Speaking of Cults

#321: Why Scientology Auditing is Destructive

04 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week I do a little compare and contrast between the ethics and core purpose of counselling versus Scientology auditing and offer some insights ...

Cult Recovery and the Stages of Grief

27 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week we suffered the death of our cat, Seven, and this brought about some reflections about the five stages of grief and how they relate to my ...

#319: Critical Thinking or Death! ft. Jon Atack

20 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week I welcome back Jon Atack for another wide-ranging and important conversation about “stupid people” joining cults, thought reform and “...

#318: Dealing with Cults ft. Jen Kiaba

13 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week I welcome Jen Kiaba, a woman who grew up in the Moonies, escaped and is now doing the same academic coercive control program I am doing at...

#317: Scientology ”Leadership” Training

06 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week we give some updates on Scientology on the legal front which happened this week and then we get into the subject of “leadership” in Sc...

#316: The Rise of the Apostates (Academia vs. Former Cult Members)

30 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week is the beginning of a slightly new direction in my fight against cults and what may end up being a fight I continue into the future. That ...

#315: Conspiracy Theories and Critical Thinking

16 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week I am joined by Ciprian Ivanof to discuss critical thinking and how it is that conspiracy theorists say they are using good critical thinki...

Sensibly Speaking Podcast #314: Navigating the Ex-Cult World

09 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week I took a break from interviews to discuss something important that I wish someone had talked to me about when I first got out of Scientolo...

#313: Aaron Smith-Levin for Clearwater City Council!

02 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week, Aaron Smith-Levin joins us to discuss his race for Clearwater City Council and why he is doing it, as well as what he expects to accompli...

Sensibly Speaking #312: Scientology, Stress and cPTSD with Ciprian Ivanof

25 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week I welcome back Ciprian Ivanof to help me talk about the long-term effects of continuous stress in the world of Scientology and how this cr...

Deconstructing Christian Apologetics with Steven Tiger

11 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week I am joined again by Steven Tiger, author and speaker on the subject of the Bible and Christian apologetics, to discuss more about this to...

310. Scientology is Always at War ft. Ciprian Ivanof

04 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week I am joined again by Ciprian Ivanof to plumb the depths of Scientology’s organizational madness and anxiety-inducing culture, this week ...

A Hard Look at Christian Apologetics with Steven Tiger

28 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week I am joined by author Steven Tiger to discuss his book and ideas concerning Christian apologetics and how trying to find logical and even ...

The Origins of QAnon

21 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week I welcome Gavin Fox to help explain more about the origins of QAnon on 4chan/8chan and the jump to mainstream social media. We have a wide...

Sensibly Speaking Podcast #307: Jon Atack is Opening Our Minds

14 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week I welcome back channel favorite Jon Atack to discuss more aspects of Hubbard and Scientology as well as get an overview of Jon’s new boo...

Sensibly Speaking Podcast #306: The Cult of QAnon

07 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week I’m giving a sort of QAnon 101 for my viewers. It may be that we’ll do more episodes about QAnon depending on the feedback to this one...

Sensibly Speaking Podcast #305: Scientology Personnel Craziness

31 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week I welcome back Ciprian Ivanof to help me dissect Scientology’s organizational and personnel craziness. This week we offer some commentar...

Zara Kay and Faithless Hijabi

17 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week I welcome special guest Zara Kay, founder of Faithless Hijabi and a woman with a story to tell about her persecution as an ex-Muslim in he...

Sleep Deprivation and Stress in the Sea Org

03 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week I welcome back Ciprian Ivanof to help me discuss Scientology’s kind of nuts management culture and organization. This week we focus on s...

Scientology, Clearwater and the City Council ft. Aaron Smith-Levin

26 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week I welcome back Aaron Smith-Levin so we can give some updates on Clearwater and Scientology including some future campaigning Aaron himself...

Beat (A Survivor’s Story) with Hannah Prosser

19 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week I welcome Hannah Prosser, a survivor of childhood domestic and religious abuse who was involved with the Haldeman Mennonites in Muddy Pond...

