IHSTS - Ep. 14 - He Ordained Himself In His Bathtub

Content note: religious trauma and coercive control, with a brief, non-graphic mention of a real criminal case involving child sexual abuse material.Jay from the Pinkpill Rx podcast joins Megan solo to finally tell the full story: walking into a "church" at 18 and not walking out for almost a decade. They break down how it happened — isolation from family and friends, a schedule built to consume every free hour, tithing and labor that drained him dry, and a leader who literally ordained himself an elder in his own bathtub. Plus: what actually separates religion from a cult, what happened when the group collapsed, Adlerian psychology, who really holds power, Megan's own deconstruction story, and why rage letters and screaming into a lake are underrated coping tools.KEY TIMESTAMPS0:00 Welcome Back, Jay2:25 The Unread Email Game9:07 The Doom Basket Hack10:53 Age 18: Walking Into a High-Control Church14:59 Chasing Something That Felt Real17:09 First Red Flags: Dress Codes and Targeted Sermons19:29 Cut Off From Family and Friends21:14 A Schedule Built to Own You22:31 Tithing, Labor, and Financial Abuse23:21 Where Religion Ends and a Cult Begins33:12 What His Parents Got Wrong37:33 How the Group Fell Apart40:10 The Arrest44:41 Self-Ordained in His Bathtub48:44 Purpose, Power, and Adlerian Psychology1:03:20 Who Actually Has the Power1:11:03 Rage Letters and Screaming It Out1:19:38 The Big Takeaway: Someone to Leave ToSTANDOUT QUOTES"The only difference between organized religion and a cult is the ability to ask questions.""He was never ordained an elder anywhere — he ordained himself in his bathtub at home.""Love someone so fiercely when they're leaning into toxic stuff that they always have someone to leave to."THERAPIST'S TOOLKIT1. When I ask hard questions in my relationships, groups, or workplace, am I met with real answers — or with guilt, silence, or punishment?2. Do the people closest to me have their own longstanding relationships outside of me, or have those slowly disappeared?3. If someone I love needs to leave a person, group, or situation, have I stayed close enough that they have somewhere to go?RESOURCESInternational Cultic Studies Association: internationalculticstudies.orgSpiritual Abuse Resources: spiritualabuseresources.comPinkpill Rx with Katie & Jay Fillmore: open.spotify.com/show/17IElgp7KjoyjS1mXvUq9wCRISIS SUPPORT988 – Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (call, text, or chat)Text HOME to 741741 – Crisis Text LineFind a Therapist: Psychology Today – psychologytoday.com/usCONNECT WITH USEmail: [email protected]: @ihavesh_ttosayTikTok: IHaveSh_tToSayCREDITSHost: Megan Campbell, LCPC, ATR-BCGuest: Jay Fillmore (Pinkpill Rx)Producer: Brian T PrairieOperations Manager: MacKenzie CloyDISCLAIMERThis podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only and is not a substitute for professional mental health treatment. If you are in crisis, call or text 988, or text HOME to 741741.New episodes every two weeks on Tuesdays.