Was I In A Cult?
Episodes
Married to the Cult Leader: “Symbol of The Whore"
25 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Christina takes us on a harrowing journey trapped in a cult led by (none other than) her husband, who claimed to be the reincarnation of Christ. Of co...
Mormonism w/ Tal Bachman: “He’s So Hiiiiigh… On Doctrine"
17 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In the electrifying world of rock ’n roll, Canadian Tal Bachman, son of legendary Randy Bachman from Bachman Turner Overdrive, seemed destined for s...
Gloriavale: “Gloria Fail"
11 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Jason Christian was born into Gloriavale — a self-proclaimed utopic Christian community of more than 500 people on the West Coast of New Zealand’s...
Sufism - Part 2: “Freedom at 23”
04 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This is Part 2 of Sara Tasneem’s heroic story. If you haven’t listened to Part 1, please start there. This episode reveals Sara’s immense streng...
Sufism - Part 1: “Forced at 15”
26 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Sara Tasneem's journey began in Boulder, Colorado, where she was born into the Islamic faith. However, at the age of five, her parents divorced, causi...
Multi-Level Manipulator (MLM): “Hey, Hun! Hey, Girl! Hey, sis!”
19 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Emily Lynn Paulson was a busy, ass-kicking mom to five children when she realized something was missing. Wanting to find a way to enter the workforce ...
Children of God: “You’re Enough As You Are” (UPDATE)
29 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
**NOTE: This episode originally ran in 2021** **NEW EPS DROP NEXT WEEK MONDAY FEB 5th** Welcome to the worst cult ever (in our humble opinions). Thi...
Thou Shan’t Be Named: “Non-Church Church” (UPDATE)
22 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
*NOTE: This episode originally ran in 2022* TITLE: Thou Shan't Be Named: "Non-Church Church" Non-Denominational Christianity. Sounds innocent enough,...
WISE(aka Scientology) — “Stop interbulating me!”
15 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Fresh to the workforce, Amber answered a job posting for a dental assitant: “No experience needed!” Looking for something reliable to support her ...
Divine Madness: “Ultra Mara-con”
08 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Colorado is known to draw the hippies, the free-thinkers, the adventurous… so when a group of alternative medicine devotees convinces our guest that...
Chung Moo Quan — Part 2: “Be Alright to Leave?”
01 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Russell D. Johnson’s story continues. A journey into and out of a martial arts cult. PART TWO So Russell survives his emergency, life-threatening ar...
Chung Moo Quan — Part 1: “Kult Fu Fighting”
24 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
It's the 1970s and Kung Fu is all the rage. So when 16-year-old Russell Johnson looks to channel his (inner) rage, he signs up for a local class to le...
Carol the Cult Assassin: "Out of Fear Into Power"
17 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
So you've survived an abusive cult. Now what? What exactly are the legal options available to you? An investigative litigator who represents victims o...
Religious Texas Commune — Part 2: “The Least Beloved"
10 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Tamara, the beloved, has just been upgraded from the commune to the big house on the hill with the leader and his multiple wives. But it isn’t long ...
Religious Texas Commune — Part 1: “The Most Beloved”
03 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Raised by two Jewish parents, Tamara and her family are splintered when her father finds a new religion. Five-year-old Tamara is now forced to live tw...
Zendik Farm: "Mating in Captivity"
27 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Imagine having to ask a group of eco-farmers for permission to have sex. And when granted permission, your options of consummation include… the back...
The Body of Christ Church: “When God is a House I Can’t Leave.”
20 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Cults can be well-known, they can be obscure, and sometimes they can be hiding in plain sight. So when poet laureate Diannely’s family joins a seemi...
Eternal Values - Part 3: “To Thine Own Self”
13 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The final part of Hoyt Richards' incredible journey into and out of a UFO doomsday cult. The damning Vanity Fair article throws Hoyt’s family into c...
Eternal Values - Part 2: "Vanity Un-Fair"
06 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The now quasi-famous group takes it to the next level. They get a name, a book, a show, a hit song, and a distant star doomsday getaway. Hoyt, meanwhi...
Eternal Values - Part 1: "The Man From Nantucket"
06 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
It was 1978, and the effortlessly handsome Hoyt Richards was a 16-year-old football talent summering in Nantucket. Chasing girls and free beer was abo...
SEASON 2 - COMING MARCH 6TH
27 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
More crazy cults, more wild stories, and more of us. Hosted by Tyler Measom and Liz Iacuzzi, Was I In A Cult? is a documentary-style podcast featuring...
