Let's Talk About Sects

Let's Talk About Sects

Author: Sarah Steel Language: English Episodes: 50
Each month on Let's Talk About Sects, host Sarah Steel selects a different group for a thorough and thoughtful examination. The approach is narrative, building the story of each organization from the ground up. You’ll hear about the origins and the figures who founded these movements, the specific methods used to draw people in, and the lived realities of those who joined. Steel delves into the psychological frameworks at play and recounts the significant, often troubling events that defined each group's timeline. This award-winning documentary series fits within broader conversations about society, culture, and belief, but its strength is in the specific, human details. The tone is engaged and curious, avoiding sensationalism in favor of a clear-eyed look at complex histories. For those who find this podcast compelling, there are additional ways to engage with the work beyond listening. Sarah Steel has also authored a related book, *Do As I Say*, which expands on these themes. The monthly format allows for deep research into each subject, making every episode a comprehensive portrait rather than a superficial overview. It’s a resource for anyone interested in the mechanics of belief and control, presented through careful storytelling.
Episodes
The Victorian Cult Inquiry Recommendations with Patrick McIvor [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:24:13
The Victorian Legislative Assembly Legal and Social Issues Committee has published their final reports from the Parliamentary Inquiry into the recruitment methods and impacts of cults and organised fringe groups, which c…
Can You Handle a Girl Like Me with Bek Condello [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:16
In a sleepy Canberra suburb, Bek Condello was raised in a strict patriarchal Pentecostal movement. The influence of the Geelong Revival Centre extended deeply into the lives of the congregation, promoting discipline and…
ICSA with Carol Merchasin [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:00
Carol Merchasin is the newly appointed President of the International Cultic Studies Association (ICSA). Drawing on decades of experience in law, investigations, and survivor advocacy, Carol has led inquiries into allega…
Eternal Values with Hoyt Richards [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:07:15
Hoyt Richards spent over two decades in Eternal Values, after first meeting the man who called himself Frederick von Mierers on a beach at the age of 16. Bring Me the Beauties: A Model Cult, out now on HBO Max with episo…
Coercive Control in Charismatic Evangelical Churches with the RTC [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:41
When we talk about cults, we tend to picture the ones that make headlines: isolated compounds, charismatic leaders, dramatic exits. But what about the church down the street? The one with the worship band and the small g…
Sphinx Spiritual – Part 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:33:27
Sphinx Spiritual takes instruction from a council of entities that includes Leonardo da Vinci, Lady Di, Sir Francis Bacon, Mahatma Ghandi, an alien called Zootor, and married Mornington Peninsula couple Ian and Pearl Rog…
Sphinx Spiritual – Part 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:26:13
A spiritual school in Victoria teaches that we each have a spiritual guide who we can rely on to help us through life, and that the couple who run the school – Ian and Pearl Rogers – sit on a council alongside entities w…
Update: The Nannup Four [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:34
The ABC’s internationally award-winning podcast Expanse, exploring big stories from across Australia, looked at the mysterious case of the Nannup Four for its sixth season. Host Dominique Bayens investigated the 2007 dis…
The Soulful Journey [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:29:37
Fai West was just 10 years old when she was first introduced to the teachings of Soulaire Allerai and the Soulful Journey. A few years later, as a teenager in high school, she found herself living in Soulaire’s basement,…