Multi-Layered Trauma w/ Jon Sawyer

An episode of the IndoctriNation podcast, hosted by IndoctriNation, titled "Multi-Layered Trauma w/ Jon Sawyer" was published on February 2, 2022 and runs 50 minutes.

February 2, 2022 ·50m · IndoctriNation

0:00 / 0:00

Summary

Jon Sawyer was raised in two homes influenced by both high-demand religion and secular worldviews. Prior to his parent's divorce at the age of four, his family was involved with both Transcendental Meditation (TM) and Christian Science. Shortly after his parent's divorce, his mother took a secular route, while his father converted to Pentecostal and charismatic Christianity. While Jon's father sprinkled elements of TM and Christian Science into his childhood, his dad's newfound evangelical Christian faith fixated on the end of the world, divine healing, speaking in tongues, and the "prosperity gospel." When Jon was fifteen, he converted to Mormonism. From the age of fifteen to thirty-five, Jon was involved with various high-demand religious groups that were associated with both charismatic Christianity and Mormonism. As a teen who was deeply conflicted about his attraction to the same sex, Jon attended the now-defunct Spirit Life Bible College (SLBC)-associated with Roberts Liardon Ministries-in Orange County, CA. While at SLBC, Jon experienced multiple sessions of exorcism and conversion therapies that were aimed at "healing" his sexual identity. When Jon was twenty-six, he became involved with Sovereign Grace Churches: a group that began during the charismatic Jesus Movement of the 1970s and eventually adopted a neo-Calvinist theology that emphasized strict gender roles and courtship practices. Jon separated from organized religion six years ago, at the age of 35. Since that time, Jon has benefited from somatic therapy, completed both a BA and MA in education, and is currently a doctoral student and researcher at the University of Colorado Boulder. Partly due to the influence of his experiences with high-demand religious groups, Jon now studies the intersection of education policy and anti-discrimination law. In this second half of Jon's two-part conversation with Rachel, he shares some of his most traumatic religious experiences going through exorcisms and "conversion therapy" at Spirit Life Bible College. Rachel provides further background on "conversion therapy" outlining its dangerous and often hypocritical roots. Together Jon and Rachel unpack the damaging culture of homophobia in the church and offer hope for recovery to those who have been traumatized. Before You Go: Rachel breaks down the unnerving hubris of religious groups who aim to change the sexual or gender identity of others by forcing them to conform to their own rigid and intolerant beliefs. You can contact Jon here: [email protected] Find Rachel's book "Now I Know: Kids Talking To Kids About Divorce..." here: www.amazon.com/Now-I-Know-Rachel…ein/dp/1620867893 Thanks to all our Patreon supporters! We truly couldn't make the show without you! To help support the show monthly and sign up for cool Indoctrination shirts and tote bags, please visit: www.patreon.com/indoctrination Prefer to support the IndoctriNation show with a one-time donation? Use this link: www.paypal.me/indoctriNATION You can help the show for free by leaving a rating on Spotify or Apple/ iTunes. It really helps the visibility of the show! Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Episode Description

