Speaking of Cults

A podcast about cults, coercive control and recovery. Formerly called the Sensibly Speaking podcast, in this weekly show host Chris Shelton interviews cult survivors, psychologists and other professionals and specialists about the topics of cult recruitment, retention and recovery. This also includes non-religious cults and extreme political movements including the more divisive elements of MAGA and left-wing culture war issues. There is nothing off-limits but we always try to be respectful of the people involved even if we do not respect the beliefs or actions involved.
Episodes
Episodes



Saturday Aug 23, 2025
Speaking of Cults...The Cult Foundations of the United States ft. Jane Borden
Saturday Aug 23, 2025
Saturday Aug 23, 2025
This week I welcome author Jane Borden, who recently published Cults Like US about the cult roots of American society and how these have perpetuated to this day in many of the moral and social values we take for granted or just don't think about too much. We have a lot of food for thought for you in this one. Enjoy!
Jane Borden's website: https://janeborden.com



Saturday Aug 16, 2025
Speaking of Cults...Why Smart People do Dumb Things (REM Model again)
Saturday Aug 16, 2025
Saturday Aug 16, 2025
This week I am revisiting the REM Model (TM) and discussing more real-world examples of how it might be used to help figure out or understand ourselves and other people and why we do some of the crazy stuff we do. Enjoy!



Saturday Aug 09, 2025
Speaking of Cults...Why Diddy Got Away With It
Saturday Aug 09, 2025
Saturday Aug 09, 2025
In this week's shorter-than-usual podcast, I give a full rundown on the indictment and trial of Sean Combs and why it was that he completely got away with years of domestic abuse and coercion. "Diddy" turned his business into a sex-trafficking criminal enterprise (allegedly) and there will be no justice for his victims because of how our laws and justice system operate. You'll understand why after you hear this.



Saturday Aug 02, 2025
Saturday Aug 02, 2025
Here is your explanation for why people act the way they do, why people join and stay in cults and why people will fight to the death for some of the most irrational and hateful beliefs and ideas. If you've ever run into anyone that you just couldn't understand, this podcast is going to help you finally figure that out. Enjoy!



Saturday Jul 26, 2025
Speaking of Cults...Abuse in the Community of Jesus ft. Ewan Whyte
Saturday Jul 26, 2025
Saturday Jul 26, 2025
This week I welcome Ewan Whyte, a man who grew up in an incredibly abusive Christian Nationalist group called the Community of Jesus and who was sent to Grenville College - a boarding school under the ownership of this cult. His story has a happier ending than most and he had difficulty talking about some aspects of his experience but I hope this podcast will still be informative of his experience and a cautionary tale about giving over your life to a belief system that is really nothing more than human cruelty.
Ewan's website: https://ewanwhyte.com



Saturday Jul 19, 2025
Speaking of Cults...Escaping Fundamentalist Mormonism ft. Pamela Jones
Saturday Jul 19, 2025
Saturday Jul 19, 2025
Imagine being born into slavery in Mexico as a female in a Mormon polygamist cult that treats all women like chattel, not good for anything but doing what they are told and making babies. That's what my guest, Pamela Jones, escaped from after being raised amongst seriously violent religious extremists (who are still operating their cult in Mexico and are richer than ever). As an adult, she got out with all nine of her children and started a new life in the US. Pamela has an upcoming book about her experience releasing in September but she shared highlights of her story with me in this week's podcast. It's simply unbelievable what some men are willing and able to do when they feel empowered with righteousness. The good news is that Pamela has made an incredible life for herself and her family and there is a happy ending to this. Enjoy!
Pamela's website: https://PamelaSpeaks.live



Saturday Jul 12, 2025
Speaking of Cults...Cult Recovery is a Rocky Road
Saturday Jul 12, 2025
Saturday Jul 12, 2025
This week I am bringing back Jason Horvatic, a former Scientologist who came out publicly about two years ago and had some contentious views and statements to make about me, Scientology and his own views about his experiences. Well, the road to recovery has many pitfalls and dark alleyways that people can go down, but they can also come right back out again. This podcast is a pretty plain English discussion about all of this and where Jason is at now. I hope this will be of interest and it helps. Enjoy!



Saturday Jul 05, 2025
Speaking of Cults...Breaking the Spell of Religion with Dr. Moe
Saturday Jul 05, 2025
Saturday Jul 05, 2025
This week I am welcoming back Dr. Maurice Turmel aka "Dr Moe" to discuss religious trauma and his new book on the subject. We go over a number of key principles underlying religious trauma which I think might help anyone who is overcoming an abusive religious background. Hope this one helps!
Dr. Turmel's website: https://drmoe2000.bandcamp.com

Your Host
Hello, my name is Chris Shelton and I am an author, consultant, podcaster, videographer, and former cult member. Welcome to my podcast!
Who is Chris Shelton?
Chris started a YouTube channel which has over 45,000 subscribers, produces the Sensibly Speaking podcast each week and has produced hundreds of videos laying out the scam of Scientology, educating on critical thinking and interviewing former members of Scientology and other destructive cults, as well as a range of therapists, cult exit counselors, educators and media personalities. Chris has also given talks and presentations around the United States about his experiences and has been featured on numerous podcasts and television shows. He was featured on Leah Remini’s Scientology and the Aftermath on A&E and served as a consultant to the show for its first two seasons. He has also written a critical analysis of Scientology and L. Ron Hubbard called Scientology: A to Xenu – An Insider’s Guide to What Scientology is Really All About, available on Amazon in printed form, e-book format and as an audio book.