Cults & The Culting of America with Knitting Cult Lady and Scot Loyd | ep 48 | Troubled Teens
Cults and the Culting of America
In this episode of Cults and the Culting of America, hosts Scot Loyd and Daniella Mestyanek Young engage in a profound conversation with Elizabeth Abeysekera, who shares her harrowing experiences in the troubled teen industry. The discussion delves into the impact of cults on children, the complexities of trauma, and the importance of communication in parenting. Elizabeth's journey highlights the need for better support systems for troubled teens and offers valuable insights for parents seeking help for their children. The episode emphasizes the significance of understanding family dynamics...
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Cults and The Culting of America with Knitting Cult Lady and Scot Lloyd | Episode 47 | The Cultiness of Nursing
Cults and the Culting of America
This episode of Cults and the Culting of America features guest Jess M. (aka White Mess Express), a former nurse, alongside hosts Daniella Mestyanek Young and Scot Loyd. The conversation explores how the U.S. healthcare system—particularly nursing—resembles a cult in its culture, practices, and systemic issues. Jess describes the hierarchical "rite of passage" culture in nursing (e.g., new nurses being called “baby nurses” and forced through hazing-like experiences). They highlight systemic contradictions: nurses are told to always be learning but punished for questioning authority,...
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Cults and The Culting of America with Knitting Cult Lady and Scot Lloyd | Episode 46 | The God I Was Given book coming out soon!
Cults and the Culting of America
In this episode of Cults and the Culting of America, Scot Loyd joins Haley while Daniela is away on her book tour. The conversation centers on Scot’s forthcoming memoir The God I Was Given: Looking for Faith After Losing My Religion, which blends personal memoir with philosophical and scholarly reflections on growing up in the United Pentecostal Church (UPC). Scot discusses the creative and emotional risks of releasing such a personal work, particularly the fear of being misunderstood or dismissed by current UPC members. He shares vivid stories from his childhood in rural Arkansas, shaped by...
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Cults and The Culting of America with Knitting Cult Lady and Scot Lloyd | Episode 45 | Sunday Brunch: The Musical
Cults and the Culting of America
In this episode, Scott Loyd interviews the creators and a performer from Sunday Brunch: The Musical, a new theatrical work that humorously explores cult dynamics through a family brunch gone spectacularly wrong. While cult expert and regular host Daniella Mestyanek Young is absent due to technical difficulties, she sends in praise for the team’s viral “cult song,” noting how deeply it resonated with survivor experiences. Guests Ernie Bird (composer/co-writer), Rachel Abramon (lyricist/co-writer), and Gabrielle Filloux (performer) delve into the creative origins, songwriting process, and...
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Episode 44 | The Cult of Capitalism
Cults and the Culting of America
This episode of Cults and the Culting of America features guest Kelvin, a political scientist and community organizer, in a deep dive on whether capitalism functions as a cult and how overlapping systems like patriarchy, white supremacy, and religion have historically reinforced each other. The hosts, Scot and Daniella, explore the evolution of these frameworks—from European colonialism and the doctrine of discovery to modern American politics—and discuss how these systemic beliefs sustain cult-like behaviors in society. The conversation covers the historical hijacking of Christianity,...
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Episode 42 | "Not My Church": Plausible Deniability in High-Control Systems
Cults and the Culting of America
In this revealing and emotionally rich episode of Cults and the Culting of America, Cynthia Williams joins hosts Scot Loyd and Daniella Mestyanek Young to unpack her journey through—and out of—the United Pentecostal Church International (UPCI). Cynthia shares how, like many others, she once believed that her local church was different. The rules were strict, yes, but they felt spiritually justified—until the cracks began to show. As Cynthia puts it, the realization came slowly: “I think it's probably just in the last two years… that I finally was like, wait a minute, I think I was in...
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Episode 41 | Decolonizing Yourself with Hilary Giovale
Cults and the Culting of America
In this episode of Cults and the Culting of America, host Scot Loyd and Daniella Mestyanek-Young (KnittingCultLady) sit down with Hilary Giovale—a ninth-generation settler living among Indigenous communities in Northern Arizona. Hilary opens up about her journey from segregation to engaging deeply with Native communities, emphasizing how re-education and personal healing can unravel the lasting wounds of colonialism. Hilary discusses the trauma inflicted by Indigenous boarding schools and the persistent impact of white supremacy on both marginalized communities and white culture. By...
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Episode 40 | Scot wrote a book!
