Some months after my exit from the Moonies, I was driving through a town, and the thought popped into my head: “This would be an excellent fundraising spot!”
But I’d already left the group, realized that Moon was a liar, and had shed the destructive beliefs that had kept me entrapped. I wouldn’t be doing any more fundraising for them. Where did this intrusive cult thought come from?
In this week’s article for paid subscribers, How Ex-Members Slip Back Into Cult Thinking, I explore the very real, very normal phenomenon of “floating,” which is when a cult survivor returns to the cult’s mental framework, reverting back into the doctrine, the mindset, the vocabulary, and the emotional certainty. More importantly, I discuss what to do (and what not to do) when you or your loved one experiences “floating.”
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This week’s livestream will be this Wednesday, September 2nd, at 2 pm EDT. We will be discussing the “trade war” with Canada and the punitive tariffs Trump is imposing upon our neighbor to the north, essentially scuttling the friendly relations we have traditionally enjoyed. Carney is replying in kind! Trump’s narcissism has been injured- seeing a real man, a real leader, standing up to him. Trump countered by renaming Lake Ontario to “Lake America,” which Google Maps changed (for the US only). This is just solidifying Canadians’ support for Carney. Border states are being truly hurt financially, and with the midterms coming up, we expect more cheating attempts by Trump.
If you missed last week’s livestreams, you can see them here:
Trump’s Inner Circle: Does Natalie Harp Have Too Much Power? - Wednesday, August 26th
Can Protesters Be Prosecuted as Terrorists? The Texas Antifa Case with guest Dr. Anne Speckhard - Friday, August 28th
More and more people are becoming disenchanted with Trump, and in a recent article in AlterNet, ‘It’s hard’: Red state worker on why she’s ditching the ‘Trump Wagon’, I was interviewed by Matthew Roza on how it’s important to encourage people to engage in reality-testing and start thinking for themselves.
In this week’s episode of my Cults, Culture & Coercion podcast, Carlos Castaneda’s Cult of Witches, I speak with the artist and author Ru Marshall about his book, American Trickster: The Hidden Lives of Carlos Castaneda. Castaneda’s books influenced millions of people and contributed to the new-age movement - I was fooled along with millions of others, reading his books when they came out.
Listen on Apple | Spotify | Watch on YouTube
Read my Substack post about the interview here.
In next week’s episode, my guest will be Jay Van Bavel, PhD, professor of Neuroscience and Social Psychology, and author of The Power of Us: Harnessing Our Shared Identities to Improve Performance, Increase Cooperation, and Promote Social Harmony. We talk about the need to keep talking across social and cultural divides, and disagree while remaining civil and respectful. Fascinating discussion!
Remember, be sure that you, your neighbors, and everyone you know is registered to vote and ready to do so! We must defeat MAGA in the coming elections!
As always, please let us know what you think about these pieces or what you’d like to see us discuss in the future. Thanks so much!
