Cults to Consciousness

Latest Episodes:

They tried to claim my sexuality, I fought back Apr 03, 2024

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*Content Warning: eating disorders, mentions of homophobia* In this follow up episode we’re going to continue with Oceana’s story growing up under the strict Institute in Basic Life Principles run by Bill Gothard who was recently exposed for preying on young girls. She opens up about coming home from the IBLP training camps, her parents’ reaction, how it led to further untreated eating d*sorders, how all of the programming and IBLP culture permeated into her adult life, and how it’s sti...

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Surviving IBLP Training Center at 15 Years Old & 90 lbs Apr 02, 2024

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*Content Warning: eating disorders, self harm* Further shedding light on the Institute in Basic Life Principles run by Bill Gothard who was recently exposed for preying on young girls, is Oceana who grew up living by their rules. Extreme patriarchy, silencing and sexualization of women and blaming those who are being hurt, are just a few things that create compounded trauma. Oceana fought through untreated eating d*sorders, because therapists were considered sinful, as well as the mental heal...

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“Let Us Prey” | Survivors Seek Justice Against IFB Youth Pastors Mar 15, 2024

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The Independent Fundamental Baptist church is known for having extreme views on “worldly” things. Women are over-sexualized to the point where even the very young are blamed and punished for “temping” men into hurting them. Kathy was one of those young women. Her pastor purposely protected the perp and she was ostracized by family, friends and other church members. Our previous episode with her (linked below) illustrates the awful details of her childhood. In this episode, we speak more on th...

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My IFB Youth Pastor Groomed Me. I Was Blamed. Mar 14, 2024

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*Content Warning: child sex abuse, child abuse, rape, mentions of attempted suicide* When purity culture is front and center in a strict religious organization, youth are blamed for being preyed on by adults. It creates an unsafe environment for those who don’t understand boundaries, consent, grooming, or have any s*x education at all to even have proper vocabulary for what might be happening to them. Kathy Durbin explains this harmful culture and how she was ultimately a survivor of it. She ...

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A Sinister Look into the Controlling IFB Church ft. Preacher Boys Podcast Mar 06, 2024

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The cult doc “Let Us Prey” on HBO, highlights the issues within the high control religious group Independent Fundamental Baptist, of which Eric was a part of. From the covering up of predatory behavior of the leaders, to extreme patriarchal control which blames victims and breeds perpetrators, Eric walks us through what his life was like being isolated in this group until his adult years. Which eventually led him and his wife to belong to another cult like group!Watch this episode on YouTube ...

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Prosecuting Yoga “Guru” BIKRAM for Sexual Assault & Blacklisting Mar 05, 2024

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*Content Warning: rape and sexual assault* Yoga instructor Larissa Anderson took yoga “guru” Bikram Choudhury to court for s*xual assault and blacklisting her yoga business after Larissa rejected a s*xual advance by Bikram (who had r*ped her before). He refused to promote her studio and she was blacklisted from the Bikram Yoga community.At the time of the s*xual assault, Bikram had already personally approved her studio down to the floor plan and knew that Larissa had begun negotiating ...

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Falling Prey to BIKRAM: Yoga Guru, Founder, Predator Mar 04, 2024

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“Guru” Bikram was responsible for bringing hot yoga to the states and popularizing it. Without realizing, Larissa Anderson was slowly groomed by her then boyfriend and yoga studio owner to seamlessly fall right into Bikram’s hands. He would eventually request massages from Larissa in front of hundreds of students and get more and more bold when they were alone together.Larissa underwent the intense 9 week bootcamp-style training to become an official Bikram yoga teacher so that she coul...

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How Narcissistic Yoga Guru Jagat Exploited Her Followers Feb 24, 2024

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First, there was Guru Bhajan. A self proclaimed master of what he called Kundalini Yoga. Later known as an ab*ser on every level, he died and left a gaping hole in the Western market for the next “master” to step in as a celebrity Guru. Enter Guru Jagat. A charismatic female leader who started her own school, attracting young, enthusiastic millennials who wore all white with turbans to her classes. Filled with promises of enlightenment, abundance and more, one of her followers, Charlotte, bec...

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Mormons Vs Ex Mormons: Who REALLY Won This Cringey Debate? ft. Mormon Stories Feb 23, 2024

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Is Mormonism a cult? Jubilee’s “Middleground” had on a panel of current believing Mormons and ex-Mormons to debate this and other nuanced topics. Join us, along with one of the ex-Mormon panelists, Dr. John Dehlin of @mormonstories as we dive deeper into some of the more “cringeworthy” responses, and un-aired behind the scenes details, to decide who really won.Click here to watch this episode & see on screen photosCheck out Jublilee's "Can Mormons and Ex Mormons See Eye ...

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I Married a Yoga Guru Con Man Feb 21, 2024

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Harvard graduate Joelle Tamraz, was young, enthusiastic and a perfect target for a fake yoga guru. Seeking enlightenment, purpose and peace, she came across a man who swept her off her feet and used spiritual manipulation to eventually exploit her and her family out of thousands of dollars. He told wild stories of channelling and inhabiting someone else’s body to justify cheating right in front of her face. Find out how after 18 years, despite having built a yoga studio together, she was able...

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