I am excited to share another interview with my first mentor regarding thought reform and brainwashing, Robert Jay Lifton M.D.. (See the list of our previous interviews below). I last interviewed Dr. Lifton in January […]
A few weeks ago, Russian journalist Kseniya Kirillova asked me to do an interview with her about my book The Cult of Trump. I asked my friends if they knew of her work and they responded affirmatively, confirming that she was well respected. So, I decided to read a number of her articles which were highly critical of Putin, Russia, and activities that are despicable. Her article was entitled, “Veneration of Donald Trump is a Personality Cult.”
Since my deprogramming from the Moon cult in 1976, I have come to learn of countless thousands of harmful cult groups. Many years ago, I worked with victims of Tony Alamo (birth name Bernie LaZar
It was a tragic ending to the mystery of where Lori Vallow’s two missing children have been since last fall. The bodies of Tylee Ryan (age 17) and Joshua Vallow (age 7), were found buried on Chad Daybell’s four-acre property. Cell phone pings from Lori Vallow’s late brother led investigators to the bodies of her children. They have both been arrested. Each has been ordered to post a $1 million bond if they wish to be released. Three other suspicious deaths are connected to Daybell and Vallow: his wife, her ex-husband, and her brother who was responsible for the death of her ex-husband.
In the weeks since George Floyd was murdered by a police officer in Minneapolis, Donald Trump has escalated his authoritarian ambitions, prompting notable military Republicans and insiders to speak out against him. Trump has been harsh on protestors, (not remembering protesting publicly is a right for citizens, told more lies, and even promoted more conspiracy theories– this time accusing protestors to be part of Antifa. He even went as far as to say that Martin Gugino, the 75-year-old man who was violently pushed to the ground by Buffalo Emergency Response Team officers during a protest in Niagara Square was actually an “ANTIFA provocateur” but this has been debunked. While I am against violence (by citizens and police) during protests, it seems clear that there were instigators sent in to cause violence, looting, and harm. Some suspect right-wing, White power groups, but White House officials focused only on naming “left-wing” organizers. Time will tell as more information emerges. What is true is that Trump, while proclaiming himself the law and order President, was guilty of instigating the opposite which drew worldwide criticism.
My Top Blogs About The Cult of Trump Read More
In our last blog, we talked with conspiracy theory debunker Mick West about his book Escaping the Rabbit Hole. This week, it is my pleasure to blog and share my interview with MJ Banias about his expertise concerning UFOs as well as newer research he has been doing. Clearly, the COVID-19 pandemic has influenced people all over the world-creating social and economic upheavals as big or bigger than the Great Depression. Scientists and public health experts have given stern warnings against prematurely lifting social distancing restrictions without testing and contact tracing resources in place. All recommend mandatory use of facemasks for citizens when in public. Trump has announced that he has decided to end funding for the World Health Organization (WHO). It is not clear if he alone has the authority to do this.
The murder of George Floyd, handcuffed with his hands behind his back and on his stomach, by the knee of a police officer on his neck for almost 9 minutes, has sparked justified outrage across the United States and the world. Peaceful protests have taken place by the vast majority of United States citizens. Donald Trump, aside from hiding in the White House bunker, later had officials use tear gas to allow him to make a photo-op of him holding a Bible and speaking outside of the historic St. Johns Church. Trump had called governors and told them he was prepared to authorize military force to go into cities to stop the protestors. Unfortunately, criminals and covert agents of authoritarian countries and cults have instigated violence and looting. Trump blamed only left-wing groups for the violence and left out right-wing, neo-nazi, and white power groups. The media focus has been on racism and specifically white supremacist beliefs, conscious and unconscious. There are so many structural inequities in America that need to be addressed. These have been written about by experts and include financial, justice system, and health care, to name just a few that need to be fixed.
Mick West–debunker, skeptic, writer, and podcaster–recently interviewed me for his podcast, “Tales From The Rabbit Hole” where we discussed cults, the intersection between cults and conspiracy theories, and my book: The Cult of Trump.
Tales from the Rabbit Hole is an interview-style podcast focusing on people whose lives have been affected by the conspiracy theory rabbit hole. Guests include both former and current believers in a variety of conspiracy theories, as well as debunkers, skeptics, and the investigators of those theories.
Conspiracy Theories, Cults and How to Help Friends and Loved Ones with Debunker Mick West Read More
I watched the HBO Documentary Leaving Neverland and the follow-up Oprah special that interviewed the two abuse victims and have been wanting to write a blog about the series for a long while now. Leaving
I am pleased to share a long-awaited interview with Sarah Edmondson–a former high-ranking member of NXIVM, founded by Keith Raniere. Sarah Edmondson is a Canadian actress who has starred in the CBS series Salvation and more than 12 films for the Hallmark Channel and Lifetime. She is featured in the CBC podcast Uncover: Escaping NXIVM and The Vow, the upcoming HBO documentary series on NXIVM.
She is the author of the book, Scarred: The True Story of How I Escaped NXIVM, the Cult that Bound My Life. Scarred is a memoir of Sarah’s recruitment into the NXIVM cult, founded by the now-convicted trafficker, Keith Raniere. It narrates in detail the 12 years she spent within the organization, during which she enrolled over 2,000 members, directly and indirectly, chronicling her breaking point and her harrowing fight to get out, help others, and heal.
My guest this week is Pamela Saharah Dyson, a former top official of 3HO (known also as Western Sikhs) and once a long term devoted follower of Yogi Bhajan. If you have ever heard of kundalini yoga, or even taken some classes, that was the main bait to recruit people. That and promises of health–even though Bhajan died at 75 from ill-health. Even though she left the cult in the 1980s, she has now published her story in a must-read book: Premka, White Bird in a Golden Cage: My Life with Yogi Bhajan.
April is Child Abuse Prevention Month and, now more than ever, we need to protect children. Too many are still being hurt: physically, mentally and emotionally, as seen by recent national child abuse statistics. For
