Cult Chat

Today’s episode is our 100th and we are so excited! In the spirit of the celebration we run through how we got to where we are, some interesting facts about the show and we share some behind the scenes secrets. We read out some feedback from our listeners, talk about some key events, share a blooper or two and look to the future. This one is silly and light hearted and there is even a cake. (Confession time - see if you can spot the odd use of AI). Happy birthday to us!

Part 2: Former Gloriavale member John Ready continues his powerful reflection on Devotion: The Gloriavale Story, asking whether the documentary revealed the truth - or simply another perspective. He explores coercive control, accountability, repentance, and the journey of rebuilding life after leaving a high-control group. Liz, Lindy and Caz then unpack John's insights, debate the documentary's ethics, and discuss the voices and context they believe were missing.

Following the release of the newly released 3-part documentary series "Devotion: The Gloriavale Story", former member John Ready joins Liz Gregory to unpack the documentary’s themes, messages and claims. Together they explore whether high-control organisations should be allowed to rehabilitate their public image before genuine accountability has occurred.
John reflects on the pain experienced by former members, his own journey, and what true repentance looks like. They also discuss cognitive dissonance, institutional dependency, the creation of the “eternal child”, and whether Gloriavale’s leadership has truly accepted responsibility for the harm that has occurred.

In this second episode, we go beyond the documentary and talk to Christine Marie about how Short Creek, home of the FLDS (polygamous Mormons), changed after Warren Jeff was imprisoned, and what the risks are when closed communities start to open up. We talk about the power of non-judgmentally loving people who are nothing like you. Christine and Liz discover their shared experience as outsiders supporting people impacted by cults. This conversation is a personal exploration of the far-reaching and multi-layered impacts on communities dominated by coercive control.

Have you watched Netflix’s documentary series Trust Me: The False Prophet? You may find it helpful in advance of this week’s episode with Dr Christine Marie, who featured in the very successful 2026 documentary. She shares her journey of documenting and eventually exposing the sexual abuse of under-aged girls in Sam Bateman’s offshoot FLDS polygamous cult, and the legal case to follow. It's a conversation about building trust, juggling moral ambiguity and the personal toll it takes, doco ethics, and the power of a story told well.