Cults show

Cults

Summary: Mystery. Manipulation. Murder. Cults are associated with all of these. But what really goes on inside a cult? More specifically, what goes on inside the minds of people who join cults and leaders who start them? Every Tuesday, Greg and Vanessa (co-hosts of the podcast Serial Killers) explore the history and psychology behind the most notorious cults. Cults is part of the Parcast Network and is a Cutler Media production. 

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Podcasts:

 E34: Twelve Tribes - Elbert Spriggs | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 00:48:30

Elbert Eugene Spriggs Jr. felt he could never live up to his strict Christian father's expectations. After three failed marriages and numerous jobs, Spriggs had a revelation that his duty was to bring people to God - but to do that he wanted to establish a new church...one where he would make the rules. SPONSORS! Amazon Music - New customers, start your 30-day free trial at amazonmusic.com LendingClub - Go to LendingClub.com/CULTS to check your rate for FREE. It won’t impact your credit score.

 E33: “The Brethren” Pt. 2 - Jimmie T. Roberts | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 00:50:40

Jimmie T. Roberts lead a religious cult known as 'The Brethren' and targeted vulnerable college students looking for belonging. Joining the group was easy, but day-to-day life was harsh. Leaving was next to impossible. Sponsors! New customers, start your 30-day free trial at amazonmusic.com!

 E32: “The Brethren” - Jimmie T. Roberts | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 00:39:46

Although he had a lonely childhood and grew up impoverished, Jimmie T. Roberts found feelings of comfort and belonging in religion. We dive deep into Roberts’s life as we examine how he persuaded his devoted followers to sacrifice their possessions, jobs, and families for the sake of salvation. SPONSORS! Amazon Music Unlimited - New customers can start a 30-day free trial at amazonmusic.com. Tripping.com - Join the millions of travelers who find more savings, with rates up to 80 percent less than traditional hotel rooms at Tripping.com/cults.

 E31: “Rajneeshpuram” Pt. 2 - Ma Anand Sheela | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 01:00:23

Ma Anand Sheela orchestrated Rajneeshpuram’s movement from India to Oregon. As Rajneesh himself faded into the shadows, the cult’s grabs for political power led to wiretapping, poisoning, fraud and murder plots. We examine how Sheela was driven towards chaos by her husband’s death, and Rajneesh’s high expectations. Sponsors! LendingClub - Visit LENDINGCLUB.com/CULTS to check your rate for FREE. It won’t impact your credit score. Amazon Music - Visit amazonmusic.com to start your 30-day trial FREE.

 E30: “Rajneeshpuram” - Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 01:03:02

Prophesied to die young and surviving near-death-experiences, Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh felt discomfort with his own mortality from a young age. Over time, his spiritual studies and strong beliefs about capitalism and sexuality led Rajneesh to become a charismatic cult leader. This charisma attracted Ma Anand Sheela, the woman who rose from a 20-year-old devotee to a powerful leader in the cult that launched a deadly bioterrorism attack on over 750 Americans. Sponsors! Everlane - Get free shipping on your first order when you go to Everlane.com/CULTS HelloFresh - For $30 off your first week of HelloFresh, visit hellofresh.com and enter the promo code CULTS30 Amazon Music Unlimited - New customers, start your 30-day free trial at amazonmusic.com Dear Franklin Jones - We would like to extend our thanks to Jonathan Hirsch for coming on and talking to us about his new podcast, Dear Franklin Jones. You can learn more about Jonathan's examination of his own upbringing within a cult at stitcher.com/podcast/stitcher/dear-franklin-jones or wherever you listen to podcasts.

