web02.fireside.fm Wed, 15 Apr 2026 00:15:42 -0500 Fireside (https://fireside.fm) On Belief: A Podcast About Cults - Episodes Tagged with “Belief” https://onbelief.fireside.fm/tags/belief Tue, 03 Sep 2019 06:00:00 -0400 We all would like to think that we're immune to being persuaded, but were that true, advertising wouldn't work, the best candidates would always get elected, and our personal relationships would always be equitable. On Belief examines why, with so much information available to us to dissuade us from joining harmful groups. I ask people who have had first hand experience with harmful groups and sects how they were seduced, how they were tricked, and how they got out. en episodic On Belief is about why none of us are immune from coercive thought reform Karen Geier We all would like to think that we're immune to being persuaded, but were that true, advertising wouldn't work, the best candidates would always get elected, and our personal relationships would always be equitable. On Belief examines why, with so much information available to us to dissuade us from joining harmful groups. I ask people who have had first hand experience with harmful groups and sects how they were seduced, how they were tricked, and how they got out. yes religion, spirituality, cults, belief, quiverfull, FLDS, apostate, aum shinrikyo, Falun Gong Karen Geier info@onbelief.com Episode 118: Catherine Oxenberg on Cults and Families https://onbelief.fireside.fm/118 0891e0cb-04a4-475e-9286-6a40842106e7 Tue, 03 Sep 2019 06:00:00 -0400 Karen Geier 118 Catherine Oxenberg on Cults and Families full 1 Karen Geier FEED NOW FIXED Catherine Oxenberg, author of Captive: A Mother's Crusade to Save Her Daughter from a Terrifying Cult joins me to discuss her ordeal extracting her daughter India from NXIVM and her experiences helping bring Keith Raniere to justice. 15:46 yes Catherine Oxenberg candidly reveals details of her daughter's time spent in NXIVM and assisting the FBI in bringing down NXIVM cult leader Keith Raniere, who earlier this year was convicted on all counts after a jaw-dropping trial. In this episode, we discuss: Catherine's initial objection to ESP (the training that would become NXIVM) What the 'therapy' part of NXIVM's training looked like Why she eventually stopped taking classes What happened when Catherine realized India was in over her head How Catherine snapped into action to deliver a plan that would not only pull her daughter out, but would put Keith behind bars What Catherine learned for the first time watching the trial And more... Special Guest: Catherine Oxenberg. catherine oxenberg, cults, sects, religions, yoga, Rick Alan Ross, Karen Geier, NXIVM, coercion, belief, Keith Raniere, Allison Mack, Nancy Saltzman Catherine Oxenberg candidly reveals details of her daughter's time spent in NXIVM and assisting the FBI in bringing down NXIVM cult leader Keith Raniere, who earlier this year was convicted on all counts after a jaw-dropping trial.

In this episode, we discuss:

  • Catherine's initial objection to ESP (the training that would become NXIVM)
  • What the 'therapy' part of NXIVM's training looked like
  • Why she eventually stopped taking classes
  • What happened when Catherine realized India was in over her head
  • How Catherine snapped into action to deliver a plan that would not only pull her daughter out, but would put Keith behind bars
  • What Catherine learned for the first time watching the trial
  • And more...

Special Guest: Catherine Oxenberg.

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]]> Catherine Oxenberg candidly reveals details of her daughter's time spent in NXIVM and assisting the FBI in bringing down NXIVM cult leader Keith Raniere, who earlier this year was convicted on all counts after a jaw-dropping trial.

In this episode, we discuss:

  • Catherine's initial objection to ESP (the training that would become NXIVM)
  • What the 'therapy' part of NXIVM's training looked like
  • Why she eventually stopped taking classes
  • What happened when Catherine realized India was in over her head
  • How Catherine snapped into action to deliver a plan that would not only pull her daughter out, but would put Keith behind bars
  • What Catherine learned for the first time watching the trial
  • And more...

Special Guest: Catherine Oxenberg.

