Blinded by the Light

In this conversation Justice and I explore how we can navigate forgiveness, boundaries, and holding people accountable to foster better relationships. We also discuss how our childhood experiences and parents (especially our dads) contributed to who we are today. Justice's writing at Elephant Journal Justice's website, Bedhead Mystic Show website: www.blindedpodcast.com

In this mini episode we explore several aspects of sex. How do connective or poor sexual relationships affect our lives and our expression of wholeness? How is sex multi-dimensional? Fundamentalist religion represses sexuality to an unhealthy extent. We look at how breaking free of sexual dogma can release shame surrounding healthy sexuality, and how embracing our full sexual selves can be life changing. Good sexual relationships can provide a platform to learn more about needs, express vulnerability, grow deeper with our partners, and access parts of ourselves that are otherwise shamed, subdued, or dormant.

In this "mini" episode we discuss how Spiritual Materialism affected the outlook, behavior, and overarching beliefs of CUT church members and our parents. Topics include: -- Defining Spiritual Materialism -- How CUT has their own version of the Law of Attraction and why this is problematic -- Magical thinking and its influence / an infantile view of the world and how things are affecting you -- How Purism is linked to our topic -- How only putting out positive intentions and doing rhythmic chanting (decrees) has limited effects -- How the Hindu caste system is reflected in CUT hierarchy and their modified theology of karma -- How decrees (rhythmic chanting) are part of spiritual materialism -- Hierarchies of graduation -- How doing getting professional mental health support comes down to the willingness of the individual, and how some people were encouraged to do it -- How some mental health conditions are viewed as weakness and being caused by invisible evil spirits called "entities" -- Beliefs about if you are failing it is because you are failing spiritually -- In the last four minutes we give a summary and recap of what spiritual materialism is and why it's harmful

Our guest is Violet Corpron, a young woman with a Masters Degree in Community Health who has experienced the worlds of two fringe religions, Church Universal and Triumphant, and an offshoot group called The Hearts Center, both of which are headquartered in southwest Montana. In this episode we'll dive into how health matters are a big theme for people raised in the church. Vaccine avoidance, negative attitudes towards western medicine, skepticism of science, and resistance to getting health assistance and diagnosis are all issues that persist today.

In part 2 of our interview with Annie, we chat about food choices within Church Universal and Triumphant, boundary issues with parents, why it's hard and painful to leave a cult or religion, why people get sucked in QAnon, narcissistic parents, and how talking about our traumas can help foster healing and community.

For this pilot episode, I'm joined by co-host Justice Bartlett of Playfully Conscious in Montana. She and I both grew up in Church Universal and Triumphant (CUT), the largest fringe religion to ever establish a presence in Montana. In the late 1980's their leader Elizabeth Prophet warned of possible nuclear war and the members entered bomb shelters in 1990 for two days to prepare for a nuclear holocaust. She was nine years old when her family went underground to prepare for the end of the world. Episode topics include: - Her experience when the members entered the bomb shelters with CUT- How does a person find their identity after leaving a cult or religion- What coping mechanisms do people have surrounding religious dogma- How do people heal from PTSD experienced in childhood surrounding spirituality?- How cognitive dissonance allows people to stay in harmful religions - How Toxic Positivity plays into the belief system- Her article in the Elephant Journal: Narcissism: Unraveling the Link between Trump, Trauma & Cult Mentality - The adoration for Trump inside the CUT membership- Why people bond to Trump as a leaderRead more of Justice's deep writing at: https://www.elephantjournal.com/profile/justice-bartlett/ Or connect with her at: illuminationwithjustice.com