 E29: “Church of Euthanasia” Pt. 2 - Chris Korda | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 00:38:07

In 1992, musician and computer programmer Chris Korda founded the Church of Euthanasia with a goal to control population through suicide, abortion, sodomy, and cannibalism. We examine the controversial cult and its members, their performance art and publicity stunts, and how the Church of Euthanasia finally faded from the public eye. Sponsors! Female Criminals - Search for Female Criminals in your favorite podcast directory, listen, and subscribe! Or visit Parcast.com/CRIMINALS to start listening now. Tripping.com - This year, save time and money when you book the vacation home of your dreams, with Tripping.com/CULTS. AdoreMe - For a limited time, it’s the Adore Me Spring Sale! Sets start at just $24.95 at AdoreMe.com/CULTS Amazon Music Unlimited - New customers, start your 30-day free trial at amazonmusic.com

 E28: “Church of Euthanasia” - Chris Korda | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 00:43:57

At just 10 years old, Chris Korda began to feel deeply fearful of climate change, and she worried greatly about the future of Earth. After an extraterrestrial dream warning her of the dangers of overpopulation, Korda founded the Church of Euthanasia in 1992 with a mission to downsize the world’s population. We look into Korda’s life, and what motivated her to encourage hundreds of followers to avoid procreation and embrace suicide. Sponsors! Breach - Subscribe to Breach​ in your podcast app right now. Breach is not a Parcast podcast. Hulu, The Looming Tower - ‘The Looming Tower,’ available now only on Hulu. Quip -  Visit getquip.com/CULTS and get your first refill pack free with a Quip electric toothbrush. YogaGlo - Get your first two weeks of YogaGlo free when you sign up on YogaGlo.com/CULTS AdoreMe -  For a limited time, it’s the Adore Me Spring Sale! Sets start at just $24.95 at AdoreMe.com/CULTS

 E27: “Apostles of Infinite Love” Pt. 2 - Michel Collin and Jean-Gaston Tremblay | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 00:41:32

Michel Collin and Jean-Gaston Tremblay, the two excommunicated self-crowned popes of the Apostles of Infinite Love, gained a following after presenting themselves to have mystical powers and visions. We investigate how the cult influenced people to uproot their lives and sacrifice everything to live under strict scrutiny, isolated from the rest of the world. Sponsors! Female Criminals - Listen to Female Criminals now on your favorite podcast directory. Or visit Parcast.com/CRIMINALS to start listening now. Better Help - To learn more or sign up go to betterhelp.com/CULTS. Enter the invite code CULTS to get your first 7 days free. Hulu, The Looming Tower - ‘The Looming Tower,’ available now only on Hulu. Lending Club - Go to LendingClub.com/CULTS to check your rate for free. Everlane - Get free shipping on your first order when you go to Everlane.com/CULTS.

 “Cocaine Godmother” - Vanessa’s new Podcast Female Criminals! | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 00:44:55

Enjoy early access to Vanessa’s new Parcast podcast, Female Criminals! In this episode, we follow the rise of Griselda Blanco as she became one of the most infamous leaders in the 1970s drug trade. Every Wednesday, hosts Vanessa and Claire analyze the stories, psychology and motivations of the world’s most notorious female criminals. If you enjoy this episode, subscribe to Female Criminals and listen to part two now! Just search “Female Criminals” Sponsors! Unexplained Mysteries - Search for Unexplained Mysteries on your favorite podcast directory to start listening now. Or visit Parcast.com/UNEXPLAINED to listen now. EverlyWell - Head to everlywell.com and use promo code CRIMINALS to take 15% off your first order. Macmillan - Listen to The Wife Between Us at MacmillanAudio.com/WifeBetweenUs Midroll Survey - Visit podsurvey.com/CRIMINALS to take an anonymous survey and enter to win a $100 Amazon gift card.

 E26: “Apostles of Infinite Love” - Michel Collin and Jean-Gaston Tremblay | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 00:44:48

After having a religious vision when he was seven years old, Michel Collin set on a path to become Pope. In 1950 he made his own dreams come true and proclaimed himself Pope of the Apostles of Infinite Love in France. He quickly spread his cult to Canada with the help of Jean-Gaston Tremblay. We explore the cult’s twisted history and the leaders’ minds. Sponsors! Netflix, Wild Wild Country - Wild Wild Country streaming only on Netflix starting Friday, March 16th. Hulu, The Looming Tower - ‘The Looming Tower,’ available now only on Hulu. Bombas - Get 20% your first purchase at bombas.com/CULTS Amazon Music Unlimited - Visit amazonmusic.com to start your 30-day trial free.