Support On Belief: A Podcast About Cults

]]> Episode 111: Cult Hopping & NXIVM Trial Update With Guest EJ Dickson https://onbelief.fireside.fm/111 28544952-f4ff-4b4a-bece-d483151cdfa1 Tue, 16 Jul 2019 12:00:00 -0400 Karen Geier 111 Cult Hopping & NXIVM Trial Update With Guest EJ Dickson full 1 Karen Geier EJ Dickson covered the NXIVM trial for Rolling Stone and discovered a phenomenon among those who leave cults: some of them move to other cults. 49:31 yes Guest EJ Dickson, who covered the NXIVM trial for Rolling Stone joins me to discuss the details of the trial and a phenomenon known as cult hopping, which she was made aware of from some people who testified at the NXIVM trial. In this episode, we discuss: The lurid nature of the testimony Surprises revealed in court Whether key figures are still supportive of Keith Whether these verdicts are precedent-setting How people cult hop What makes a person cult hop And more... Special Guest: EJ Dickson. cults, sects, religions, yoga, Rick Alan Ross, Karen Geier, NXIVM, coercion, belief, Keith Raniere, Allison Mack, Nancy Salzman, EJ Dickson Guest EJ Dickson, who covered the NXIVM trial for Rolling Stone joins me to discuss the details of the trial and a phenomenon known as cult hopping, which she was made aware of from some people who testified at the NXIVM trial.

In this episode, we discuss:

  • The lurid nature of the testimony
  • Surprises revealed in court
  • Whether key figures are still supportive of Keith
  • Whether these verdicts are precedent-setting
  • How people cult hop
  • What makes a person cult hop
  • And more...

Special Guest: EJ Dickson.

Support On Belief: A Podcast About Cults

]]> Guest EJ Dickson, who covered the NXIVM trial for Rolling Stone joins me to discuss the details of the trial and a phenomenon known as cult hopping, which she was made aware of from some people who testified at the NXIVM trial.

In this episode, we discuss:

  • The lurid nature of the testimony
  • Surprises revealed in court
  • Whether key figures are still supportive of Keith
  • Whether these verdicts are precedent-setting
  • How people cult hop
  • What makes a person cult hop
  • And more...

Special Guest: EJ Dickson.

Support On Belief: A Podcast About Cults

]]> Episode 106: Large Group Awareness Training With Guests █████, ███████, & █████ https://onbelief.fireside.fm/106 3d0debb8-f9b1-4854-88b6-392f3766ca26 Tue, 11 Jun 2019 09:00:00 -0400 Karen Geier 106 Large Group Awareness Training With Guests █████, ███████, & █████ full 1 Karen Geier What is Large Group Awareness Training? It's a form of group "therapy" that promises it can cure almost anything going wrong in your life. It's so ubiquitous, some major corporations pay for their staff to take the courses. 21:02 yes Large Group Awareness Training is on the rise. We live in a time when decreasing religious adherence, a growing need for order and rules in one's life and a sense of complete entitlement have combined to make the allure of LGATs nearly irresistible. I spoke with 3 ex members of Large Group Awareness training students about their experiences. They explained: Why anyone would tell a group of strangers about the worst day of their lives How meditation, team building exercises and attack therapy combine to make people feel invincible How these groups give students a sense of euphoria, then ask them to sign up for more courses What happens as you progress through the ranks at LGATs What the ultimate goal is for LGATs And more... Special Guests: Alan Smithee, Jane Doe, and Marty Flipman. cults, sects, religions, yoga, Alan Smithee, Jane Doe, Marty Flipman, Karen Geier, group therapy, meditation, team building, coercion, belief Large Group Awareness Training is on the rise. We live in a time when decreasing religious adherence, a growing need for order and rules in one's life and a sense of complete entitlement have combined to make the allure of LGATs nearly irresistible.

I spoke with 3 ex members of Large Group Awareness training students about their experiences. They explained:

  • Why anyone would tell a group of strangers about the worst day of their lives
  • How meditation, team building exercises and attack therapy combine to make people feel invincible
  • How these groups give students a sense of euphoria, then ask them to sign up for more courses
  • What happens as you progress through the ranks at LGATs
  • What the ultimate goal is for LGATs
  • And more...

Special Guests: Alan Smithee, Jane Doe, and Marty Flipman.

Support On Belief: A Podcast About Cults

]]> Large Group Awareness Training is on the rise. We live in a time when decreasing religious adherence, a growing need for order and rules in one's life and a sense of complete entitlement have combined to make the allure of LGATs nearly irresistible.

