In this first episode of Takes One to Write One: Cults, Katherine sits down with a guest who bravely shares their experience growing up in a high-control group and their journey to breaking free. Through their anonymous account, we explore what it means to be raised in a cult, the tactics used to maintain control, and the emotional toll of leaving. This conversation is raw, honest, and at times heavy—so please listen with care. Trigger warnings include coercion, trauma, psychological manipulation, spiritual and emotional abuse, and physical assault. Your well-being comes first.

TIMESTAMPS

00:00:27 Trigger Warnings: coercion, trauma, physical assault, psychological manipulation, spiritual abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, self-harm, suicide, and gaslighting.

00:02:05 Did the cult have a name, or was it a cult?

00:04:26 What are your first memories or experiences with being in the organization?

00:06:20 Who was doing the homeschooling?

00:08:40 I imagine in an unfortunate circumstance, you got really good at knowing the Bible verses.

00:09:20 Bible verses for discipline

00:10:51 With these church services, were they the same no matter what day of the week or were they like, it's Monday, so this day is about this?

00:11:55 What's the difference between the kids' service and the adult service?

00:13:40 Could you elaborate more on these responsibilities?

00:16:14 How did your parents get involved?

00:17:37 Matchmaking

00:19:14 The bible taught the Rule of Thumb 

00:20:40 What would you experience in these church services?

00:23:31 Would anybody who's been at a church service be able to find similarities with the church services that you attended?

00:25:09 What was the view with working— having an unrelated job?

00:25:25 Members of the church, what sort of jobs did they have?

00:26:42 Tithing with 10 percent but definitely more 

00:29:44 With these clothes, was it retail stores that you went to? Were they made sewn?

00:30:20 Was there like a uniform, like were there specific things that you needed to wear?

00:31:02 If I were to put a dollar at the top of my knee, the shorts had to be longer than where the dollar ended going up my knee.

00:32:07 Carrying religious traumas 

00:32:56 What was youth group like?

00:35:28 What does one do to become a leader?

00:37:29 So overall, in the grand scheme of things, rather recently, a couple of years ago and I was like, hey, this is a cult, right?

00:39:35 Because one does not simply leave a cult, they just replace it.

00:39:53 What was the difference between the original and now the new or second?

00:40:39 Are these cults still operating?

00:41:06 You mentioned at the church services that people questioned commitment. What was that verbiage like?

00:42:57 Was the pastor who was getting all the money, who was clearly not doing what he was saying he was going to do with the money, was he living a flashier life than the rest of the members?

00:44:58 So, you were with this group, always doing stuff, always keeping busy, studying, doing X, Y, Z. And then you mentioned how isolating it was at the same time. I imagine there wasn't mental health support of, hey, you're feeling this way.

00:46:08 Was there a big presence of Satan?

00:46:57 Let's take a break

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