 E25: “Sect of Nacozari” Pt. 2 - Silvia Meraz Moreno | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 00:42:08

It’s hard to believe that human sacrifice still exists today. But from 2009 to 2012, Silvia Meraz Moreno led her family to offer human sacrifices to Santa Muerte in exchange for good fortune. We examine this familial cult’s crimes, and how one community tip finally ended the family’s gruesome sacrifices. Sponsors! Kensington Publishing - RATTLE by Fiona Cummins is on sale now everywhere books are sold. For more information, visit KensingtonBooks.com or follow @FionaAnnCummins on Twitter. Better Help - To learn more or sign up, go to betterhelp.com/CULTS. Enter the invite code CULTS to get your first 7 days free. Hulu, The Looming Tower - The Looming Tower, available now only on Hulu. Quip - Go to getquip.com/CULTS right now, you’ll get your first refill pack free with a Quip electric toothbrush. Zola - To sign up with Zola and receive a $50 credit towards your registry, go to ZOLA.com/CULTS

 E24: “Sect of Nacozari” - Silvia Meraz Moreno | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 00:52:32

From 2009 to 2012 in Sonora, Mexico, Silvia Meraz Moreno put together a plan to receive good fortune from Santa Muerte, or Saint Death. She led her impoverished family to believe that they’d be rewarded with wealth in exchange for human sacrifices… so the Sect of Nacozari set out to kill. Sponsors! Bombas - Visit bombas.com/CULTS and get 20% off your first purchase. Everlane - Get free shipping on your first order when you go to Everlane.com/CULTS YogaGlo - Get your first two weeks of YogaGlo free when you sign up on YogaGlo.com/CULTS Better Help - To learn more or sign up go to betterhelp.com/CULTS. Enter the invite code CULTS to get your first 7 days free. Unexplained Mysteries - Search Unexplained Mysteries on your favorite podcast directory, listen, and subscribe! Or visit Parcast.com/UNEXPLAINED to listen now.

 E23: “Nuwaubian Nation” Pt. 2 - Dwight York | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 00:39:33

In November 2014, a baby struggling for his life was left at an ER in the Atlanta area. Suspecting abuse, police found a man who was influenced by cult leader Dwight York, who has been imprisoned since 2004. We look into how York maintains control over his followers from prison, and how this control led to a cycle of abuse. Sponsors! Better Help - Go to betterhelp.com/CULTS and enter the invite code CULTS to get your first 7 days free. Bombas -  Buy your new socks at Bombas.com/CULTS today, and get 20% off your first purchase. Hello Fresh - For $30 off your first week of HelloFresh, visit hellofresh.com and enter the code CULTS30.

 E22: “Nuwaubian Nation” - Dwight York | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 00:53:00

We explore the life of Dwight York, a manipulative cult leader who used his members for financial gain. Under his leadership, thousands of followers believed themselves to be descendants of aliens, waiting to be beamed up to another planet before the apocalypse. York’s control was so strong, many people still support him now, despite 100+ years remaining on his prison sentence. Sponsors! Kensington Publishing - ALMOST DEAD is available now everywhere books are sold, and for more information, visit LisaJackson.com. Quip - Quip starts at just $25, and if you go to getquip.com/CULTS you’ll get your first refill pack free with a Quip electric toothbrush. Yogaglo - Get your first two weeks of YogaGlo free when you sign up on YogaGlo.com/CULTS. Conspiracy Theories - Search for CONSPIRACY THEORIES wherever you listen to podcasts. Or visit parcast.com/CONSPIRACY to start listening now.

 E21: "True Russian Orthodox Church" - Pyotr Kuznetsov | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 00:57:49

Pyotr Kuznetsov, the leader of the radical “True Russian Orthodox Church” cult, convinced his followers the world would end on May 28th, 2008. As a result, around 29 to 35 cult members created a man-made cave, and buried themselves in it for six months. Tragically, two members died. We explore how Kuznetsov rose to power, and how he convinced his followers to do everything from removing processed food from their diets to completely isolating themselves from society. Sponsors! Everlane - Visit Everlane.com/CULTS for free shipping on your first order. Conspiracy Theories - Search for CONSPIRACY THEORIES wherever you listen to podcasts. Or visit parcast.com/CONSPIRACY to start listening now. Truth & Justice - Check out the Truth & Justice Podcast on iTunes, Audioboom, or your favorite podcast directory. Truth & Justice is not a Parcast podcast.

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