Let's Start A Cult

Feb 28 2022 35 ep. 185

Let's Start A Cult Podcast artwork

Join me (not in a cult sense), Josh Schell, as we dive into the dark and interesting world of cults! I will take you on a journey of how cults form, who their leaders are, and how they almost always come to an end.

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Bruno Gröning & The Circle of Friends w/ Lindsay Valenty

Feb 28 2022 59 mins

We did it, Fred! We finally found a cult that isn't horrible! Because today we are going to be talking about Bruno Groning and The Circle of Friends. A cult whose leader died before it formed but whose followers managed to create a worldwide cult that believes in positive thinking to heal its followers. Consider supporting the podcast by becoming a Patreon Follow us on the socials:

Aum Shinrikyo | The Military Cult That Injured Thousands

Feb 14 2022 49 mins

In 1989, the Metropolitan Government of Tokyo officially recognized “Aum Shinrikyo” as a legitimate religious movement. Little did they know that five years later, that same group would carry out a violent terrorist attack on the city, leaving 13 dead and a thousand others severely injured. Follow us on the socials: Twitter Facebook Instagram YouTube Website Learn more about y

James Ellison & The Covenant w/ Shots and Thoughts

Jan 31 2022 56 mins

In 1976, James Ellison moved to Arkansas, intending to establish a self-sustaining fundamentalist Christian commune made up of like-minded individuals who wanted nothing more than to dedicate themselves to God. But by 1978 – a mere two years later – he and his followers had become domestic terrorists who believed in white supremacy and were willing to resort to violent means to

August Engelhardt & The Coconut Cult w/ The Dumb, Found Dead

Jan 17 2022 57 mins

Cults are not always sinister. Similarly, cult leaders are not always manipulative sociopaths. Sometimes, all they need is one deluded man. August Engelhardt, born with a silver spoon, was many things, and one of them was delusional, something he shared with other cults and their leaders. You might wonder the peculiarities of Engelhardt’s delusion. It is nothing other than the ob

The Church of Scientology Part 2: The Indoctrination Process

Jan 10 2022 46 mins

For many, Tom Cruise is a good-looking actor who rose to fame after starring in blockbusters like “Top Gun,” “Mission Impossible,” and “Risky Business.” But for Scientologists, Tom Cruise is a demigod who has become “Operating Thetan VII.” According to them, this status has allowed him to gain a wide range of superpowers, such as telekinesis, leaving his body at wil

The Church of Scientology Part 1: The Story of L. Ron Hubbard

Jan 03 2022 54 mins

Super excited to kick off 2022 with this much-anticipated cult! The Church of Scientology may be controversial; however, its devotees have nothing but praise for its teachings. For instance, actor Tom Cruise once called it “a beautiful religion,” while fellow actor John Travolta publicly stated that it was only being criticized because it “really works well.” For many, th

The Hermes Far Eastern Shining Cult | Curing The World One Grift At A Time

Dec 13 2021 46 mins

When Ann Fitzgerald met a group of New Age devotees at a festival in London, she thought that she had found a set of like-minded and supportive friends. Never did she imagine that she would spend the next decade in their grip, working 16-hour shifts without being paid a single dollar. Ann, however, was far from the group’s only victim. Follow us on the socials: Twitter Faceboo

The Lafferty Brothers' School of Prophets | A Family Cult

Nov 15 2021 42 mins

When Allen Lafferty walked into his home on the evening of July 24, 1984, he never expected to find the carpet and drapes soaked in blood. Nor did he imagine that he would be the first to find the corpses of his beloved wife and daughter. Staring at their remains, Allen soon came to realize that those responsible for destroying his family were none other than his older brothers, wh

Saul Newton and The Sullivan Institute

Oct 18 2021 53 mins

After graduating from Harvard University in the early 1970s, Paul Sprecher decided to head to the Big Apple, in search of exciting opportunities. Instead, he stumbled upon a group led by an increasingly erratic authoritarian, who sought to impose his views about sex and the nuclear family on his hundreds of devotees. Surprisingly enough, its ranks included prominent celebrities f

Multi-Level Marketing | The Cults Of The Business World

Oct 04 2021 58 mins

In‌ ‌today’s‌ ‌episode‌ ‌of‌ ‌Let’s‌ ‌Start‌ ‌a‌ ‌Cult‌ ‌we‌ ‌will‌ ‌be‌ ‌discussing Multi-Level‌ ‌Marketing‌ ‌companies ‌or‌ ‌pyramid‌ ‌schemes.‌ ‌From‌ ‌leggings‌ ‌to‌ ‌essential‌ ‌oils‌ ‌and‌ ‌kitchen‌ ‌knives,‌ ‌these‌ ‌predatory‌ ‌brands‌ ‌have‌ ‌manipulated‌