Newsletter: The New Apostolic Reformation’s War on LGBTQ Youth Needs to End!
And a friend returns with advice on recovery and listening to your body
Dear Friends,
A few weeks ago, my colleague, PhD candidate Jonathon Sawyer, was my guest on the Influence Continuum Podcast; we discussed his upbringing in the New Apostolic Reformation, an ultra-conservative form of evangelical Christianity with a restrictive and abusive stance on homosexuality. Today, I have the pleasure of sharing his fantastic presentation to my forensic think tank, The Program in Psychiatry and the Law (PIPATL) earlier this month, based on his journal article, (Un)hidden from self: on LGBTQ students and the conspiratorial demonology of the New Apostolic Reformation,
This week’s Influence Continuum features a returning guest: my friend Michelle Dowd, a journalism professor and author of Forager: Field Notes on Surviving a Family Cult. She recently appeared on Joe Rogan’s podcast, discussing my BITE ModelTM. She shares brilliant insights on recovery and listening to your body and even offered me personal encouragement in my artistic development!
Meanwhile, the Daily KOS has published an article with a review of my book, The Cult of Trump, with commentary that we must learn to reach out across the political divide and find common ground; I couldn’t agree more!
My friend and colleague Jonathon Sawyer had a remarkable upbringing, but sadly, not unusual. The New Apostolic Reformation, an ultra-conservative Christian movement, numbers in the millions worldwide and teaches “conspiratorial demonology,” a belief that demons are active in our daily lives and “cause” homosexuality. Jon is working hard to expose these beliefs so that LGBTQ youth who have been taught that they are “demonic” may be better helped. With this in mind, he brought this brilliant and thought-provoking presentation to the Program in Psychiatry and the Law; please share it widely.
I had the privilege of a second opportunity to talk with Michelle Dowd, a journalism professor and author of Forager: Field Notes on Surviving a Family Cult. Dowd’s story of being raised in an Apocalyptic survivalist cult on a mountain is a powerful testament to the resilience of the human spirit. It offers valuable insights into overcoming the psychological grip of cults. This post explores key themes from her experiences and offers practical advice for recovery and empowerment.
Listen to the podcast below:
As always, please let us know what you think about these pieces or what you’d like to see us discuss in the future. Thanks so much!
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