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.
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



Aug 14, 2021
Aug 14, 2021
1 hr 6 min
This week I welcome back channel favorite Jon Atack to discuss more aspects of Hubbard and Scientology as well as get an overview of Jon’s new book, Opening Our Minds and some thoughts on predators and critical thinking. Enjoy!
Jon’s book on Amazon
The post Sensibly Speaking Podcast #307: Jon Atack is Opening Our Minds appeared first on The Sensibly Speaking Podcast.
Aug 14, 2021
1 hr 6 min



Aug 7, 2021
Aug 7, 2021
1 hr 11 min
This week I’m giving a sort of QAnon 101 for my viewers. It may be that we’ll do more episodes about QAnon depending on the feedback to this one. Here I talk about QAnon’s origin story, the fascinating mechanics behind how it evolved and some of the more obvious cultic aspects of how it is organized and how its followers have become extremists. I cover a lot of territory. Enjoy!
Washington Post article
The post Sensibly Speaking Podcast #306: The Cult of QAnon appeared first on The Sensibly Speaking Podcast.
Aug 7, 2021
1 hr 11 min



Jul 31, 2021
Jul 31, 2021
1 hr 41 min
This week I welcome back Ciprian Ivanof to help me dissect Scientology’s organizational and personnel craziness. This week we offer some commentary on Hubbard’s most advanced lectures on administration and then get into some war stories I have about how we used Scientology in handling staff and Sea Org members. We cover a lot of territory. Enjoy!
The post Sensibly Speaking Podcast #305: Scientology Personnel Craziness appeared first on The Sensibly Speaking Podcast.
Jul 31, 2021
1 hr 41 min



Jul 17, 2021
Zara Kay and Faithless Hijabi
Jul 17, 2021
Jul 17, 2021
1 hr 40 min
This week I welcome special guest Zara Kay, founder of Faithless Hijabi and a woman with a story to tell about her persecution as an ex-Muslim in her homeland of Tanzania last year. She is now safe and back home in Australia, but little thanks to the Australian government. We go over all the details of her ordeal and what she is doing as a hands-on activist to help ex-Muslims. Enjoy!
Faithless Hijabi website
The post Sensibly Speaking Podcast #304: Zara Kay and Faithless Hijabi appeared first on The Sensibly Speaking Podcast.
Jul 17, 2021
1 hr 40 min



Jul 3, 2021
Sleep Deprivation and Stress in the Sea Org
Jul 3, 2021
Jul 3, 2021
1 hr 4 min
This week I welcome back Ciprian Ivanof to help me discuss Scientology’s kind of nuts management culture and organization. This week we focus on sleep deprivation and stress and we had a lot to say. Enjoy!
The post Sensibly Speaking #302 – Sleep Deprivation and Stress in the Sea Org appeared first on The Sensibly Speaking Podcast.
Jul 3, 2021
1 hr 4 min



Jun 26, 2021
Jun 26, 2021
1 hr 28 min
This week I welcome back Aaron Smith-Levin so we can give some updates on Clearwater and Scientology including some future campaigning Aaron himself will be doing for the City Council later this year. Enjoy!
The post Sensibly Speaking #300: Scientology, Clearwater and the City Council appeared first on The Sensibly Speaking Podcast.
Jun 26, 2021
1 hr 28 min



Jun 19, 2021
Beat (A Survivor’s Story) with Hannah Prosser
Jun 19, 2021
Jun 19, 2021
2 hr 56 min
This week I welcome Hannah Prosser, a survivor of childhood domestic and religious abuse who was involved with the Haldeman Mennonites in Muddy Pond, Tennessee. Her story is at times heartbreaking and horrifying but is ultimately a survivor’s story of escape and recovery which she now wants to share with the world in her first-ever interview about her life. She has just published a book about her life, Beat and is now working on how to best move forward to prevent this sort of abuse from happening to others.
The post Sensibly Speaking Podcast #300: Beat with Hannah Prosser appeared first on The Sensibly Speaking Podcast.
Jun 19, 2021
2 hr 56 min



Jun 12, 2021
Jun 12, 2021
1 hr 6 min
This week I welcome returning guest and friend of my channel Ciprian Ivanof for the first in what we expect will be a short series of podcasts about Scientology’s leadership and management theories and the gross inefficiencies that really do keep the organization from growing or becoming even more prosperous for real. Of course, we aren’t doing this to give Scientology advice, but to show up just how inefficient and even destructive authoritarian systems like Scientology are and how they preach one thing but do the very opposite every single time. Enjoy!
The post Sensibly Speaking Podcast #299: Scientology and Loyalty ft. Ciprian Ivanof appeared first on The Sensibly Speaking Podcast.
Jun 12, 2021
1 hr 6 min

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.







