From Cults to Clarity: Michelle Stewart’s Journey Out of Religious Control

Send us Fan Mail What happens when obedience becomes survival, and silence is enforced through fear of eternal damnation?In this episode of The Angela Rose Show, I sit down with Michelle Stewart, activist, survivor, and author of JUDAS GIRL. Michelle grew up moving through a series of religious cults, including Hutterite, Bruderhof, Russian Orthodox, and an off-grid Amish-style commune led by a former Pathway Publishing editor. Each group claimed to hold “truth,” but used fear, shame, and religious coercion to suppress identity, voice, and thought.🔍 We explore:Why Michelle used the word cult, and what actually qualifies as oneGender hierarchy, obedience, and early objectification in Hutterite and Bruderhof lifeThe psychological toll of being called “worse than Judas” by her father at age 14Her struggle to reconcile faith, autonomy, and loyalty as a teenage church memberThe role purity culture played in grooming, coercion, and sexual violationHow indoctrination prevented her from recognizing abuse, and her own worthThe impact of untreated mental illness and betrayal within religious systemsThe life-saving power of education, language, and the right resourcesMichelle’s story is one of surviving impossible choices, reclaiming power, and choosing to name the truth, even when it’s not welcome. As she says in the episode:“You can only make choices from the mindset you know.”📕 Her memoir JUDAS GIRL doesn’t offer a tidy ending.. It offers validation, insight, and a path toward clarity.🛑 Trigger warning: This episode includes honest discussions of sexual abuse, spiritual manipulation, and suicide ideation. Please take care as you listen.💬 If something in this conversation resonates with your story, comment below or message privately. You’re not alone.📕 Get the BookJUDAS GIRL by Michelle StewartAlso available on Amazon and major bookseller platforms🔗 Follow Michelle Stewart:Instagram: @michelle_stewart_author - https://www.instagram.com/michelle_stewart_authorFacebook: @Michelle-StewartAuthor-61552318056042 - https://www.facebook.com/p/Michelle-StewartAuthor-61552318056042/Michelle Stewart's Official Website: https://michellestewartauthor.com/🔗 Follow Angela Rose:Instagram: @angelarosemartinFacebook: @angelarosemartinTikTok: @angelaroseshow🔖 Crisis Support ResourcesIf you or someone you know is in crisis, please reach out to one of the following:Crisis Text Line – Text TWLOHA to 741741Suicide & Crisis Lifeline – Call 988National Child Abuse Hotline – Call 800-422-4453National Domestic Violence Hotline – Call 800-799-7233RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) – Call 800-656-4673You are not alone. Help is available. Support the show