Sensibly Speaking Podcast #299: Scientology and Loyalty ft. Ciprian Ivanof

12 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week I welcome returning guest and friend of my channel Ciprian Ivanof for the first in what we expect will be a short series of podcasts about...

Jon Atack on Scientology, Enlightenment and Predators

05 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week I welcome back Jon Atack to discuss Scientology, recovery from cults, enlightenment, history and a whole lot more in this very wide-rangin...

Joe Walsh on Trump, Cults and Washington

29 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week I welcome former Congressman Joe Walsh, a Tea Party conservative and former Trump supporter turned protestor who believes the GOP has gone...

Matthew Sheffield on Religion, Cults & Politics

22 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Matthew Sheffield is a conservative-turned-progressive political pundit, podcaster, author and media personality. He started his first conservative ...

Avatar: Scientology’s Wicked Offspring

08 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week, I welcome Ariela Sarai, a 21-year-survivor of Avatar, to discuss her experiences being recruited into and working for this destructive cu...

Scott Rudin & David Miscavige: Two Peas in a Pod

24 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week, I discuss the just-breaking story of Hollywood producer Scott Rudin, who according to reports has serious anger management issues and has...

Extremism, Atheism and Other Controversies with Seth Andrews

17 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week I welcome back Seth Andrews, host of The Thinking Atheist channel and podcast and an all-around great guy. In this wide-ranging discussion...

The Power of Showing a Little Gratitude

10 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week I talk from a psychological perspective on the surprising power of gratitude and how this helps us maintain perspective. I share some very...

How to Understand Everything with Tom Beakbane

03 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week I welcome neuroscientist Tom Beakbane to the show to discuss his book “How to Understand Everything” and the subject of consilience, a...

Indoctrination and Radicalization in Cults

27 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week I am offering something a little different: an interview I did for Paganicon 2021 on the subject of cult indoctrination and radicalization...

Sensibly Speaking Podcast #289: Scientology, Cult City Tours and Protests

20 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week, there was a bit of a kerfuffle in Clearwater over the Scientology and the Aftermath reunion and Cult City Tours which happened on Hubbard...

Let’s Talk About Mental Health, Part 2

13 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

About two years ago, Melissa and I did a podcast about mental health, suicide and treatment, talking intimately about our own experiences as well as...

Scientology and Double Binds

06 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week I am joined by my wonderful wife, Melissa, to discuss the psychological principle of double binds and how these are control mechanisms use...

Recovering from Scientology - Another Layer

27 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week I talk somewhat intimately about what has been happening in my own recovery from Scientology and how my recent education has really ramped...

”Better Left Unsaid” and the Radicalization of the Left

20 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week I welcome Curt Jaimungal and Desh Amila, two filmmakers who have produced Better Left Unsaid, a new documentary about the rise of Left-win...

Street Epistemology - What It Is and Isn’t ft. Anthony Magnabasco

13 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week I welcome back Anthony Magnabasco to discuss the growing conversation/inquiry method called Street Epistemology. We talk about what it is ...

Sensibly Speaking Podcast #283: Clearwater and Scientology: A Fresh Perspective

06 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week I welcome back Aaron Smith-Levin to give us an update on what is what with Scientology in Clearwater, including a fresh and different pers...

Talking to QAnon ft. Rachel Bernstein

30 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week I welcome licensed therapist and cult recovery counselor Rachel Bernstein back to the channel to discuss the unique problems and technique...

Ponzinomics: The Big Picture of Multilevel Marketing ft. Robert Fitzpatrick

23 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Last week we featured Alanda Carter to discuss her experiences with multilevel marketing scams (MLMs) but this week is a real tour de force as we go...

Sensibly Speaking Podcast #280: The Dangers (and Cultism) of Multilevel Marketing

16 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week I welcome Alanda Carter,  @The Recovering Hunbot  for a discussion about multilevel marketing and the coercive, cult-like tactics that a...