I spoke with 3 ex members of Large Group Awareness training students about their experiences. They explained:

  • Why anyone would tell a group of strangers about the worst day of their lives
  • How meditation, team building exercises and attack therapy combine to make people feel invincible
  • How these groups give students a sense of euphoria, then ask them to sign up for more courses
  • What happens as you progress through the ranks at LGATs
  • What the ultimate goal is for LGATs
  • And more...

Special Guests: Alan Smithee, Jane Doe, and Marty Flipman.

Support On Belief: A Podcast About Cults

]]> Episode 103: The Family with Guest Chris Johnston https://onbelief.fireside.fm/103 5d43d0c5-d0d2-4ab9-b5f4-e69c478216e4 Tue, 21 May 2019 12:00:00 -0400 Karen Geier 103 The Family with Guest Chris Johnston full 1 Karen Geier *UNLOCKED EPISODE TO COMMEMORATE ANNE HAMILTON-BYRNE'S DEATH* Chris Johnston, journalist and author of the book The Family joins us to discuss this dark chapter in Australian history. 50:27 yes Content Warning: Frank discussion of child abuse In this episode, Chris Johnston tells us: Who was Anne Hamilton-Byrne? How did she grow her cult out of a well-placed yoga studio? How Anne took advantage of countercultre symbols like mysticism and LSD and used them to target rich conservatives How Anne was able to grow her brood of children How The Family evaded police and the homeschooling authorities What happened to the children of The Family? And more... Buy Chris' book: https://www.amazon.com/Family-shocking-true-story-notorious/dp/1925321673 Special Guest: Chris Johnston. cults, sects, religions, yoga, Chris Johnston, Karen Geier, Scientology, coercion, belief, deprogramming, metaphysicd, child abuse, LSD Content Warning: Frank discussion of child abuse

In this episode, Chris Johnston tells us:

  • Who was Anne Hamilton-Byrne?
  • How did she grow her cult out of a well-placed yoga studio?
  • How Anne took advantage of countercultre symbols like mysticism and LSD and used them to target rich conservatives
  • How Anne was able to grow her brood of children
  • How The Family evaded police and the homeschooling authorities
  • What happened to the children of The Family?
  • And more...

Buy Chris' book: https://www.amazon.com/Family-shocking-true-story-notorious/dp/1925321673

Special Guest: Chris Johnston.

Support On Belief: A Podcast About Cults

]]> Content Warning: Frank discussion of child abuse

In this episode, Chris Johnston tells us:

  • Who was Anne Hamilton-Byrne?
  • How did she grow her cult out of a well-placed yoga studio?
  • How Anne took advantage of countercultre symbols like mysticism and LSD and used them to target rich conservatives
  • How Anne was able to grow her brood of children
  • How The Family evaded police and the homeschooling authorities
  • What happened to the children of The Family?
  • And more...

Buy Chris' book: https://www.amazon.com/Family-shocking-true-story-notorious/dp/1925321673

Special Guest: Chris Johnston.

Support On Belief: A Podcast About Cults

]]> Episode 102: NXIVM With Guest Brock Wilbur https://onbelief.fireside.fm/102 1853ea99-cdfc-438b-a5f7-f7fde873061e Tue, 14 May 2019 12:00:00 -0400 Karen Geier 102 NXIVM With Guest Brock Wilbur full 1 Karen Geier UNLOCKED FULL EPISODE. Content Warning: Episode contains frank discussion of sexual and other forms of abuse. Brock Wilbur joins me to discuss when he was inadvertently recruited by a division of NXIVM and how that lead him to investigate the cult. Little did he know what he would encounter. Brock discusses his unique insights into the trial of Keith Raniere. 1:00:03 yes **A change has been made to this episode. Two sentences not materially important to the content of the episode have been removed to comply with a nastygram from a law firm representing a particularly litigious group which, while not directly referenced in the episode, are related to the group previously mentioned in this episode. The group in question is in no way affiliated with NXIVM. We at On Belief would like to thank the intern at the law firm for their patronage in the $5 tier.** Brock Wilbur sits down to discuss how he became aware of Keith Raniere and NXIVM and what he has uncovered so far. Brock discusses what it's like to worry for years you might be sued into oblivion by a cult Brock describes some little-known facts about the inner workings of NXIVM Who is Keith Raniere? Who is Nancy Salzman? Which organizations were used as fronts for NXIVM? What does Keith Raniere's trial hold? Special Guests: Brock Wilbur and Rick Alan Ross. cults, sects, religions, yoga, Rick Alan Ross, Karen Geier, NXIVM, coercion, belief, Keith Raniere, Allison Mack, Nancy Salzman **A change has been made to this episode. Two sentences not materially important to the content of the episode have been removed to comply with a nastygram from a law firm representing a particularly litigious group which, while not directly referenced in the episode, are related to the group previously mentioned in this episode. The group in question is in no way affiliated with NXIVM.

