267 episodes

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

Cult Hackers Cult Hackers

    • Society & Culture
    • 4.9 • 29 Ratings

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

    The Importance of Having a Voice and Podcast News

    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 become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/culthackers/posts
     

    • 46 min
    Order, obedience, compliance and silence: Kendra Petty's story.

    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 fascinating guest.
    Kendra's website https://kendrapettyofficial.com/
    To reach out to us: https://www.culthackers.com/

    • 57 min
    Is Religion Good For You?

    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 link? If there is, is it a causal relationship or can it be explained through other factors. Is "belief" itself the key or is it what the belief might make you do? Also should we care about the "truth claims" that religions often make?
    To reach out to us: https://www.culthackers.com/
    To become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/culthackers/posts
     

    • 1 hr 6 min
    Filmmaker Carmel Mikol talks Apostate, her Short Documentary Film

    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 about the misogynistic attitudes and policies within the group and the damage they can do to young women. She also provides the Governing Body with some helpful advice about how to make the organisation a more equitable environment and nicer place to be.
    Her short film is called Apostasy https://www.carmelmikol.com/film
    Carmel’s Instagram is @apostatefilm
    To reach out to us: https://www.culthackers.com/
    To become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/culthackers/posts
     

    • 1 hr 5 min
    Behaving Badly for the Org.

    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 Stephen and Celine explore the psychological research into "Unethical Pro-organizational Behavior" as it relates to businesses but also cultic religious groups. They explore possible social reasons but also the Dark Triad of personality traits that may, in some cases, be at play. 
    To reach out to us: https://www.culthackers.com/
    To become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/culthackers/posts
    Next week's guest, Carmel Mikol's docuemtery film:
    https://www.carmelmikol.com/film
    References and links
    explainer https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-56718036.amp
    Fehr, R., Welsh, D., Yam, K. C., Baer, M., Wei, W., & Vaulont, M. (2019). The role of moral decoupling in the causes and consequences of unethical pro-organizational behavior. Organizational behavior and human decision processes, 153, 27-40.
    Stone, D. L., Deadrick, D. L., Lukaszewski, K. M., & Johnson, R. (2015). The influence of technology on the future of human resource management. Human resource management review, 25(2), 216-231.
    Chen, M., Chen, C. C., & Sheldon, O. J. (2016, April 21). Relaxing Moral Reasoning to Win: How Organizational Identification Relates to Unethical Pro-Organizational Behavior. Journal of Applied Psychology. Advance online publication. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/apl0000111
    LeBreton, J. M., Shiverdecker, L. K., & Grimaldi, E. M. (2018). The dark triad and workplace behavior. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior, 5, 387-414.
     

    • 58 min
    Interview With Apostate Barbie

    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 speak of this type of exit, from Christian Fundamentalist beliefs. Micki talks about the help and support she has experienced from other former Jehovah's Witnesses and also some of her observations about ex Jehovah's Witness communities in general.
    Micki's Social Media
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/apostatebarbie/
    Tik Tok: @apostatebarbie
    Cult Hackers 
    To reach out to us: https://www.culthackers.com/
    To become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/culthackers/posts
     
     

    • 1 hr 1 min

Customer Reviews

4.9 out of 5
29 Ratings

29 Ratings

Shazzzzzam ,

Excellent!!!

I totally appreciate the approach of the hosts, their keen insight into complex issues, their warmth and humanity, and the array of experts they tap into. Really worth your time to listen.

CynaneShay ,

Interesting, informative, and important!

Really important conversations and insights that are easy to understand and apply to real life.

Farkler ,

Interesting to listen to, friendly to talk to.

I’ve been enjoying the analysis, storytelling, and discussion on this show for about a year now and I was very grateful to be welcomed on to have a discussion on the intersection and conflict of my political beliefs with JW teachings. I really appreciate the show’s desire to really grapple with topics and explore them fully. We need more of that in this world.

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