American

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-accurate-are-personality-tests/

A special episode of the podcast with a visit to Knaresborough, Yorkshire, the home of Mother Shipton, England's most famous Prophetess and the archetype of what we now think of as the traditional Witch. Come on holiday with Stephen and special guest on the podcast Celine's mum Sarah.

What do we know about Mother Shipton? What were some of her prophecies? And what are the parallels with Biblical prophecy?

Official Mother Shipton Website

https://www.mothershipton.co.uk/

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So many cult escapees cite the movie The Matrix as a metaphor to describe the leaving process. Today we explore why, and how it can be interpreted as a way to make sense of the leaving process. Warning! Lot's of talk about The Matrix including spoilers.

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Lilly Wachowski on The Matrix

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adXm2sDzGkQ

Elgen was born to a 'matched couple' in the Unification Church, better known as the Moonies. He talks to us about his experience growing up as a 'Blessed Child'. He explains the theology and philosophy and his experience breaking free and finding his sense of identity. This is such a powerful and fascinating story with many similarities to other cult experiences, but some unique elements too. 

Elgen has his own podcast called 'Falling Out', definitely worth checking out. You can find it on all of the major platforms or through the links below:

fallingoutpod.com/episodes

We highlighted a couple of episodes:

Having to be happy for the benefit of others is one example of emotional labour. Cabin crew, sales assistants and carers are all expected to regulate their emotions to provide the right experience for the customer. But what about High Control Groups? Wearing a Kingdom smile and being happy was a requirement for Dad as a Jehovah's Witnesses - and is replicated in other groups. Is this the ultimate in emotional labour?

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Research Paper

Korczynski, M. (2003). Communities of coping: Collective emotional labour in service work. Organization, 10(1), 55-79.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/247747517_Communities_of_Coping_Collective_Emotional_Labor_in_Service_Work

The Managed Heart by Arlie Hochschild

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ University of California Press; 3rd edition (13 April 2012)

Just before her world premiere at the Galway Film Festival, Filmmaker and ex Jehovah's Witness Kamila Dydyna talks to us about Debutante, her short film about the experience of a young Jehovah's Witness having to endure a Judicial Committee, an internal hearing to determine whether she will be disfellowshipped and shunned. It's a powerful short film and Kamila talks about her motivation for making it. It's a wonderful interview and we so much enjoyed talking to her about the making of the film and her plans for the future.

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Support Kamila here

https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/DebutanteFilm

Kamila's blog about her experience of making Debutante

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/making-film-against-all-odds-kamila-dydyna

This bonus episode is a review of a lecture from the International Cultic Studies Association Convention that addresses the question of fundamentalist groups and the mental health of leavers who were raised into them. 

Thank you to Producer Bob and Jordan for being guest panel members on this episode. 

Following on from our interview with Jill Adams, Celine and Stephen explore the trials and tribulations of finding love as a Jehovah's Witness and some of the challenges after you leave. Stephen opens up about his identity crisis upon leaving and some the effects it had upon his relationship. Tweet of the week looks at the Flood and the story of Noah and asks some tricky questions about the belief that it literally happened as written.