Identifying and Healing Religious Trauma, with Darren M. Slade, Ph.D. 

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On the Influence Continuum podcast, I cover all kinds of cults: from family units to political movements, toxic workplaces to Scientologist compounds. Today, I returned to the basics of Christian fundamentalism used by cultic groups. As I discuss in my book, The Cult of Trump, many groups are deeply involved in politics and influence believers to vote according to the leader’s direction of who is “godly.” Here to discuss his experiences with this and his evolution away from religion is Dr. Darren M. Slade, a graduate of the controversial Liberty University’s seminary and apologetics program. Darren is a professor of history and comparative religion in Denver, Colorado. He specializes in the socio-political development of religious belief systems and also serves as the Director of the North American Committee on Religious Trauma Research. He is the President of the Global Center for Religious Research (GCRR.org) and Founding Editor of the peer-reviewed academic journal Socio-Historical Examination of Religion and Ministry (SHERMjournal.org).  

Forager: Field Notes on Surviving a Family Cult with Michelle Dowd  

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In the modern era, many of us spend most of our time at home, subsisting on what we can get through tech and grocery chains. But in her new book, Forager: Field Notes on Surviving a Family Cult, Michelle Dowd proposes that we are all still foraging internally. Instead of gathering food, we gather what we need emotionally and intellectually. Following our dual appearance on The Megyn Kelly Show, she joined me on the Influence Continuum podcast to discuss how she reframed her harsh experiences to find joy and fulfillment.  

QAnon, Chaos, and the Cross: Christianity and Conspiracy Theories with Dr. Michael Austin and Dr. Gregory Bock 

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In today’s digital age, disinformation, and propaganda can spread at alarming speeds, often inciting fear and confusion and causing instability within social, political, and religious circles. Suppose individuals are unaware of undue influence and the tactics used in information warfare, intentionally devised to instill distrust in our institutions. In that case, they can easily become entangled in harmful conspiracy theories. 

Seventh-day Adventism, Adventist

Concerns with The Seventh Day Adventist Church with Dr. Steve Daily 

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The Seventh Day Adventist Church (SDA) is a widely recognized Christian organization with around 20 million members worldwide. However, many of its beliefs and practices align with my BITE Model of Authoritarian Control, which causes great concern. To gain more insight into this organization, I invited Dr. Steve Daily, a former pastor of the SDA, to share his valuable personal and professional experiences.

Religious Freedom vs. Christian Dominionism

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The topic of religious freedom has been in the news lately, as several states have passed, or are attempting to pass, regressive educational bills under the guise of religious freedom. For example, the “Don’t Say Gay” bill recently passed in the Florida Senate, which would ban curricula related to LGBTQ issues in Florida public schools. Supporters of the Florida bill have cited “religious freedom” as a reason why discussions…

The Cult of Trump Book 2020

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    The Democratic and Republican conventions have now ended. The differences between the two events were so clear for anyone watching them both. By looking at the Influence Continuum, one party was emphasizing love, compassion, science, diversity and coming together as Americans.  The other was about Donald Trump and how great, kind, empathetic, and …

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4th Generation Warfare and The Christian Right: A Discussion With James Scaminaci III

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When I was researching to write The Cult of Trump for Simon and Schuster, I was advised to read Dr. Scaminaci’s academic writings on Fourth Generation Warfare (4GW). What is it? It is a form of psychological warfare. In the intelligence world, it is known as an advanced form of psy-ops (psychological operations). It was …

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Evangelical Support of Trump, Authoritarian Politics, and Transitioning: A Discussion With Chrissy Stroop, Ph.D.

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Russian history expert Dr. Chrissy Stroop is back with a follow-up interview. She is an author, editor, and Stanford Ph.D., not only an activist. One of the reasons I wished to have her on was to discuss and promote the book she helped to edit, along with Lauren O’Neal, Empty the Pews: Stories of Leaving the …

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The COVID-19 Pandemic, the Religious Right, and the Threat to Our Government and World Health: A Discussion With Anne Nelson

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As we continue into uncharted times with the COVID-19 pandemic, we must change our focus to how we can combat this virus and support one another during this crisis. This global pandemic affects each and every one of us. Unfortunately, not everyone believes in science and nor is taking it seriously. Too many people are …

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Christian Nationalism, Dominionism, the New Apostolic Reformation; A Discussion with Dr. André Gagné

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André Gagné, Ph.D. This week, I have the pleasure of sharing an interview with Dr. André Gagné. We discuss his journey as a former evangelical pastor, his academic journey becoming a tenured professor and his work involving the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR).  André Gagné, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor and Graduate Program Director in the Department of …

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