We discuss Colorado's theosophical cults — The St. Germain Foundation and later the Church Universal and Triumphant. Helena Blavatsky, Nazi esoterica, the Freemasonic roots of St. Germain, the cults movement to Ouray, Colorado and their groundbreaking religious freedom lawsuit, the rise of the Church Universal and Triumphant, including their headquarters in the 1960s at the Broadmoor hotel in Colorado Springs. Also QAnon guy Michael Flynn and his plagiarized Elizabeth Clare Prophet prayer. Sources: The Secret History of the World by Mark Booth An embarrassing amount of Wikipedia "*******" by J ..read more

[TW: Child abuse, animal mutilation]We talk about the so-called "Satanic panic," Colorado's own history of Satanic Crimes, the modern-day Satanic Temple, and more. Sources: Cults That Kill by Larry Kahaner The Witch Hunt Narrative by Ross Cheit "Survivors Celebrate the End of the False Memory Syndrome Foundation After 27 Years" by The Mighty "The Devil Went Down to Denver: The Satanic Temple, Unbaptisms, and Christian Conservatism" by Colorado Times Recorder "Cry for Judas" by The Mountain Goats ..read more

[TW: Mass shooting] This episode looks at New Life Church, which waged "spiritual warfare" in Colorado Springs and abroad, worked to evangelize cadets at the Air Force Academy, and dealt with Pastor Ted Haggard's 2006 gay sex scandal. In 2007, both YWAM's base in Arvada and New Life Church were the site of a mass shooting. Sources: Jesus and John Wayne by Kristin Kobes Du Mez Children of the Beast by William Ramsey "Fighting Demons, Raising the Dead, Taking Over the World" by Religion Dispatches "Exodus" by This American Life "Disgraced pastor Haggard admits second relationship with man" by CN ..read more

This is a quick bonus episode, featuring a conversation with Jason Cordova of the Crypto Science Society about Demons. Additional Reading: "The Black Monarch Hotel offers spooky decor and an exclusive phantom party" by Colorado Springs Independent (my collab with CSS) "Demons, Furries, and Transgender People Focus of CO Springs Candidate" by Colorado Times Recorder"Demon Brother" by Murder City Devils ..read more

[TW: Sexual Abuse, Racism, Antisemitism] We look at Youth With a Mission, the international ministry started in 1960 by Loren Cunningham, who also came up with what we call the "Seven Mountain Mandate" with Bill Bright, whose Campus Crusade for Christ sold land to a Christian Identity group that planned a version of the Oklahoma City Bombing in 1983. YWAM is also an organization beset with financial and sexual scandals, like a number of evangelical organizations. Sources: Jesus and John Wayne by Kristin Kobes Du Mez Aberration in the Heartland of the Real by Wendy Painting "The Role of Evangel ..read more

We discuss the life and work of James Dobson, and Focus on the Family's influence on the military, anti-LGBTQ policies, and conservative politics in America. Sources: Jesus and John Wayne by Kristin Kobes Du Mez "Some Kinda Hate" by Colorado Springs Independent "Vineyard church says it heals, but some say it hurts Concerns raised about 'cult-like' group" by The Baltimore Sun "Christian Billionaire Philanthropist Bill Hwang Charged with ‘Historic’ Stock Scam" by Religion Unplugged "Lawsuit Alleges Billionaire’s Christian Foundation Engaged in Self-Dealing" by Christianity Today "Hard to Be" by ..read more

We take a look at the MK Ultra hypnosis research that was performed at the University of Denver during the early 1950s by Alden Sears. I'm joined by hypnotherapist Melvin Marsh, who talks about modern applications of hypnosis, and what he thinks about the CIA's attempts to create "human robots" using drugs, hypnosis, and other means. Sources: Military Neuroscience and the Coming Age of Neurowarfare by Armin Krishnan "CIA, MKULTRA and the Cover-up of U.S. Germ Warfare in the Korean War" by Jeff Kaye "Unwitting Part in Behavior Tests Fo'r C.I.A. Disclosed by Denver U." "Secret Documents Show a T ..read more

I got to attend the 2022 MUFON Symposium! I attended field investigator training, heard about the Phoenix Lights from eyewitnesses, and got to chat with J. Allen Hynek's son and Betty Hill's niece ..read more

We talk about transhumanism, Peter Thiel and Elon Musk before jumping into the history of Frozen Dead Guy Days, Nederland's annual festival. Sources: "Grandpa's in the Tuff Shed" "President for Life" by Elmo Keep, The Verge Legends of America "Dead Man's Party" by Oingo Boingo ..read more

In honor of the Days of Blood, or Trans Day of Visibility, we are exploring Trinidad's history as the "Sex Change Capital of the World." We talk about the history of trans people, in antiquity and the modern era, and the work of Dr. Stanley Biber and later Dr. Marci Bowers, as they provided gender confirmation surgery to over 6,000 trans people in Trinidad. Sources: Going to Trinidad by Martin J. Smith The Histories by Herodotus Gilgamesh translated by John Gardner The Johns Hopkins Newsletter "My New Vagina Won’t Make Me Happy" by Andrea Chu Long "Crying in a Bathroom Stall" by Dyke Drama Fu ..read more