Sensibly Speaking Podcast #279: Scientology, Miscavige and Marketing ft. Jeff Hawkins

09 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week I welcome back Jeff Hawkins for one of the most fun and certainly interesting conversations I’ve had in a long while about Scientology, ...

Sensibly Speaking Podcast #278: The 2020 Year in Review – In and Out of Scientology

02 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week we do our traditional year-end review of what happened in 2020, mainly in but also of course outside of the world of Scientology. There we...

The Messianic Movement and Gay Conversion Therapy

26 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week I welcome Matan Schecter, a second-generation former Messianic Jew. As we clarify in this episode, that term is a misnomer of the highest ...

The Problem of Authoritarianism ft. Jon Atack

19 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week I welcome back Jon Atack to discuss the problem of dealing with cults and how can we ever hope to solve this immense task, or should we ev...

Scientology Lawsuits - A Legal Opinion

12 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week I welcome back my friend and DC lawyer Ciprian Ivanof to discuss Scientology lawsuits, both recent and old, and what lawyers for Valerie H...

Lies Your Psychologist Told You ft. Dylan Aames

05 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week I welcome local Denver author Dylan Aames to discuss his book Lies Your Psychologist Told You, a critical take on some of the taller tales...

The Scientology Experience with Shane Rybacki

28 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week we are doing a bit more of a raw interview than usual as I discuss the Scientology experience with former member Shane Rybacki, a second g...

Pushing Back against Religious Wolves ft. Stacie & Jeff Mallinson

21 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week I welcome Stacie and Jeff Mallinson to discuss how they have been pushing back from within the religious community against “religious wo...

Sensibly Speaking Podcast #271: Connecting Brains and Machines ft. Dr. Jonas Kaplan

14 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week I welcome back Dr. Jonas Kaplan to discuss the possibilities of neuralink or the melding of our brains with electronics, potentially launc...

Truth, Lies, Politics and Cults ft. Tim Ward

07 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week I welcome Tim Ward, co-author of Pro-Truth, to discuss a grassroots social movement towards objective truth in politics, media and social ...

I Have Legal Questions about Cults ft. Ciprian Ivanof

31 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week I welcome back Ciprian Ivanof, an attorney practicing in Washington DC, who helps me breakdown and understand some of the legal hurdles an...

Recovering from Religious Trauma ft. Janice Selbie

24 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week I welcome Janice Selbie, a Canadian counsellor who specializes in religious trauma. We discuss a number of points about recovering from re...

Hashtag Cults and MGTOW ft. Mike Fallek

17 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week I welcome Mike Fallek, a journalist/documentarian who has been investigating the online or what he refers to as “hashtag” cult of MGTO...

Sensibly Speaking Podcast #266: Scientology Q&A with Kat

10 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Two weeks ago I posted a podcast with Kat, a woman who had “infiltrated” the Church of Scientology of Austin and ended up having a bit more of a...

Sensibly Speaking Podcast #265: The History and Ethics of Operation Paperclip

03 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week I welcome back Dr. Jeff Wasel to discuss the detailed and necessary backstory to what could conceivably be thought of as one of the most h...

The Scientology Experience with Kat

26 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week I welcome Kat, a woman who purposefully became involved with Scientology in Austin three years ago but came away with a story vastly diffe...

Disturbing Ways You are Being Manipulated ft. Deborah Powney

19 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week I welcome PhD candidate Deborah Powney from the UK, a 14-year veteran of the alcohol marketing business who is now studying psychology and...

Memory (In and Out of Scientology) ft. Dr. Jonas Kaplan

12 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week I welcome back Dr. Jonas Kaplan, a cognitive neuroscientist in Los Angeles who has been helping us to deconstruct and understand the super...

Why Do People Act That Way? ft. Myke & Mike

05 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week I welcome authors Dr. Myke Merrill and Michael Wilson, who have written Why Do People Act That Way (And What Can I Do About It?). Both Dr....

