PODCAST · society
Cult Hackers
by Cult Hackers
A podcast about cult hacking! Cracking the code to understand what cults are, how they work, how people leave and how to make sense of the world after leaving.Father and daughter team, media graduate Celine and former cult member, now organizational psychologist Stephen, explore how cults work, why they are so dangerous and the experience of leaving and making sense of the world. They speak to cult hackers from all over the world, from ex members to academics, from writers to filmmakers, and from therapists to activists.Copyright Stephen Mather 2022
Episodes
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Introducing a new podcast: Matter Over Mind
Introducing Matter Over Mind. Former Cult Hackers host, Stephen has let his daughter Celine have some time off, and instead has recruited her fiancé, Thomas to explore the mysteries of the Universe through physics and psychology. Thomas is an experimental physicist and Stephen is a Business...
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Challenging Leadership
Introducing Challenging Leadership, a new podcast with Stephen and Jared. Check out Season 1 now - Season 2 coming soon. https://pod.link/1712306504
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The End is Nigh: Our last ever Cult Hackers Podcast.
This is our last ever Cult Hackers podcast. We say goodbye and thank you to all our listeners and supporters over the years We also explore our final topic of the podcast, that of tribes, and ask whether we are experiencing the cultification of the internet through social media platforms. If…
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Why are there riots in the UK?
The UK has seen a week of rioting and civil disorder. What is the background, why are people rioting? And reflections from the previous episode about whether culture needs defending in light of these events. Contact us: https://www.culthackers.com/contact
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Does Culture Need Defending?
Was my upbringing as a Jehovah's Witness a multicultural one? Does culture need defending? Should we accept all cultural differences? Is the UK an Islamic country as is claimed by J D Vance? Can different cultural practices live side by side? What is the link between culture and cults? Do...
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Rituals: The Mind's Magic Trick
Rituals are powerful. They have been a part of our shared culture since the beginning - why? And how do cults use them? To talk to us: https://www.culthackers.com/contact To become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/culthackers/posts References: The Psychology of Rituals: An Integrative Review and...
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Getting pushed around: A tyranny of nudges
Today's episode explores Nudge Theory, more correctly Behavioral Economics and how too many nudges can start to make us feel pushed around. Referenced paper https://www.nber.org/system/files/working_papers/w20007/w20007.pdf Contact us: https://www.culthackers.com/contact
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Why quitting can be good
Quitting is often treated as a sign of a weak character, but for those of us who quit a toxic cultic group it was one of the best things we've ever done. In this episode Stephen looks at some of the research on quitting and why we need to get good at knowing when to do it. Stephen also uses the...
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The world votes and so do I
In this episode Stephen reflects upon what it's like to be prevented from voting, the psychological consequences of being a social bystander and having no stake in society, and the feeling of then being able to be part of the democratic process. Also reflections on democracy under attack. Contact...
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The Infected Blood Scandal: Reflections of an Ex Jehovah's Witness
Stephen reflects upon the infected blood scandal affecting thousands of people and how it relates to his own former religious beliefs, conspiracies and questions about institutions. Kacey's Research Questionnaire and Information BBC Reporting into children being exposed to infected blood Copy of...
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Cults, addiction, politics, religion, intrigue and big worms: Dune
This special episode is about the Frank Herbert story, Dune, including the recent film adaptation. This story covers many of the topics we've been interested in over the years doing the podcast and we hope you enjoy this discussion about a shared favourite of ours. More news to come soon about…
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The Importance of Having a Voice and Podcast News
After 267 episodes we've decided that's the end of season 1. In the final episode of the season Celine and Stephen explore why leavers of cults and coercively controlling religions feel the need to express themselves about their experience. To reach out to us: https://www.culthackers.com/ To…
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Order, obedience, compliance and silence: Kendra Petty's story.
Our guest today is Kendra Petty, author of the memoir "I Can't Believe I'm Not Dead". Coercively controlled by her mother and a child member of a fundamentalist Christian group, only to leave and experience multiple threats to her life. It's an extraordinary story and Kendra is an engaging and...
