Being sick in the Foundation Faith of God was not fun. Especially when it was an ongoing anxiety about sleeping. I mean, think about it. Who do you tell when you haven't slept well? Your spouse? Your parent? Your coworker or siblings? I didn't have any of that. We were all just trying to make it through, man. So enjoy the stories about ailments in the Foundation. Cringe at your leisure. I'm fine now, so don't worry about it. And don't forget to review, share, and support this podcast!...
Oct 11, 2019•32 min•Season 2Ep. 29
You'd think that a cult would have a single, controlling doctrine that informed every moment and every action in the lives of its adherents, wouldn't you? Something like this world is an illusion, so everything we do is an attempt to break the illusion. Or our existence is a simulation. Or animals are the actual gods. Or something else. But the Foundation Faith of God didn't really, in my experience, have a single uniting doctrine. I explore more about this, why it was the case, and more about t...
Oct 02, 2019•38 min•Season 2Ep. 28
Part of my growing up in a cult has actually been the growing up I've done outside of the cult. This is a story about good, friendly, generous people helping me find my feet, find my voice a little, and also start finding myself. Because when I got out of that cult, I was in a thick, shy shell. But that wasn't my end form, friends. That was me in embryo, and this story is the story of me breaking free. At least a little. So join me at high school dances full of bangs and perms. And remember to r...
Sep 21, 2019•34 min•Season 2Ep. 27
Let's get into some of the intricacies of the day-to-day of cult/commune living. In this episode, I share some of the bizarre, sometimes alienating double standards propagated by the Foundation and its members. Things to do with sex, the terrible outside world, and more. Tune in and remember to leave a review!
Sep 11, 2019•32 min•Season 2Ep. 26
I'm usually down with just telling my stories and being as chill as possible. But several things combined to make this episode necessary. And talking about being essentially erased over and over again by the people who 'raised' me was necessary- because voices will be heard. I will be heard. There appears to be a little anger left in the basement, which I'd like to excise, so this episode was even therapeutic. Please understand, my intent is not to tear down or deliver a scathing indictment or e...
Sep 04, 2019•31 min•Season 2Ep. 1
For the final episode of Season 1, a lengthy story about a major crush I had. Yes, a crush. On a Scottish girl. The years that I carried this torch became incredibly formative for me and I'm grateful for all I learned and all I did to improve myself. The last little bit of the episode is a reflection on a moment I had tonight with one of my kids and the juxtaposition of that moment with my life growing up. I get a little... energetic about that. As always, thank you for tuning in. Thank you for ...
Mar 28, 2019•39 min•Season 1Ep. 24
It's part two of the short series about my mother. Our relationship, as I tried to describe in the last episode, was odd at best. We ate Chinese food sometimes. We both read horror novels. We spoke sometimes. But when I shared my honest feelings, it made her angry, so I learned to not do that. She had a life full of what was important to her and surprised me by a late-in-life emergence as a businesswoman. Listen and you will soon discover I have mommy issues. As always, I'd love your support. Ra...
Mar 21, 2019•38 min•Season 1Ep. 23
Now for two episodes about my mother. There's a lot of me doing my level best to get across the experience/relationship I had with my mother- which wasn't all bad, but was not what most people would understand. So listen and you'll probably get a new appreciation for your own parents ( I really hope so at least) and you will also find out that this world is full of so many variations and relationships. Maybe this will help us all gain more empathy for those we inhabit this world with. Don't forg...
Mar 07, 2019•32 min
I love water today. I was scared of it when I was younger. Here's where I tell you why and take the opportunity to share some specific stories about how we commune kids spent our days. The YWCA in Dallas features prominently, as does weird, ritualistic baptism. Remember to review!
Feb 28, 2019•30 min
"I'm an equal-opportunity weirdo." Ah, the joys of an unscripted podcast. In this milestone 20th episode, I share lots of details about the school I spent seven years attending. The one created by the cult because of... reasons I can only really speculate about. In many ways, it was awesome. In a few ways, it was meh. It was basically home school, but with less home. Don't forget to review, tell your friends about, and maybe even support this podcast!
Feb 21, 2019•33 min
This is a slightly longer episode, as the subject matter merits a bit more time. Plus, I had a question submitted that deserved a good answer. This episode is where I share one of the most important events of my childhood and, frankly, how I screwed it up. It's related to my oldest brother's death and how I really made a mess of my own reaction at the time in a way that actually caused trauma to myself. Yep, I scarred myself. I'm talented like that. Please remember to review and share!...
Feb 14, 2019•34 min
Mass hysteria! Okay, it wasn't exactly mass hysteria, but being raised by people whose primary focus and goal in life were to rescue animals meant that I was surrounded by furry critters all the time. It wasn't always great. It wasn't always terrible. Listen to learn who the greatest cat ever was.
