The Dismantling Doctrine Podcast

Bonus Episode: The Psychology of the Pawn

In this special bonus episode, I take a closer look at what Dr Robert Jay Lifton refers to as "the psychology of the pawn." Maybe you will resonate as I discuss 3 different examples from my  experiences in the church and how I now realize that in many ways, I was but a pawn in much larger movements--of which I was totally unaware at the time.
This concept also relates to Lifton's category of "mystical manipulation" in which cults, religions and groups with undue influence exercise mind control over their followers. We think we have free will and are making informed choices...but perhaps not!
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The Psychology of Scientology (with Chris Shelton)

As an ex-Scientologist of more than 25 years, and a Sea Org member of 17 years, this week's guest--Chris Shelton--is uniquely positioned to provide amazing insight into this destructive cult. Not only do we delve into the psychology behind Scientology, we discover that much of its practices are mirrored in other cults and religions, too.
 
We discuss how it is that people are drawn into cults, why they stay, and what steps you can take to recover your identity post-cult, or post-religion. For more information on Chris's valuable work, check out his excellent Sensibly Speaking podcast!
 
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The Myths of Christian Nationalism (with Andrew Seidel)

This week's guest is Andrew Seidel, constitutional and civil rights attorney and atheist who works for the Freedom from Religion Foundation (FFRF.org) as the Director for Strategic Response. 
 
Andrew is also the author of the book The Founding Myth: How Christian Nationalism is Un-American. In this well-researched work, Andrew explodes the popular Christian revisionist history that "America was a Christian nation--and should become one again."
 
Andrew and I discuss the fact that not only was America not a  "Christian nation" historically, that hasn't stopped Christian nationalists from spreading this myth far and wide. What possible danger could this lie pose? Listen in to find out more!
 
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Bonus Episode: Unpacking the Theology behind 7 Mountains Dominion Theology

Why should you be concerned about dominion theology, and specifically the version of it known at "7 Mountains Dominion Theology," or the "7 Mountains Mandate"?
Although you may have never even heard of this movement, or are only slightly aware of it--you should be troubled. Right now, evangelicals have a major influence on the Trump administration, encouraging him to pass laws that favor "religious freedom"---in other words, their brand of white evangelical Christianity.
Prominent among many of those evangelicals are those who hold to dominion theology, and specifically the 7 mountains version of it. Recently, many of the key leaders of the movement held the "Awaken 2020" rally, featuring Kanye West as a headlining act that drew tens of thousands--but most of the speakers were 7 mountains dominionists.
They have an incredible reach in America and in the world today. This bonus episode will help you to unpack the often confusing and disorienting theology behind this incredibly pervasive movement.
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Taking a Deeper Dive into Dominion Theology (with Dr André Gagné)

The inaugural episode of MindShift podcast for 2020 features returning guest, Dr  André Gagné of Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. As an expert on this vast and frankly confusing field of dominion theology, and its many streams, Professor Gagné  is the perfect guest to continue the conversation I started with him on our episode last year.
The evangelical support for Donald Trump should be an area of concern for anyone who values their liberties. And not only are there a great deal of conservative evangelicals pushing their agenda, increasingly we are discovering prominent dominion theologians among their ranks.
Dr  Gagné and I discuss this, along with many other facets of this movement that is daily growing in influence not just in America, but indeed the world.
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The Open Letter Response to Christianity Today my article on Medium

Bonus Episode: Reflecting on 2019, Looking Ahead to 2020

In this final end-of-year episode, I take a look back not just on the year 2019 in terms of podcast episodes and great guests I've been privileged to talk to, but I get into my own deconversion story too.
What's more important--to deconstruct your former beliefs, or to reconstruct your identity? I'll hopefully answer that question as I tell a bit more of my own personal story, as well as previewing a bit of what's coming ahead in 2020.
Thanks for listening to MindShift Podcast in 2019--looking forward to what comes up in 2020!
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Grief and God: Toxic Theology and Death (with Dr Terri Daniel)

This week's guest is interfaith chaplain and specialist in the area of grief, death, dying and toxic theology: Dr Terri Daniel. She literally wrote the book on this subject, which is entitled Grief and God: When Religion Does More Harm than Healing.
 
Rev. Dr. Terri Daniel is also a certified trauma specialist and end-of-life educator certified in death, dying and bereavement by the Association of Death Education and Counseling. The focus of her work is to assist dying and grieving individuals to discover a more spiritually-spacious understanding of death and beyond.  
 
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Bonus Episode: Debutante Film and Shunning in the Jehovah's Witnesses (with Kamila Dydyna)

I recently had the pleasure of speaking with ex-Jehovah's Witness and filmmaker, Kamila Dydyna, who is attempting to raise funds for an important short film project entitled "Debutante."
This work will explore the psychological aspects of what it's like to experience shunning as a JW--and what the people who are commanded to shun have to go through also. 
But before we discuss her upcoming film, we discuss Kamila's backstory in the Watchtower, how it compares to identifiable cult markers, and what gave rise to her desire to produce this important work.
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Surviving a Family Cult (with Vi La Bianca)

Vi La Bianca is the co-host of the ACA's "Secular Sexuality" and "Talk Heathen" shows. But she wasn't always an atheist...as it turns out, Vi grew up in a fundamentalist family cult.
In this episode, Vi and I make use of established models of cults by experts, and apply it to her life growing up. How can she describe her growing up experience as being part of a "family cult"? What is that, anyway, and how did it operate?
And more importantly, how did she get out--and what does her life look like now, as an atheist, going forward?
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Bonus Episode - Take Back Your Life:Understanding How Cults Work (with Dr Janja Lalich)

After literally months of delays, rescheduling, etc., I have finally been able to track down the elusive Dr Janja Lalich for a great podcast interview!
Dr Lalich is not only a sociologist and a cult expert, she is also a cult survivor too. This places her in the unique position to be able to give incredible insights as to the inner workings of cult psychology, the person of the leader, why people stay in cults, and how to reconstruct one's identity after leaving the group behind.
If you're an ex-cultist, or have left any sort of group with undue influence, then this episode will be of great benefit to you.
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