Sensibly Speaking Podcast #260: Vampires in Myth and Legend ft. A.P. Sylvia

29 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week I welcome author A.P. Sylvia to the show to discuss his book Vampires of Lore: Traits and Modern Misconceptions. He has traced the origin ...

Critical Thinking, Science and Masks ft. Dr. David Johnson

22 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week I welcome back Dr. David Kyle Johnson from Kings College to discuss practical critical thinking in the real world, including how we apply ...

Do We Need Authoritarian Governments? ft. Jon Atack

15 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week I welcome back Jon Atack to have a discussion about government morality and how the compares and contrasts with individual morality – a ...

Scientology’s RPF Program Explained

01 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week I am tackling Scientology’s Rehabilitation Project Force (RPF) in a way no one has before: a complete beginning to end explanation of th...

Stepping Out of Your Bubble

25 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week I welcome Mark Turi, friend, former Scientologist and Canadian, to help me discuss a train of logic I have about critical thinking and the...

The Cult-Like Core of Black Lives Matter ft. Adrian Lee Oliver

18 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week I am joined by Adrian Lee Oliver to discuss some concerns and issues he as a black man has with Black Lives Matter both as an organization...

Surviving the Pentecostal Movement ft. Alexis Arralynne

11 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week I am joined by former Pentecostal Alexis Arralynn to talk about estrangement from her family, and cult beliefs and practices she was expos...

Rick Lockhart II and I Talk #BlackLivesMatter

04 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week I am joined by Rick Lockhart II, co-host of “In Black & White” on the YFNANews as well as “Color-Full Circle with Rick & Al”...

Sensibly Speaking Podcast #252: Why I Have Concerns about Black Lives Matter ft. Benjamin Boyce

27 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week I am joined by Benjamin Boyce, fellow YouTuber and alumnus of Evergreen State College in Washington. We get into some nitty-gritty discuss...

A Talk with a Critical Thinking Stripper ft. Erin Louis

20 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week I welcome a wonderful and very special gust, Erin Louis, author Expose Yourself: How to Take Risks, Question Everything, and Find Yourself...

We Love Critical Thinking! ft. Dr. David Kyle Johnson

13 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week I welcome Dr. David Kyle Johnson, a professor of critical thinking, to talk turkey about how critical thinking is taught and its results, ...

Keeping the Faith ft. Dr. Tim Sledge

06 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week I welcome Dr. Tim Sludge, former Evangelical minister and creator a nationwide Christian support group before he lost his faith and realiz...

How We Think We Think ft. Dr. Jonas Kaplan

30 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week I am joined once again by cognitive neuroscientist Dr. Jonas Kaplan to discuss brains and thinking and what is going on up there when we’...

The Rise and Fall of Wokeness ft. Dr. James Lindsay

23 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

I am joined once again by Dr. James Lindsay, critical theory critic who helps me discuss the rise and fall of “wokeness” in the American/Western...

Apostates and Honor Violence ft. Hari Parekh

16 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week, I am joined by psychologist Hari Parekh from the UK, author of the first actual academic study done on the topic of apostasy and hidden h...

Redemption, Forgiveness and Revenge for Ex-Cult Members ft. Jon Atack

09 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week, Jon Atack and I discuss the difficult topics of redemption and forgiveness for those of us who were part of destructive cults or abusive ...

Mark Bunker vs. Scientology in Clearwater

02 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week, I welcome back Mark Bunker, newly elected member of the Clearwater City Council. We talk about his new office and what he is doing, both ...

Let’s Get Into Neuroscience with Dr. Jonas Kaplan

25 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week I begin what will be a series of interviews with Dr. Jonas Kaplan, a cognitive neuroscientist at USC Medical Center whose entire job is fi...

The Occult, Scientology and the OTO

18 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week I am very happy to get some information out there that I’ve had on my mind for years: the actual occult history of L. Ron Hubbard, or at...

