Shaving is considered hair-esy

Let's Start A Cult

Let's Start A Cult

Join me (not in a cult sense), Josh Schell, as we dive into the dark and interesting world of cults! I will take you on a journey of how cults form, who their leaders are, and how they almost always come to an end.

Play Episode

Recent Episodes

Cultiv8 Presents: The Bohemian Club & The Bohemian Grove
April 24, 2022

Cultiv8 Presents: The Bohemian Club & The Bohemian Grove

This week, the gals try and tackle the history and conspiracy theories surrounding the mysterious Bohemian Club, and their vacation spot - the Bohemian Grove. Tune in to hear all about the beginnings of the club, whose been i...

Episode page
Bruno Gröning & The Circle of Friends w/ Lindsay Valenty
March 1, 2022

Bruno Gröning & The Circle of Friends w/ Lindsay Valenty

We did it, Fred! We finally found a cult that isn't horrible! Because today we are going to be talking about Bruno Groning and The Circle of Friends. A cult whose leader died before it formed but whose followers managed …

Episode page
Aum Shinrikyo | The Military Cult That Injured Thousands
Feb. 15, 2022

Aum Shinrikyo | The Military Cult That Injured Thousands

In 1989, the Metropolitan Government of Tokyo officially recognized “Aum Shinrikyo” as a legitimate religious movement. Little did they know that five years later, that same group would carry out a violent terrorist attack on...

Episode page
Cultiv8 Podcast Network Presents: The Belcher Island Massacre
Feb. 6, 2022

Cultiv8 Podcast Network Presents: The Belcher Island Massacre

What better way to kick off the month of love then with a Canadian true crime case. This week, Alex and Christie discuss the horrid crimes that took place on the Belcher Islands, referred to as the Belcher Islands Massacre. …

Episode page
James Ellison & The Covenant w/ Shots and Thoughts
Feb. 1, 2022

James Ellison & The Covenant w/ Shots and Thoughts

In 1976, James Ellison moved to Arkansas, intending to establish a self-sustaining fundamentalist Christian commune made up of like-minded individuals who wanted nothing more than to dedicate themselves to God. But by 1978 – ...

Episode page
August Engelhardt & The Coconut Cult w/ The Dumb, Found Dead
Jan. 18, 2022

August Engelhardt & The Coconut Cult w/ The Dumb, Found Dead

Cults are not always sinister. Similarly, cult leaders are not always manipulative sociopaths. Sometimes, all they need is one deluded man. August Engelhardt, born with a silver spoon, was many things, and one of them was del...

Episode page
The Church of Scientology Part 2: The Indoctrination Process
Jan. 11, 2022

The Church of Scientology Part 2: The Indoctrination Process

For many, Tom Cruise is a good-looking actor who rose to fame after starring in blockbusters like “Top Gun,” “Mission Impossible,” and “Risky Business.” But for Scientologists, Tom Cruise is a demigod who has become “Operatin...

Episode page
The Church of Scientology Part 1: The Story of L. Ron Hubbard
Jan. 4, 2022

The Church of Scientology Part 1: The Story of L. Ron Hubbard

Super excited to kick off 2022 with this much-anticipated cult! The Church of Scientology may be controversial; however, its devotees have nothing but praise for its teachings. For instance, actor Tom Cruise once called it “a...

Episode page
The Hermes Far Eastern Shining Cult | Curing The World One Grift At A Time
Dec. 14, 2021

The Hermes Far Eastern Shining Cult | Curing The World One Grift At A…

When Ann Fitzgerald met a group of New Age devotees at a festival in London, she thought that she had found a set of like-minded and supportive friends. Never did she imagine that she would spend the next decade in …

Episode page
Let's Start A Cult Presents: Best & Worst Of 2021 | Capitol Riots, Musk, and More
Dec. 13, 2021

Let's Start A Cult Presents: Best & Worst Of 2021 | Capitol Riots, Mu…

Hey Wikimaniacs! It's my (Josh's) final episode of 2021! Crazy right? Still feels like 2020...Anyways, I thought it would be fun to do a recap of all the wild and crazy things that happened this year. We touch on some …

Episode page
The Lafferty Brothers' School of Prophets | A Family Cult
Nov. 16, 2021

The Lafferty Brothers' School of Prophets | A Family Cult

When Allen Lafferty walked into his home on the evening of July 24, 1984, he never expected to find the carpet and drapes soaked in blood. Nor did he imagine that he would be the first to find the corpses …

Episode page
Saul Newton and The Sullivan Institute
Oct. 19, 2021

Saul Newton and The Sullivan Institute

After graduating from Harvard University in the early 1970s, Paul Sprecher decided to head to the Big Apple, in search of exciting opportunities. Instead, he stumbled upon a group led by an increasingly erratic authoritarian,...

Episode page