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



Saturday Mar 08, 2025
Speaking of Cults...Is Wokeism a Cult?
Saturday Mar 08, 2025
Saturday Mar 08, 2025
By popular demand, I am taking this week to honestly but maybe with a little snark look at the question of whether "wokeism" is a cult. Let's be honest about the problems and bad behavior on the Left, and let's take a look at whether a real cult exists there or not. I look forward to seeing your comments on this one! Enjoy!



Saturday Mar 01, 2025
Speaking of Cults...Is America Becoming a Cult of Obedience?
Saturday Mar 01, 2025
Saturday Mar 01, 2025
This podcast is NOT a rant about any cult of Trump, but the fact I even have to lead with that is a sign of what this podcast is all about. This week I present 10 points of how obedience is coerced in any group (religious, political, sports, etc) and specifically how I see this playing out in Western politics, kind of cult behavior hiding in plain sight. This historically always results in pretty horrible lives for a lot of people and I hope this can help open some eyes. Enjoy!



Saturday Feb 22, 2025
Speaking of Cults...Mormonism and Compliance Culture
Saturday Feb 22, 2025
Saturday Feb 22, 2025
This week I welcome back Bryce Blankenagel and Shannon Grover, two former members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. In our second discussion about the Mormon church, we go over the Mormon story of Joseph Smith's life and how this and many other things are used to create a compliance culture in the Mormon communities. Enjoy!
Find Bryce and Shannon on the GlassBox podcast.



Saturday Feb 15, 2025
Speaking of Cults...Has a Cult Taken Over US Politics?
Saturday Feb 15, 2025
Saturday Feb 15, 2025
This week I discuss the fact of Christian Nationalism in the United States and the long-term evolution of what has become a disturbing ideological force in our current political climate. This is not something that just happened, or that happened overnight. In today's show, I discuss the background and agenda of the Evangelical Christian Nationalists. It's not necessarily an enjoyable show, but I hope it is an educational one.



Saturday Feb 08, 2025
Speaking of Cults...What is Mormonism?
Saturday Feb 08, 2025
Saturday Feb 08, 2025
This week I welcome Bryce Blankenagel and Shannon Grover, two former members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. They not only have personal stories to tell but have dived deep into the details of the Mormon church itself, past and present. In this podcast, we take a broad look at the Mormon Church as a destructive cult and see how there are many layers of deception, unaccountability, political meddling and financial shenanigans that should give anyone pause. Enjoy!
Find Bryce and Shannon on the GlassBox podcast.



Saturday Feb 01, 2025
Saturday Feb 01, 2025
This week I welcome Jeremiah Gibson and Julia Postema, certified and licensed sex therapists on the East Coast who help me understand honesty, openness and healthy boundaries in romantic/sexual relationships after leaving an abusive relationship or destructive cult. We covered a lot of territory in a short amount of time. Enjoy!
J&J's website: https://Sexvangelicals.com and https://LetsHealTogether.org
Contact: info@LetsHealTogether.org



Saturday Jan 25, 2025
Speaking of Cults...The Post-Truth World is Making Us All Culty
Saturday Jan 25, 2025
Saturday Jan 25, 2025
This week I am breaking down the exact reasons why we are living in a post-truth crisis that is quite literally tearing apart the social fabric of our society and institutions. This has allowed populist, dictatorial types like Donald Trump to rise to power and start to destroy everything that has made America great. In addition to defining and explaining how this problem came about, I also offer some ideas of what we can and should be doing about it. It's not a good picture but it's not all doom and gloom yet. This situation can still be turned around. Enjoy!



Sunday Jan 12, 2025
Speaking of Cults...Parasocial Relationships and Social Media
Sunday Jan 12, 2025
Sunday Jan 12, 2025
This week we posted the audio stream a little later than usual because we did something special - a live podcast. This particular subject of parasocial relationships with audience members is not a unique problem of YouTube but I thought there was never a subject that deserved an interactive approach with my audience as much as this one. Enjoy!

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.