Is Scientologist Grant Cardone Melting Down?

12 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week I’ve got a bit of a surprise – we are doing the podcast live and with Jeffrey Augustine of Scientology Money Project fame onboard to t...

The Occult, Scientology and Madame Blavatsky

04 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week I am joined by Joe Szimhart, who not only has an extensive knowledge of the occult and its history, but also has worked as a cult interven...

The Three Apostates Talk Current Events

28 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week the three apostates have met again, this time to discuss the responses and reactions of our former groups to what is happening in the wor...

Jon Atack vs. Scientology (Part 3)

14 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

I am joined again this week by former Scientologist, artist and historian Jon Atack to finish our discussion of his full story in and out of Scie...

NKT vs. Scientology ft. Dr. Michelle Haslam

07 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week I am very happy to be joined by Dr. Michelle Haslam, a licensed psychologist in the UK and a cult survivor. She has a fascinating story...

BONUS: An Impossible Conversation about Politics and Healthcare

05 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

BONUS: Today I’m posting a bonus episode of my podcast for this week. Brandon Estrella, a conservative podcaster friend and I (I’m liberal) ha...

Jon Atack vs. Scientology (Part 2)

29 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

I am joined again this week by former Scientologist, artist and historian Jon Atack to continue our discussion of his full story in and out of Sc...

Cultic Behavior in Social Activism ft. Dr James Lindsay

22 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week I am honored to host Dr. James Lindsay, who holds degrees in mathematics and physics and the author of five books with a sixth on its w...

Sensibly Speaking Podcast #233: Jon Atack vs. Scientology (Part 1)

15 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week I am joined by former Scientologist, artist and historian Jon Atack to finally discuss his own story in and out of Scientology. Like my...

Reckless Ben and Mike vs. Scientology

08 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week I got a chance to interview Reckless Ben and Mike, the two men who have most recently infiltrated Scientology, recorded what happened i...

The Three Apostates on How Cults Use Fear to Control Their Members

01 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week we bring you another Three Apostates, this time taking on the topic of phobia induction, or as Lloyd aptly describes it, fear mongering....

What is Dominionism and Why Should You Care? ft. Dr. Clint Heacock

25 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week I am joined once again by Dr. Clint Heacock, a former evangelical minister, who has a great deal of personal and professional experienc...

How You Help Someone Out of a Cult ft. Christian Szurko

18 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week it was my privilege to interview Christian Szurko, a man who assists people out of destructive cult or high control groups through noth...

Landmark Forum vs. Scientology ft. Dale Dickenson

11 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week, we have a real tour de force. I am joined by former Landmark staffer Dale Dickins from Melbourne, Australia, to discuss in detail the ins...

2019 in Scientology and Beyond

02 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Today I went live to talk about what happened in 2019, a year in review, especially in the world of Scientology (where things were not so great) an...

Leaving the Witness ft. Amber Scorah

28 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week, I had the pleasure of interviewing Amber Scorah, a former Jehovah’s Witness who has an amazing story of actually working as an undergro...

My Humanist Christmas Episode ft. Seth Andrews

25 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Merry Christmas everyone – this is a Special Bonus Podcast for Christmas featuring Seth Andrews, one of my favorite guests and host of the Thinkin...

Brainwashing and Scientology ft. Jon Atack

21 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week I am joined once again by Jon Atack, author and historian, to discuss the topic of brainwashing. We dive deep into the various ways academ...

When Martial Arts Goes Full Cult ft. Louis Martin

14 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week I have guest Louis Martin, author of True Believers, to discuss his experiences with a West Coast martial arts cult he spent several year...

Is Religious Indoctrination a Form of Child Abuse?

07 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week it is the return of the Three Apostates, this time taking on the subject of religious indoctrination of children. As you can imagine, we h...

The Cult of Teal Swan ft. Andey Fellowes

30 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week I am joined by Andey Fellowes for a very in-depth and detailed discussion of his journey into, through and out of the cult of Teal Swan, a...