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Is Religion Good For You?
Celine raises the question whether there is a link between religious belief and long life. Following the Netflix series Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones the question of whether religious belief increases wellbeing is discussed by Stephen and Celine. Is there good data to suggest there is a...
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Filmmaker Carmel Mikol talks Apostate, her Short Documentary Film
This week Celine and Stephen's guest is Carmel Mikol, a filmmaker, musician, artist and former Jehovah's Witness. Carmel talks about her own experience as a young Witness finding herself in an abusive marriage and her difficulties escaping the relationship and then leaving the group. Carmel talks...
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Behaving Badly for the Org.
A high profile case of people behaving appallingly on behalf of an organisation is big news in the UK, known as the Post Office scandal. The question of why people do unethical things to support the business, religion or cult to which they belong, has been researched and is multi-faceted. Today...
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Interview With Apostate Barbie
Celine and Stephen are joined by Micki, AKA Apostate Barbie, from Instagram and Tic Tok. Micki tells us about her journey out of the Jehovah's Witnesses. Challenging an aunt about outlandish QANON conspiracy theories, made her consider her own beliefs - not the first time we've heard our guests...
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Bonus Crossover: Magical Thinking Part 2
A follow-up to the conversation Stephen had with Spencer Watson from the Truth Unrestricted Podcast about magical thinking. This time Stephen was a guest on Spencer's show and this audio is brought to you by his permission. They discuss developmental psychology and how babies and children develop...
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Legal Fights: Jehovah’s Witnesses Vs Norway, with Jan Frode Nilsen
Jan Frode Nilsen has a long-form interview with Stephen about his work exposing the damaging shunning policies of Jehovah's Witnesses, and his appearance as a witness for the Norwegian government in recent court cases. He also talks about his own experience as a former member raised in the group....
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Finding Friends After Leaving a Cult; Patron Takeover
Losing friends, making new ones, reuniting with old ones, all at the same time as finding yourself. Friendships can be a tricky thing after leaving a cult. This week some of the Cult Hacker Patreon supporters join Celine and Stephen on a panel of former Jehovah's Witnesses, to explore the process...
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Bonus Audio Blog: Am I Awake Yet?
This short bonus episode is the audio version of a blog Stephen recently published on Medium. Many leavers of high control religions use 'waking up' as a metaphor for realising the group we had been a member of had been telling us lies, and that we had a warped worldview. The film 'The Matrix'...
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Living in Keith Green’s Cult Commune; Last Days Ministries
In the late 70s Sharon and Tracey were attracted to "The Jesus People" and joined the Last Days Ministries, living on a cult commune as teenagers with rock star Keith Green and the community he built. As teenagers they believed Jesus return would happen in 1981 and that they would be saved if…
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The Cultic Bug In The System
For this week's podcast Celine and Stephen discuss the "software bug" inherent in human beings that makes us vulnerable to cults and their leaders. The article on Medium https://medium.com/ To reach out to us: https://www.culthackers.com/ To become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/culthackers/posts
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Understanding Magical Thinking with Spencer Watson
This week Stephen talks to Spencer Watson from the Truth Unrestricted Podcast about the question of 'Magical Thinking'. What is it? How is it different from scientific thinking? Why is it attractive? Why do ex cult members have a special interest in it? and many more questions. It's a bumper...
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Deconstructing the Certainty of Fundamentalism with Olivia Jackson
When you're a member of a fundamentalist religious group, you find comfort in the certain knowledge that you have "The Truth". Leaving is partly a journey of coming to terms with uncertainty. Olivia Jackson herself a former member of such a group, has created an impressive piece of work, where…
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Cult Hackers Birthday Party
Join the party to listen to some of our nearly 100 hundred different guests over the last three years. We chat over a glass of virtual bubbly to ex members of groups such as Jehovah's Witnesses, Children of God, NXIVM, Rajneeshpuram, Evangelicalism, Amish, Christian Fundamentalism and…
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Discovering who you are after the cult, with Rachel Bernstein
Celine and Stephen speak to cult expert, therapist and podcaster, Rachel Bernstein about her introduction into the topic, her work as a therapist helping leavers and her thoughts on the anti-cult ecosystem. Such a thrill to speak to Rachel about her work, her experiences and her insights into...
