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.
Podcast Description
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



Jan 5, 2019
Jan 5, 2019
1hr 7 min
Seth Andrews joins me this week to discuss politics, religion, atheism and the big problems with the “purity testing” across social media platforms. A little Scientology is also thrown in to round out the inoffensive subject matter. Enjoy!
The post Sensibly Speaking Podcast #174: Politics, Religion and Other Inoffensive Subjects with Seth Andrews appeared first on The Sensibly Speaking Podcast.



Dec 29, 2018
Dec 29, 2018
56 min
In this end of the year review, I talk about what we saw happen in the world of Scientology (and without) as well as some thoughts about what this channel is and where it’s going. Enjoy!
The post Sensibly Speaking Podcast #173: 2018 in Scientology and Beyond appeared first on The Sensibly Speaking Podcast.



Dec 22, 2018
Is Free Speech Dead?
Dec 22, 2018
Dec 22, 2018
1hr 4 min
This week I am taking on some of the controversies surrounding free speech. Instead of arguing over what words are and aren’t acceptable or offensive, I’m going right to the core of the argument and review what free expression is as a right, what are its limits and discuss the recent de-platforming of content creators.
The post Sensibly Speaking Podcast #172: Is Free Speech Dead? appeared first on The Sensibly Speaking Podcast.



Dec 15, 2018
Dec 15, 2018
1hr 11 min
This week, and coincidentally with the timing of Leah’s show on the Nation of Islam, I am covering the improbable alliance between the Church of Scientology and the Nation of Islam. I discuss what I learned in looking into this, including the real history of the NOI, its racist nature and undeniable fact it is a destructive cult.
Sources:
“The Supreme Wisdom Lessons by Master Fard Muhammad to his Servant, the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad for the Lost-Found Nation of Islam in North America” by Master Fard Muhammad
The Voodoo Cult Among Negro Migrants in Detroit by Kidmann Doane Beynon, American Journal of Sociology, 1938
Scientology and the Nation of Islam have formed a Bizarre and Dangerous Alliance, The Federalist, 26 Nov 2018
Louis Farrakhan warns against “Satanic Jews” in Chicago speech, The Times of Israel, 5 June 2018
The Troubling Connections between Scientology and the Nation of Islam, Bethany Mandel, National Review, 2 Apr 2018
What Makes Islam So Different – The Quran’s Verses of Violence
Wallace Fard Muhammad Wikipedia page
Elijah Muhammad Wikipedia page
Nation of Islam Wikipedia page
Beliefs and theology of the Nation of Islam Wikipedia page
The post Sensibly Speaking Podcast #171: Scientology and the Nation of Islam – An Unholy Alliance appeared first on The Sensibly Speaking Podcast.



Dec 8, 2018
Dec 8, 2018
1hr 3 min
This week, I do my first live interview in my new studio with Mark Horowitz, Professor of Sociology. We talk about the enormous majority of left-wing leaning academics in the “soft” sciences and how this has affected the quality and views of these sciences. Our far reaching conversation also touches on extremist thinking, social justice and evolutionary biology. Enjoy!
The post Sensibly Speaking Podcast #170: Inherent Bias in Academia and Politics ft. Mark Horowitz appeared first on The Sensibly Speaking Podcast.



Dec 1, 2018
How I Left Scientology Forever
Dec 1, 2018
Dec 1, 2018
1hr 7 min
This week, I tell the entire story of how I was a Scientologist and ended up in the Sea Org and what factors and events made me realize I needed to leave. I’ve told parts of this before but never the whole story. Enjoy!
The post Sensibly Speaking Podcast #169: How I Left Scientology Forever appeared first on The Sensibly Speaking Podcast.



Nov 24, 2018
What it Means to be an American in 2019
Nov 24, 2018
Nov 24, 2018
1hr 34 min
This week, my friend Brandon and I discuss what’s going on in the US from our “common man” point of view on varying ends of the political spectrum. What does it mean to be an American now and in to the future? We tackle some of the most contentious issues in recent news. Enjoy!
The post Sensibly Speaking Podcast #168: What it Means to be an American in 2019 appeared first on The Sensibly Speaking Podcast.



Nov 17, 2018
Nov 17, 2018
56 min
This week, I spent two full days at the Denver International Flat Earth Conference 2018 and this podcast is a same-day download of my thoughts and observations on how and what the Flat Earthers think and why, and my reasons for pushing back against this quasi-religious movement.
The post Sensibly Speaking Podcast #167: The Shocking Truth Behind the Flat Earth!!! appeared first on The Sensibly Speaking Podcast.

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.