Jon Sawyer was raised in two homes influenced by both high-demand religion and secular worldviews. Prior to his parent's divorce at the age of four, his family was involved with both Transcendental Meditation (TM) and Christian Science. Shortly after his parent's divorce, his mother took a secular route, while his father converted to Pentecostal and charismatic Christianity. While Jon's father sprinkled elements of TM and Christian Science into his childhood, his dad's newfound evangelical Christian faith fixated on the end of the world, divine healing, speaking in tongues, and the "prosperity gospel." When Jon was fifteen, he converted to Mormonism. From the age of fifteen to thirty-five, Jon was involved with various high-demand religious groups that were associated with both charismatic Christianity and Mormonism. As a teen who was deeply conflicted about his attraction to the same sex, Jon attended the now-defunct Spirit Life Bible College (SLBC)-associated with Roberts Liardon Ministries-in Orange County, CA. While at SLBC, Jon experienced multiple sessions of exorcism and conversion therapies that were aimed at "healing" his sexual identity. When Jon was twenty-six, he became involved with Sovereign Grace Churches: a group that began during the charismatic Jesus Movement of the 1970s and eventually adopted a neo-Calvinist theology that emphasized strict gender roles and courtship practices. Jon separated from organized religion six years ago, at the age of 35. Since that time, Jon has benefited from somatic therapy, completed both a BA and MA in education, and is currently a doctoral student and researcher at the University of Colorado Boulder. Partly due to the influence of his experiences with high-demand religious groups, Jon now studies the intersection of education policy and anti-discrimination law. In this second half of Jon's two-part conversation with Rachel, he shares some of his most traumatic religious experiences going through exorcisms and "conversion therapy" at Spirit Life Bible College. Rachel provides further background on "conversion therapy" outlining its dangerous and often hypocritical roots. Together Jon and Rachel unpack the damaging culture of homophobia in the church and offer hope for recovery to those who have been traumatized. Before You Go: Rachel breaks down the unnerving hubris of religious groups who aim to change the sexual or gender identity of others by forcing them to conform to their own rigid and intolerant beliefs. You can contact Jon here: [email protected] Find Rachel's book "Now I Know: Kids Talking To Kids About Divorce..." here: www.amazon.com/Now-I-Know-Rachel…ein/dp/1620867893 Thanks to all our Patreon supporters! We truly couldn't make the show without you! To help support the show monthly and sign up for cool Indoctrination shirts and tote bags, please visit: www.patreon.com/indoctrination Prefer to support the IndoctriNation show with a one-time donation? Use this link: www.paypal.me/indoctriNATION You can help the show for free by leaving a rating on Spotify or Apple/ iTunes. It really helps the visibility of the show!

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Share this episode

Similar Episodes

The Butterfly, The Dog and The Sparrow (re-upload)

Dec 27, 2025 ·25m

Similar Podcasts

Knowland Knows on Odysee Knowland Knows Are you sick of woke-washing in education? Free speech distinguishes education from indoctrination.I taught at Eton College before I was fired because 'The Patriarchy Paradox' caused offence. My degree is in English Language and Literature, but my interests are broad. In E. R. Curtius’s famous definition in 'European Literature and the Latin Middle Ages', literature is ‘the great intellectual and spiritual tradition of Western culture as given form in language’.Because that tradition is under attack, I post a video transmitting it every Monday at 5pm. Solzhenitsyn knew that to 'destroy a people, you must first sever their roots'. Reconnect to your roots here to resist the attack and rebuild.If you would like access to exclusive content, please join my Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/knowlandknowsFor help with your studies in English, whether one-to-one or in groups, please contact me for online tutoring below The Secret Kindergarten | For Young Children Gino Volante The Secret Kindergarten is here to support parents of young children. We provide a freedom-minded podcast, for young children (roughly aged 2.5 to 7), that is guaranteed to be free of indoctrination and sinister agendas. There are carefully curated undertones in the content that promote Natural Law principles because The Secret Kindergarten affirms what young children already know. An enjoyable podcast for the whole family that is thought provoking, fun and encourages connecting with our young.The Secret Kindergarten is created and hosted by Gino Volante, an ex-ECE teacher. Gino wants to see young children bonded with caring adults in the right way. This will affirm their connection with Nature, which will naturally push back against the indoctrination agendas and create a future of freedom for humanity.https://thesecretkindergarten.com/The Secret Kindergarten Queer Story Time The Podcast Stevie Inghram *Welcome to Queer Story Time The Podcast!*QST is a brave space for sharing queer and trans stories of radical affirmation, acceptance, empowerment, and healing. Join your host, Stevie Inghram, a queer and trans femme, as they guide you through meaningful and insightful conversations with queer, trans, and ally guests that shed light on the lived experiences of those in gender and sexually expansive communities.Queer Story Time is not about indoctrination or influence; it's about education, elevation, and empowerment. Our mission is to humanize queer and trans experiences and provide a platform for transforming hearts and minds. Alongside our diverse guests, we explore topics ranging from gender and sexually affirming healthcare to mental health, spirituality, tools for well-being, navigating trauma, coming out, and educating parents, healthcare professionals, and institutions. If a topic requires expertise beyond our reach, we'll ensure to bring in knowledgeable experts.Episodes are