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White Christian Nationalism and Conspiracy Theories
Today we're joined by Cynane, a former member of a fundamentalist Christian group. Cynane is writing a book about the links between Fundamentalism, white Christian Nationalism and conspiracy theories. Cynane talks about her life as an evangelical Christian and how lizard people and space lasers…
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What The Stanford Prison Experiment Tells Us About Cults
It's perhaps the most famous psychological study ever but what does it really tell us? And what might it tell us about cults? In the 1970s Professor Philip Zimbardo created a simulated prison in the basement of a college building, separating volunteer students into the roles of prisoners and…
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”Feeling like a misfit”: Creative Struggles and Triumphs with Witness Underground
Stephen speaks to Scott Homan, Ryan Sutter, Anthony Mathenia, Denise Wise and Micah Allen Losch from the Witness Underground team. In this special episode each former Jehovah's Witness speaks about their struggle to find creative expression while a member, and their journey of self discovery as...
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Taking on Gloriavale with Human Rights Lawyer, Stephen Patterson
Human rights lawyer, Stephen Patterson joins us today to talk about his work representing ex-members of the New Zealand based Gloriavale religious group. Stephen provides insights into life in the group thanks to his many conversations with former members. It's some of the worst exploitation…
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Sci-fi saviours with cult kids, Riley and Stephen
In this bonus episode Riley joins Stephen to go deep into the philosophy and meaning behind childhood TV and film favourites from the perspective of indoctrinated young (at the time) Jehovah's Witnesses. Oh yeah and they liked the space ships and theme tunes. Share this podcast with a friend...
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”What gets measured gets done!”, Jehovah’s Witnesses stop counting time - Reaction
A major driver of the culture within Jehovah's Witnesses has been the requirement to count and record time spent on the door to door and other witnessing work. A recent announcement at the JW AGM has informed the rank and file members that they will no longer be asked to report on their ministry....
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Dennis Tourish on The Dark Side of Charismatic Leaders
Our guest today is Dennis Tourish, Professor of Leadership and Organization Studies at The University of Sussex. He's an academic and author with a particular interest in charismatic and transformational leadership within organizations including businesses. He's studied organizations such as…
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Exposing cultic abuse with Dr Alexandra Stein
A big welcome back to Dr Alexandra Stein onto the podcast, updating us on her work exposing cults and educating people about their dangers. She talks about the BBC documentary 'A Very British Cult' and other media appearances, her role in the Family Survival Trust as well as her work for the…
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The psychological ABC of Conspiracism and Cults
Celine and Stephen explore how overarching conspiracy theories and cults highjack fundamental psychological needs to make them attractive. Are we living in a time with a particularly fertile ground for the growth of these ideas? What part do men like Donald Trump, Russell Brand, Elon Musk, Rupert...
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Purity Culture And the Damage it Does, with Kendra Bryan
Celine and Stephen are joined today by Kendra Bryan who was raised in a fundamentalist Christian group. Kendra describes her experience of purity culture, the "Quiverfull movement", the Duggars, attitudes towards women and child raising and the damage it does. She also talks about her escape into...
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Cultic Motivation
Today Celine and Stephen explore the various theories related to how organizations motivate people and how they can be applied to cults. If you'd like to support Stephen's charity bike ride from Lands End to John o'Groats you can do so here: To reach out to us: https://www.culthackers.com/ To...
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Bonus LEJOG update: Failing Publicly?
Stephen is back home after his attempt at the Land's End to John O'Groats cycle. He talks about his ride - the highs and lows and how he feels about the word failure.
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Cult hopping with Sue Winter
Our guest today Sue Winter describes herself as a cult hopper and analyses her experiences of coercive control in the family in a religious group and in a commercial setting. She also raises the issue of the exploitation of older people through cultic practices within organizations. If you'd like...
