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EPISODE · Apr 9, 2026 · 46 MIN

Why Relationships Feel Impossible After Leaving A Cult

from YWAM Deconstructed

John and Jenny discuss one of the most overlooked consequences of high-demand religious movements: how they reshape the way we form relationships. From trauma bonding and fear-based community to "project-based" friendships and paper-thin trust, they unpack why so many people struggle to rebuild meaningful connections after leaving a cult. Why does conflict feel threatening? Why is trust so difficult to rebuild? Were the relationships inside the group ever real — or were they sustained by fear, elitism, and shared ideology? Drawing from personal experience in both the William Branham movement and Youth With A Mission, John and Jenny explore how high-control environments distort friendship, marriage, community, and identity — and what it looks like to slowly build healthy, grounded relationships again. ______________________ Weaponized Religion: From Christian Identity to the NAR: Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1735160962  Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DCGGZX3K  ______________________ - Support the channel: https://www.patreon.com/branham  - Visit the website: https://william-branham.org

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Girlscamp Hayley Rawle I deconstructed my Mormon faith down to the bone—and when my dad died, the deconstruction shit really hit the fan. Now, Girlscamp isn’t just about what’s fallen apart, but about exploring what might come next.Around the campfire, we’ll swap stories from life after faith shifts, laugh at the quirks of high-demand religion, and dig into the ways Mormonism shows up in our culture—from pop culture and art to media and everyday life. I’ll also sit down with voices ranging from therapists to philosophers to everyday people reimagining belief, as we tackle what it means to live, love, grieve, and grow once certainty is gone.Honest, curious, and a little irreverent—because that’s what Girlscamp is all about. Honoring the Journey Leslie Nease Life is a journey, and we’re all walking our own unique path. But every now and then, we get the chance to step onto someone else’s path, to see the world from their perspective, and to learn from their experiences. That’s what we do here on Honoring the Journey. We walk alongside others, explore their stories, and then step back onto our own path—hopefully with new insights, deeper understanding, and a broader perspective for the journey ahead. Honoring the Journey is hosted by Leslie Nease, a former Christian Radio Host, Speaker & Writer and Contestant on Survivor China known as "Sister Christian". Leslie has since deconstructed her Evangelical beliefs, but is still deeply connected to God and is seeking to understand faith from every perspective. Let's journey together! The Deconstructor’s Club Podcast Alex Vaiz & Bob Azzarito Welcome to the Deconstructors Club podcast. Hosted by Alex Vaiz and Bob Azzarito who both deconstructed from evangelicalism and are now pastors in a mainline church in Sacramento, CA. This podcast was created to offer a space for those who are deconstructing from either evangelicalism, the church institution or faith altogether. Our hope for this podcast is that you can find the topics that we touch on relevant to your experience and to know that you’re not alone in this journey.

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