IndoctriNation

CW: physical & sexual assault against youth Sarah Landry continues the story of her troubling times in and outside of Nithyananda's cult. Wearing a picture of the Swami G around her neck was one of many rituals the 'guru' put in place to elevate his image. Sarah was under Nithyananda's control for 9 years before removing herself, and the necklace. She became one of his most public representatives in 2011 when she started a YouTube channel and gathered a significant following by sharing his teachings. As head of Social Media, she became one of the only adults that the children in his school had access to and could grow to trust. The kids revealed to her that in his school they were being beaten, sleep-deprived and starved. Sarah continues to face backlash as she uses her platforms to publicly denounce Nithyananda's group as a destructive cult. Stay tuned, Before You Go: "Slander becomes the tool of the losers" when an argument is lost. Socrates said this in regard to the defamatory statements and personal digs that are used as reasoning, rather than facing the facts. Narcissists and cult leaders often use libel as protection. Sign the petition to stop Nithyananda: http://chng.it/mtMVLbwNyx See Sarah's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/MaNithyaSudevi Connect on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Sarah_S_Landry or Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ma.nithya.sudevi Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

CW: physical & sexual assault against youth Sarah Landry first discovered Nithyananda at his Vancouver branch, though much of her story takes place within the master guru's pricey "Life Bliss Engineering" program in India. Seeking enlightenment, his disciples endured traumatic punishments to secure his favor and bring them closer to "completion". Sarah spent 9 years in the cult of Nithyananda. She became one of the most public representatives of the cult in 2011 when she started a YouTube channel. She gathered a significant following sharing his teachings on her channel. Due to the channel's popularity, Nithyananda brought her into his inner circle of public disciples and declared her the head of his Social Media team. After discovering that kids in the organization's school were being beaten, sleep deprived and starved-- she is coming forward to publicly denounce the group as a destructive cult. See the "Girl demonstrates Cool SuperPower (Third Eye)" video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtLkzg8bFgA Stay tuned, Before You Go: "I was racist. I was anti-semitic. And I had no problem with that." Rachel describes a conversation she shared with a young man who inherited his father's role as the leader of a hate group. See Sarah's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/MaNithyaSudevi Connect on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Sarah_S_Landry or Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ma.nithya.sudevi She also has beautiful jewelry for sale on Etsy: http://www.etsy.com/shop/TheArtOfGems Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Vanessa LaRose's father worked extremely hard to hire a Scientology counselor because it was the only other option within the rules of the group that could potentially help her with anxiety and depression. She continues explaining how her experience with auditing-- and training to become an auditor-- has impacted her goals. A third video interview with Vanessa is available this weekend on Patreon. She explains more Scientology techniques such as "training routines" that promote dissociation. She also offers tips for restoring your mindfulness and taking back control of your mental health. Support the show as a Patron for perks and extra content! Stay tuned, Before You Go: What are the signs of depression- and what could be causing it? Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