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Anti-cult activism: Hate, disgruntlement or something else?
Why do people do activism, write books or make podcasts after they've left a cultic group? Is it down to hate? Are they just disgruntled former members? A good-faith attempt to address the question of why so many ex members choose to take action or talk about their experience. If you'd like to...
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“Silenced in Eden” with Jo Lloyd Johnson
Jo Lloyd Johnson is an artist and author who escaped a charismatic, fundamentalist Christian cultic group. She has written about this experience in her insightful and touching book called 'Silenced in Eden'. In this week's episode Jo talks about the abuse she suffered as a child, purity culture,...
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Learning About Cults With Kacey from The Cult Vault
This week our guest is Kacey from the Cult Vault, one of the leading podcasts about cults. Kacey talks about starting up a podcast, what she's learned about cults and her plans for the future. It was great to talk to her! To support Stephen's ride in aid of the Family Survival Trust you can…
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The Psychology of Cults Miniseries Part 7: Finding Identity After Leaving a Cult
In this special, last of the current season of miniseries episodes about the psychology of cults, we are releasing the recording of Stephen's presentation to the International Cultic Studies Association (ICSA) Conference in 2022. This presentation is based upon Stephen's research for his...
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Is there a UFO cult inside the Pentagon?
Today Stephen and Celine look at the news about claims of UFOs and UAP at the Congressional Hearing on July 26th 2023. This podcast has asked before, what would religious fundamentalists make of the existence of extra terrestrial life? What do we actually know about this story? What was said…
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The Psychology of Cults Miniseries Part 6: Managing a Cult
In our ongoing miniseries into the psychology of cults Stephen explores how cults manage their activity, including the similarities and differences between cultic groups and more orthodox organizations. What does the org chart look like? How do they use Key Performance Indicators and how do they...
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Inside The Mind of a Teenage Fundamentalist
Today we welcome back Brian and Troy from the 'I was a teenage fundamentalist' podcast. What are the thinking processes of a fundamentalist? What's it like to speak in tongues? Why did Stephen get a little bit scared when he asked the question? And why did one of them simulate giving birth in...
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The Psychology of Cults Miniseries Part 5: Organizational Change
Today on the psychology of cults miniseries, Stephen uses the tools of Organizational Psychology to explain how organizations respond to external pressures to change. Implications include what we can expect religious cults to do to respond to accusations of abuse, and how we should shape public...
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Cults on Film: The Truman Show
In this episode Celine and Stephen do a cult reading of the classic movie The Truman Show, directed by Peter Weir, starring Jim Carey, Laura Linney, Noah Emmerich and Natascha McElhone. What are the parallels to growing up in a cult? How does the cult leader rationalise his actions? How do…
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The Psychology of Cults Miniseries Part 4: Cult Leadership
On our continuing miniseries on the psychology of cults, this week Stephen explores how cult leaders often employ charismatic tactics to influence their followers. Stephen uses the organizational psychological research to compare charismatic leadership in cults to those in ethical organizations....
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
A podcast about cult hacking! Cracking the code to understand what cults are, how they work, how people leave and how to make sense of the world after leaving.Father and daughter team, media graduate Celine and former cult member, now organizational psychologist Stephen, explore how cults work, why they are so dangerous and the experience of leaving and making sense of the world. They speak to cult hackers from all over the world, from ex members to academics, from writers to filmmakers, and from therapists to activists.Copyright Stephen Mather 2022
HOSTED BY
Cult Hackers
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Cult Hackers have?
Cult Hackers currently has 278 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Cult Hackers about?
A podcast about cult hacking! Cracking the code to understand what cults are, how they work, how people leave and how to make sense of the world after leaving.Father and daughter team, media graduate Celine and former cult member, now organizational psychologist Stephen, explore how cults work, why...
How often does Cult Hackers release new episodes?
Cult Hackers publishes regularly with 278 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Cult Hackers?
You can listen to Cult Hackers on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Cult Hackers?
Cult Hackers is created and hosted by Cult Hackers.
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