Western Fringe

We talk about Sedalia's Brotherhood of the White Temple. Topics include: Egyptology, lizard people, hollow Earth, esoteric Christianity, and the CIA's research into Astral projection.

Sources:

"Found: Page 25 of the CIA’s Gateway Report on Astral Projection" by Vice

"Apocryphon" by The Sword

We discuss Colorado's theosophical cults — The St. Germain Foundation and later the Church Universal and Triumphant. Helena Blavatsky, Nazi esoterica, the Freemasonic roots of St. Germain, the cults movement to Ouray, Colorado and their groundbreaking religious freedom lawsuit, the rise of the Church Universal and Triumphant, including their headquarters in the 1960s at the Broadmoor hotel in Colorado Springs. Also QAnon guy Michael Flynn and his plagiarized Elizabeth Clare Prophet prayer.

Sources:

The Secret History of the World by Mark Booth

An embarrassing amount of Wikipedia

"*******" by Jets to Brazil

[TW: Child abuse, animal mutilation]We talk about the so-called "Satanic panic," Colorado's own history of Satanic Crimes, the modern-day Satanic Temple, and more.

Sources:

Cults That Kill by Larry Kahaner

The Witch Hunt Narrative by Ross Cheit

"Survivors Celebrate the End of the False Memory Syndrome Foundation After 27 Years" by The Mighty

"The Devil Went Down to Denver: The Satanic Temple, Unbaptisms, and Christian Conservatism" by Colorado Times Recorder

"Cry for Judas" by The Mountain Goats

[TW: Child abuse, child sexual abuse]

I'm back from the prolonged break with my friend/new cohost Jenna to discuss the 12 Tribes cult and their many child labor-, child abuse-, and child pornography-related scandals, but also their tasty offerings and quaint local cafes.

Sources:

@DrBlobb's thread

FBI Report

"STATE PROBES CULT IN CHILD-LABOR SCANDAL – ACTING ON HEELS OF POST REPORT" by NY Post

"Protect the Abuser" by Broward Palm Beach New Times

"In Germany's Twelve Tribes sect, cameras catch ‘cold and systematic’ child-beating" by the Independent

"Twelve Tribes sect may have smuggled children to Czech Republic" by Radio Prague International

"Man convicted after 'bizarre' child-porn confession" by Prince George Citizen

"Investigation Finds Children Working in Factory Packaging Beauty Products Sold at Major Retailers" by Inside Edition

"‘They are evil’: Ex-Twelve Tribes members describe child abuse, control inside religious cult" by Denver Post

"Tribal conflict" by Colorado Springs Indy

"Maté Factor's Twelve Tribes community called out by Vice" by Colorado Springs Indy

"God's Got It" by Old Crow Medicine Show

[CW: Drug Abuse, Child Abuse, Animal Abuse, Sexual Assault, Racism] We continue our discussion of new age cults and their disturbing offshoot: cults disguised as drug treatment programs for troubled teens. We discuss Synanon, CEDU, The Seed, Straight Inc. and Enthusiastic Sobriety. 

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We talk about the life and legacy of Werner Erhard. His run-in with Scientology, est, and the other self-help program you can learn about by listening.

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[TW: Mass shooting] This episode looks at New Life Church, which waged "spiritual warfare" in Colorado Springs and abroad, worked to evangelize cadets at the Air Force Academy, and dealt with Pastor Ted Haggard's 2006 gay sex scandal. In 2007, both YWAM's base in Arvada and New Life Church were the site of a mass shooting.

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This is a quick bonus episode, featuring a conversation with Jason Cordova of the Crypto Science Society about Demons.

Additional Reading:

[TW: Sexual Abuse, Racism, Antisemitism] We look at Youth With a Mission, the international ministry started in 1960 by Loren Cunningham, who also came up with what we call the "Seven Mountain Mandate" with Bill Bright, whose Campus Crusade for Christ sold land to a Christian Identity group that planned a version of the Oklahoma City Bombing in 1983. YWAM is also an organization beset with financial and sexual scandals, like a number of evangelical organizations.

We discuss the life and work of James Dobson, and Focus on the Family's influence on the military, anti-LGBTQ policies, and conservative politics in America.