Feb 07, 2019•32 min
It's a long, long description for an episode about the colorful, sometimes terrible and cruel, and sometimes just bizarre punishments that we received in the cult. I quote Ursula from The Little Mermaid because that's always a good idea. Remember to review and share!
Jan 31, 2019•31 min
The final part of the three-part series on the problem of my temper and the temper of others. I knew my temper was causing problems. I knew I wanted to change that and do better. BE better. Here's the story of how I found healing, strength, and progress in my goal to overcome my temper. Remember to review and share!
Jan 24, 2019•33 min
Last time we talked about my big problem: a temper. However, we talked a lot more about someone else's temper than mine and what happened to me when he lost it. In this episode, we talk about how my temper was terrible and one day I lost it badly - and how that was a turning point for me. Remember to review and share! It makes all the difference to a small podcast like mine.
Jan 17, 2019•30 min
Today we get personal. Actually, today and next week, and possibly the following week. This is a multi-episode story about my temper problem. I'm not just talking about my own temper either. Listen in and remember to tell your friends to check out my podcast. I'd love it if you would support the podcast by clicking on the link!
Jan 10, 2019•32 min
So glad you're back for more! Here I talk about what many of us cult kids talked a lot about: parents. We were raised as if parents were not needed, although that experience varied due to prestige of one's actual parents. Many of us were lied to about at least one parent. Why? Good question. A few anecdotes and some speculation await you in this episode. Please consider sharing and reviewing. These two things make all the difference for small podcast like mine.
Jan 05, 2019•33 min
Hey Cult Insider! Was the cult all bad? No, friends, it was not. I gained a lot from growing up the way I did. Let's talk about bikes, cars, cockroaches, and woodwork. But mostly cockroaches. Remember! Please share and review. You can help me turn my podcasting into a speaking career!
Dec 27, 2018•31 min
I promise this episode isn't gross. You'll laugh, not cringe. I answer some questions about smells and other cults, then I tell the story of scooping large amounts of dog poop and how that was actually a good thing. You'll have to listen if you want to find out how much dog crap I scooped in my lifetime. Please remember to share and review so more people can hear about dog poo!
Dec 20, 2018•28 min
The Process/Foundation/Best Friends bought a giant ranch just north of Kanab, Utah. There was much work to be done and who better to do a large part of it than a bunch of young, sort of fit youths who couldn't say no? Here's where I tell some of those stories, answer some questions, and get a bit emotional.
Dec 13, 2018•30 min
This week's episode is not exactly about hatchbacks. It's more about an unexpected goodbye, a hallucination I had at age seven, and somewhat self-imposed loneliness. Please consider reviewing and sharing.
Dec 06, 2018•29 min
One of the key early features of growing up in the Foundation/Process was that we were nomads. The cult would set up shop, send out its money beggars (as my grandmother called them), and within a couple years move. I was in at least two different pre-schools. Maybe three. I tell stories about this and speculate as to the cause of these moves.
Nov 29, 2018•30 min
What do congealed baked beans, anger, sociopathy, and falling socks have to do with each other? Listen and you'll find out.
Nov 25, 2018•29 min
I had another episode planned, but then Stan Lee died. Stan was my man. He embodied so much of who and what I want to be and do. I had to devote an episode to him and to the beautiful stories that meant everything to me growing up. And still mean so very much to me now. I mention Teen Titans in this podcast- please know that I am fully aware that they are DC. And Stan was Marvel. I know. Enjoy.
Nov 13, 2018•28 min
We've established that this was a cult. Here's where you get a look at one of the ways the cult worked on us kids. Turns out it was useful, albeit strange.
Oct 30, 2018•26 min
This is a slightly different set of stories, a bit more personal. I used lying as a coping strategy for my situation. I share my goofiest and best ones here.
Oct 19, 2018•28 min
Here's your long-awaited episode three. I talk about what being a kid in this cult was like-- our living arrangements, who took care of us, moving a lot, and how that turned me into a breathing ball of fury. Also, libraries very likely saved my life.
Aug 30, 2018•36 min
In which there is admittedly some rambling- all of it interesting, but I talk about Sundays, meeting my lifelong best friend and worst enemy (the same guy), and how we were taught to lie.
Apr 26, 2018•31 min•Season 1Ep. 2
The very first episode where I talk through the history of the Process/Foundation/Best Friends- through my perspective. A few story tidbits, including some brother worship on my part. More on cult practices and rituals in the next episode. Please review, share, spread the word. You can support by clicking the link or even Venmo at @Jared-Garrett-writes.
Apr 25, 2018•30 min•Season 1Ep. 1
