Cult Hackers

High Control Groups insert themselves into their followers sex lives and relationships. This has consequences both while part of the Group and upon leaving. We speak to Jill Adams, ex Jehovah's Witness activist and creator of the YouTube channel 'The Fig Leaf' about some of these issues and the journey leavers make once they leave the beliefs behind.

We talk about life inside the group including attitudes towards gender roles, the requirement of women to be in submission, sexual restrictions within marriage and outside, as well as what it's like to be brought before the internal judicial system of the congregation. We also discuss the conditions that allow abuse to happen within the organisation.

Jill's channel is called the Fig Leaf, here is a link.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCR_1M97L8eiWjPPt1OBGstQ

What are cognitive biases? Why do we have them? And how do cults manipulate them? We discuss heuristics and how they give rise to biases and delve into just a few of them including Essentialism, Conservatism, The Halo Effect, The Fundamental Attribution Error and the Self Serving Bias. We also talk about Daniel Kahneman's book 'Thinking fast and slow' and learn about the two system thinking model he uses. 

Useful references

Biases wheel

https://www.visualcapitalist.com/every-single-cognitive-bias/

Cognitive biases list

https://thedecisionlab.com/biases/

Thinking fast and slow, Danial Kahneman

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Penguin; 1st edition (10 May 2012)

Bethan is an ex mormon blogger and writes about her experiences as a member of the LDS church. In today's podcast she talks about her beliefs and worldview as a Mormon, early happy times within the Group as well as her struggles to maintain her beliefs even after she'd left. She also discusses the Group's position on the role of women, sex and sexuality and how it affected her. A fascinating interview with lot's of parallels to other Groups.

What is narcissism? How do people become narcissists? Is there a link between narcissism and leadership? What about cults are they led by narcissists? And what is malignant narcissism? 

We discuss these questions by reviewing a lecture by Charles Zeiders and Peter Devlin author of the book Malignant Narcissism and Power: A Psychodynamic Exploration of Madness and Leadership. It's fascinating stuff!

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Book featured on today's show

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Malignant-Narcissism-Power-Psychodynamic-Exploration/dp/0367279630

Lecture featured on today's show

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrPyH3Q8mdg&t=308s

Jeremy Howell, AKA Germ is the creator of the Mentally Diseased YouTube channel. He talks to us about his life as a Jehovah's Witness and why they think he's mentally diseased. We discuss his early years as, in his words, a "goodie two shoes", the quashing of his creative potential and his struggles with his realisation about his sexuality.

He also describes growing up in a family with an abusive father, protected by the Group, and his journey out of both the religion and the mindset.

Germ's YouTube Channel:

https://www.youtube.com/c/MentallyDiseased

The podcast about narcissism referred to in the podcast is scheduled for the next episode. Here is the link to the source material. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrPyH3Q8mdg&t=307s

This Bonus episode is part of the 'Cults as Organizations' series I use Organizational Psychology to explore high control groups and compare them to other groups.  

This month I look at Psychological wellbeing by using the ABCs of psychological wellbeing developed by lecturers of Organizational Psychology at Birkbeck College, University of London.

Reference article

https://social.hays.com/2020/04/15/managing-wellbeing-in-uncertain-world/

The video slide show for this episode is available for patrons at Cognitive Dissonance level and above. 

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As a member of a high control group Stephen was taught that 'self-help' books and programs (that were not from the cult) were dangerous and wrong. When you leave there's a desire and a possible need for self development, but there's also a risk of getting sucked into another all-encompassing system of belief. We discuss this question and more in the latest episode. 

Plus we have 'Tweet of the Week' where we look at biases and how much High Control Groups use these to influence their followers and potential victims.

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Raised as a Jehovah's Witness, now a YouTuber and ex JW activist, Jordan tells his story. He talks about his memories of growing up, dating and relationships, his difficulties when his Brother was disfellowshipped and the pain of his own shunning by his family. We also speak to him about his observations of the trend toward homeschooling as well as consider the possible futures of the Organisation. 

Jordan's YouTube Channel 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbpw_BFZeVrspncOOvwKA8A/about

Film and TV often depict cultic groups. This week we explore how this is done in Star Trek with the Episode 'The Way to Eden'. We scrutinise this fictional cult using former guest Dr. Lalich's Bounded Choice Model, and also consider how general anxieties in wider society help the viewer to make sense of what they are seeing.

Plus we laugh at the amazing cauliflower ears of the cult leader in the show.

Episode discussed:

The Way to Eden: Star Trek TOS Season 3 Episode 20

Paradise: Star Trek Deep Space Nine Season 2 Episode 15

Star Trek Movie, The Final Frontier 

Chris is a podcaster, YouTuber and ex scientologist. We talk about his childhood, his journey out of the group, the worldview of Scientology and his studies into coercive control. We also explore the psychology of born-ins and child members of cults and their battle for a sense of self and identity once they leave. Chris is a wonderful guest and very passionate about helping people out of high control groups.

Chris' Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-sensibly-speaking-podcast/id1030984057

Chris' YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCF326xyA0QHI7Z5xAwKQDJg