STATUS UPDATE: "New Email Who Dis?"
23 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Liz and Tyler pop by to update you on their lives, and to reassure you that they will be back! Please support Was I In A Cult? Through Patreon See o...
Millionaire’s Club: “The World Was Gonna Open Up”
10 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Arianna was a recent college graduate with dreams of one day opening her own marketing company. So when a LinkedIn opportunity for a social media mark...
Armstrongism: “Saving For the Feast”
03 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
A humble upbringing is an understatement for Dan McIntrye. Canada born and bred, Dan's cult journey took him from guitar god, to free desserts to cult...
MLM LuLaRoe: “What’s your why?”
27 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
She's a hustler, baby. And she just wants you to know. Roberta Blevins was taught to be a self-starter. Inspired by her self-made father, she knew t...
Black Hebrew Israelites: “Cursed and Chosen”
20 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Lauren's initial years of her life, for lack of a better word, were quite normal. Along with her five siblings, she lived a very comfortable life in C...
Thou Shan’t Be Named: “Non-Church Church”
12 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
TITLE: Thou Shan't Be Named: "Non-Church Church" Non-Denominational Christianity. Sounds innocent enough, and for many non-denominational churches, ...
CHRISTMAS BONUS!: “Here Comes Santa Cult”
22 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
There are many a Christmas tale that we all know and love, but this one, dear listener, we can (almost) guarantee... that you have never ever heard th...
Hollyweirder: “Nothing is Free”
16 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Hollywood is filled with the rich, the famous, and the people looking to take advantage of both. Because everyone in Hollywood is either someone, know...
Children of God: “You’re Enough As You Are"
09 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to the worst cult ever (in our humble opinions). This is a story of incredible resilience, bravery, and inspiration. Being born into a cult al...
Hollyweird: “Thief of Dreams"
02 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Los Angeles, CA is full of dreamers. After all, dreams are what people move to the City of Lost Angels to chase. But did anyone know that an acting te...
Democratic Workers: “The Revolution Isn’t A Tea Party"
24 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Some experts come by their expertise by way of education. Some by experience. Others, by both. As is the case with today's guest. Dr. Janja Lalich joi...
The Order: “Feel Like a Number”
04 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
When you're numbered among the Lord's anointed, you're supposed to feel special, but for Jeremy Tucker, he was just another mindless cog in the machin...
The Mel Lyman Family PT 2: “Wanted at the Big House"
27 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
When you grow up in a cult, life on the outside can be rough. So rough, that one might actually prefer to stay inside the cult. When Guinevere finall...
The Mel Lyman Family PT1: “People Get Ready“
20 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
As an actor and writer, Guinevere Turner understands more than most, that some stories just can't be contrived. Because sometimes life is far stranger...
Atypicult: “Mental Parental”
13 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This is not your typical cult. But for comedian, Ariel, it was all she knew. Filled with isolation and abuse, it would take her years to break free. ...
Children of God: “Pray for Death”
06 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
When you're born into a cult, it's difficult enough. But when you're born into a cult with a raging alcoholic pedophile as the leader, it's a nightmar...
Jehovah’s Witnesses: “Shut Up and Be Blessed“
29 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
With rockstar aspirations, Daniel O'Brien wasn't looking for anything but a good time. But when heartbreak rocked his world, he tripped into something...
Women Only Secret Society (NXIVM) PT 2: "Collateral Damaged"
22 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
"It's exclusive," she was told. A women only secret society. She was a chosen one, after all. A badass ninja warrior woman, she was ready to set ...
Women Only Secret Society (NXIVM) PT 1: "The Magic Sauce"
15 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
When the LA party scene didn't fit Jessica's lifestyle anymore, she replaced martinis and after-hour clubs with green juices and tonic bars. But the r...
Mormon…More Women PT 2: "I do… I do… I don’t."
08 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Faced with the fear of an impending apocalypse, Joanne and her husband move to a small Utah town to live "Mormonism on steroids", which means wearing ...
Mormon…More Women PT 1: "My Husband’s Wife"
08 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Faced with the fear of an impending apocalypse, Joanne and her husband move to a small Utah town to live "Mormonism on steroids", which means wearing ...
Trailer: Was I In A Cult?
26 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Hosted by Tyler Measom and Liz Iacuzzi, Was I In A Cult? is a documentary-style podcast featuring far-out, first-hand stories of survivors who unwit...