After being disconnected from her Scientologist parents for some time, Vanessa LaRose has decided it's finally time to break ties with the "church". She shares how she found Rachel through an underground network and ironically began to study psychology and therapy after fearing it for so long. Vanessa grew up with some of the top Scientology schooling and businesses. She has agreed to share her experience, though she's still in the process of disconnecting from the organization which includes an intense shunning process. Vanessa shares what she knows about how and why the group worked to become recognized as a religion, and explains some Scientology terms. Stay tuned, Before You Go: Rachel debunks the Oxford personality test distributed to recruit people into Scientology, and invites folks to find out more before taking a test that can alter the way you see yourself. Learn more about the Oxford Personality test from Chris Shelton's video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5F7Tw3XmCA&t=824s Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Stacey Aviva Flint continues sharing her story about her mission to Kenya with the International Churches of Christ. Her one year trip became two years, as she was forced, unexpectedly, to pay her own way after dropping out of college and living homeless in New York for months. Stacey also shares her experiences with therapy while in the group and after choosing to leave. At one point she encountered Kip McKeen, the group's leader. She also describes what she was looking for while recruiting as a missionary, and what was expected of her in this role. Stay tuned, Before You Go: How do people get caught in the paradox of being elevated and devastated at the same time? Rachel reveals how often the rules of a cult put guilt on its followers; simultaneously elevating those with uncompromising loyalty. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Kernan Coleman became an activist and critical thinking advocate after losing loved ones who denied the existence of HIV though they were effected. He shares his encounters with celebrities and their belief systems, and how growing up agnostic affected his skepticism as he navigated the world of entertainment. Kernan brings a vivid language to his perspective on anti-vax culture, and discusses other uses of mysticism that can cloud critical thinking and cause people to act on myths. He advises everyone to steer themselves away from 'grief vampires' that offer false but convenient information to people who have suffered a loss and are searching for answers. Kernan's evolution from 'science geek kid', to credulous new ager, to becoming an advocate for critical thinking and scientific skepticism- is a work in progress. Rachel gives an update on Alan and Dee from storytelling episode, 'Home Invasion'. Stay tuned, Before You Go: Rachel lists some of the 'new agery' myths that can be used to play to the needs of followers to an organization or individual. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Stephen Kent is currently a professor of religious studies and sociology of religion at the University of Alberta in Canada. He continues with Rachel, voicing his perspective on several current political topics. The conversation picks up in discussing the current protests in Hong Kong, and how religious alignment can play a role in developing a biased infrastructure. They were able to converse on a large range of topics including the current global environmental movement, misinformation through private organizations, and the potential effects of alt-right views on the US. Stay tuned, Before You Go: Rachel has some announcements about her upcoming episodes, including a one-on-one informational storytelling episode, similar to 'Home Invasion'. https://soundcloud.com/indoctrinationshow/episode-16-home-invasion Rachel adds her final two cents to the topics discussed, and shares a personal story about the effects of bias as an automated response to change. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Stephen Kent is currently a professor of religious studies and sociology of religion at the University of Alberta in Canada. He shares the knowledge he's acquired over more than thirty years as an academic. Stephen attended University of Maryland in the early seventies and witnessed his campus respond to the Cambodian invasion in protest. Oddly, by the time he came to graduate, he began to notice an increasing popularity of Maharishis, gurus, and cults. These observations inspired Stephen to continue his studies in graduate school with a major in Hinduism and a minor in Gnosticism. Rachel and Stephen's discussion expresses concern for the effects of incentivized academics that are incorporated into cults. Media, marketing, and politicians help to legitimize groups and leaders-- but what are the consequences when they become biased? Stay tuned, Before You Go: While developing an 'inner circle' can be a good source of support, it can be important to have your ideas challenged. Rachel talks about how narcissists rely on the formation of these circles, and often put their followers' reputation on the line rather than their own. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Stacey Aviva Flint was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, and was a spiritual seeker from a young age though her family wasn't tied to a religion. She was approached by a pseudo-Christian cult known as the International Churches of Christ at age 16. The ICOC was run by a man named Kip McKean, and is not affiliated with the mainline Church of Christ. Rachel has memories of the Boston Movement from the 80's, when she attended Boston University. Passing up scholarships and other big dreams, Stacey became a leader in their Nairobi, Kenya and Cleveland, Ohio branches. Emotional and psychological control in this group orchestrated friendships and marriages, alienation from family, financial exploitation, and loss of individual identity. When she started a family with her husband, Stacey realized she was expected to use many strict techniques on her children (withholding food, ignoring their cries, and physical discipline). With the discovery of an international outcry from its members describing years of abuse, Stacey chose to start making her own decisions. Stay tuned, Before You Go: Rachel highlights some signs of dangerous control, and then sends a shout out to someone working hard to end a group's hold on him. Part 2 Coming Soon: Hear more about Stacey's time on a mission for the group in Africa. It is powerful and intense, troubling and very surprising- definitely tune in! Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

When Claudine began to feel that she no longer believed the teachings, she realized that part of Mormon testimony was to avoid "anti-Mormon" literature. Passing up their guilt, Claudine and her husband uncovered original documents and their church's history. Rachel helps Claudine unpack this and other techniques including attributing critical thinking to sin or negative energy. The church has also made several changes to homophobic policies and demanding practices to accommodate its members, which the two discuss. Ultimately Claudine's family chose to leave the Latter Day Saints feeling that there was a lack of transparency and intense social pressures built into their testimonies. Stay tuned, Before You Go: The FLDS, or Former Latter Day Saints, are a cultic offshoot of Mormonism made popular by Warren Jeffs. Rachel shares her story of being asked to come to Texas and offer assistance after the raid on the FLDS compound was carried out, and offers her feedback on how the survivors were helped to assimilate in society. View a copy of the letter Rachel received from the commissioner's office in Texas as a Patreon subscriber! Visit Claudine's website, for post Mormon mental health resources: https://www.postmormonmentalhealth.com/ Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands