jon atack, family & friends

a discussion about the egotism that makes us prey to cults, maintains our relationship with them, and makes it difficult to accept the ways in which cults modify our beliefs and behaviour. As ever, Hoyt shares his own dreadful experiences and helps to explain how to overcome obstacles to recovery from authoritarian abuse.

Chris is an expert on a wide range of psychoactive plants including cannabis. He has travelled the world for decades, visiting indigenous people to discover natural medicines, superfoods, and psychoactives. He has revisited these communities and helped to establish trade routes to their and the world's benefit.

absurd beliefs can lead to atrocities. Cult specialist Joe Szimhart is an artist whose journey into the world of cults began with his interest in the paintings of Nicholas Roerich who led Agni Yoga. Roerich believed he was the 'king of the world' and cultivated an influential following - including Henry Wallace, FDR's Secretary of State for Agriculture and FDR's wife Eleanor. Mikhail Gorbachev and his wife were also members, as was Putin's former wife. The Russian Orthodox Church has declared both Theosophy and Agni Yoga satanic. Agni Yoga is a major source of New Age material - Joe tells the story of its use as the secret teaching at the heart of the Church Universal and Triumphant. And some discussion of Nazi beliefs, which were also influenced by Theosophy.

Frances spent the first 44 years of her life as a Jehovah's Witness. Since leaving, she has dedicated herself to counselling former members. As Frances says, authoritarian cults give members overwhelming and impossible responsibilities. They can also diminish the real responsibilities we should accept. After leaving a cult, it is important to reassess beliefs and responsibilities.

a discussion about the recent D-Day and Memorial Day commemorations, the recognition of PTSD and the recent decision of the American Psychiatric Association to create a Caucus on Peace. We talk about the successes and failures of the Truth and Reconciliation process and the need for dialogue in all fraught situations.

We are delighted to hear that Scientology critic John Sweeney is standing for the UK parliament in the July 2024 elections. John is famous for his 'exploding tomato' response to the taunts of a Scientology agent while filming for BBC Panorama. He subsequently wrote a book about group and has made criticism of Scientology central to his campaign for election as a Liberal Democrat (a UK centre party).

Jon talks with L. Ron Hubbard's great-grandson, beat poet and award-winning filmmaker, Jamie DeWolf, about Scientology, extreme evangelical Christianity, life, philosophy, and belief.

Comedy routine by Stewart Lee: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvf07P7fhu0&t=6913s

Hoyt and Jon discuss what role a family can have in helping their loved one recover from cult involvement.

Jeremy seeks fundamental explanations for life and motivation. He invents a new word a day to better describe his insights. He calls himself a 'psychoproctologist' because he studies the psychology of a-holes (i.e. humans). Jeremy has a different, fascinating, and entirely non pompous view of the world. He was also the inventor of the Sherman Effect, which is the propensity to name things after ourselves.

Shawn describes himself as a sociopath. Using the renowned expert Dr Robert Hare's work, we explore the different forms of human predation that are often confused with one another. Shawn talks about a recent experience in Hawaii that has changed his view of the world.