We at On Belief would like to thank the intern at the law firm for their patronage in the $5 tier.**

Brock Wilbur sits down to discuss how he became aware of Keith Raniere and NXIVM and what he has uncovered so far.

  • Brock discusses what it's like to worry for years you might be sued into oblivion by a cult
  • Brock describes some little-known facts about the inner workings of NXIVM
  • Who is Keith Raniere?
  • Who is Nancy Salzman?
  • Which organizations were used as fronts for NXIVM?
  • What does Keith Raniere's trial hold?

Special Guests: Brock Wilbur and Rick Alan Ross.

Support On Belief: A Podcast About Cults

]]> **A change has been made to this episode. Two sentences not materially important to the content of the episode have been removed to comply with a nastygram from a law firm representing a particularly litigious group which, while not directly referenced in the episode, are related to the group previously mentioned in this episode. The group in question is in no way affiliated with NXIVM.

We at On Belief would like to thank the intern at the law firm for their patronage in the $5 tier.**

Brock Wilbur sits down to discuss how he became aware of Keith Raniere and NXIVM and what he has uncovered so far.

  • Brock discusses what it's like to worry for years you might be sued into oblivion by a cult
  • Brock describes some little-known facts about the inner workings of NXIVM
  • Who is Keith Raniere?
  • Who is Nancy Salzman?
  • Which organizations were used as fronts for NXIVM?
  • What does Keith Raniere's trial hold?

Special Guests: Brock Wilbur and Rick Alan Ross.

Support On Belief: A Podcast About Cults

]]> Episode 101: What IS a Cult? An Interview with Rick Alan Ross of the Cult Education Institute https://onbelief.fireside.fm/101 35b73638-eb38-4041-b2b3-b446ce9cca50 Fri, 19 Apr 2019 14:00:00 -0400 Karen Geier 101 What IS a Cult? An Interview with Rick Alan Ross of the Cult Education Institute full 1 Karen Geier In the first episode, Rick Alan Ross explains what cults are, how leaders entice and ensnare folks, what the profile is of a person who is susceptible to cults, and how friends and family can help those affected by harmful groups. 12:49 no We delve into the mechanics of cults: What are the specific warning signs of cults? How do you know if your yoga class is a front for a cult? What does cult recruitment look like now vs other points in history? Which groups are the greatest threat to the most people today? This week's episode is an interview with cult expert Rick Alan Ross of the Cult Education Institute. http://culteducation.com/ More in-depth notes and links for this episode are available at http://onbelief.com Special Guest: Rick Alan Ross. cults, sects, religions, yoga, Rick Alan Ross, Karen Geier, Scientology, NXIVM, Moonies, coercion, belief, deprogramming We delve into the mechanics of cults:

  • What are the specific warning signs of cults?
  • How do you know if your yoga class is a front for a cult?
  • What does cult recruitment look like now vs other points in history?
  • Which groups are the greatest threat to the most people today?

This week's episode is an interview with cult expert Rick Alan Ross of the Cult Education Institute. http://culteducation.com/

More in-depth notes and links for this episode are available at http://onbelief.com

Special Guest: Rick Alan Ross.

Support On Belief: A Podcast About Cults

]]> We delve into the mechanics of cults:

  • What are the specific warning signs of cults?
  • How do you know if your yoga class is a front for a cult?
  • What does cult recruitment look like now vs other points in history?
  • Which groups are the greatest threat to the most people today?

This week's episode is an interview with cult expert Rick Alan Ross of the Cult Education Institute. http://culteducation.com/

More in-depth notes and links for this episode are available at http://onbelief.com

Special Guest: Rick Alan Ross.

Support On Belief: A Podcast About Cults

]]>