Cults and the Culting of America
This week on Cults and the Culting of America, we’re turning the mic toward someone you all know well—our beloved cohost, Scot Loyd. With no guest this episode, Daniella takes the opportunity to spotlight Scot’s powerful personal journey and upcoming book, The God That I Was Given. In an open and layered conversation, Scot reflects on his years inside the United Pentecostal Church, his rise to leadership, and what it meant to deconstruct the faith and ideologies that shaped him. He and Daniella discuss the gendered nature of cult experiences, the silence often expected of men, and how...
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Episode 39 | "Satanic Panic" Facts and Fiction
Cults and the Culting of America
Summary In this episode, the hosts delve into the complex world of cults, focusing on the Satanic Panic and the influence of charismatic leaders like Franklin Jones. They explore the historical context of cults, the role of fear and control, and the lasting impact of cult experiences on individuals. Through personal stories and reflections, the conversation highlights the intricate dynamics of cults and their cultural significance. In this conversation, the participants explore the complexities of growing up in cult-like environments, the challenges of healing from trauma, and the nuances of...
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Episode 38 | Starbucks and Corporate Cults
Cults and the Culting of America
In this conversation, Daniella and Kasi explore the cult-like aspects of Starbucks, discussing Kasi's personal journey from barista to store manager and the emotional and psychological dynamics at play within the corporate structure. They delve into themes of recruitment, vulnerability, the illusion of family, leadership programs, and the impact of corporate culture on mental health. The discussion highlights the emotional manipulation and control exerted by organizations, drawing parallels to cult behavior and the sacrifices individuals make for their jobs. Daniella's Links: You can read...
info_outlineThis week on Cults and the Culting of America, we’re turning the mic toward someone you all know well—our beloved cohost, Scot Loyd. With no guest this episode, Daniella takes the opportunity to spotlight Scot’s powerful personal journey and upcoming book, The God That I Was Given.
In an open and layered conversation, Scot reflects on his years inside the United Pentecostal Church, his rise to leadership, and what it meant to deconstruct the faith and ideologies that shaped him. He and Daniella discuss the gendered nature of cult experiences, the silence often expected of men, and how writing becomes both a weapon and a lifeline for survivors.
They also dig deep into the racist roots of Pentecostalism, the enduring myth of white Christian victimhood, and how cult dynamics echo through American politics today.
Whether you’ve been here since episode one or are just tuning in, this intimate episode offers a closer look at Scot’s story and the broader systems of power so many of us are still trying to untangle.
Daniella's Links:
You can read all about my story in my book, Uncultured-- buy signed copies here. https://bit.ly/SignedUncultured
For more info on me:
Patreon: https://bit.ly/YTPLanding
Cult book Clubs (Advanced AND Memoirs) Annual Membership: https://bit.ly/YTPLanding
Get an autographed copy of my book, Uncultured: https://bit.ly/SignedUncultured
Get my book, Uncultured, from Bookshop.org: https://bit.ly/4g1Ufw8
Daniella’s Tiktok: https://bit.ly/4bwvNC0
Instagram: https://bit.ly/4ePAOFK / daniellamyoung_
Unamerican video book (on Patreon): https://bit.ly/YTVideoBook
Secret Practice video book (on Patreon): https://bit.ly/3ZswGY8
Other Podcasts
Daniella's other podcast: Hey White Women
Scot's TikTok
Haley's Tiktok
Takeways
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Even Survivors Can Be Complicit
Scot reflects on how he not only endured harm within the United Pentecostal Church but also perpetuated it as a preacher and leader. His journey involves confronting both victimhood and complicity—a nuanced look at accountability in high-control systems. -
Patriarchy Shields Men from Cult Harm—and From Speaking Out
The conversation explores why fewer men write cult survivor memoirs: patriarchal systems often cushion men from the worst abuses and discourage emotional vulnerability, leaving their stories underrepresented. -
Faith Deconstruction Is Not Bitterness—It’s Clarity
Scot addresses the accusation that leaving high-control religion makes you “bitter.” Drawing on biblical stories (like Naomi in Ruth), he reframes bitterness as a justified and even holy reaction to harm—and a fuel for transformation. -
Cults Mirror American Systems of Power
The episode draws strong parallels between cult dynamics and systemic issues in the U.S., including white supremacy, evangelical nationalism, and the cult of personality around political figures like Donald Trump. -
Telling the Truth Is a Radical Act
Both hosts emphasize the importance of sharing honest, unvarnished stories to give future generations language and context for their own experiences—and to challenge whitewashed versions of history. -
The Tools Used to Indoctrinate Can Be Used to Liberate
Scot talks about reclaiming the skills he developed in church—preaching, writing, public speaking—to critique the very systems that shaped him. Daniella echoes this with her own story, highlighting the healing power of storytelling. -
Cult Experiences Are Strikingly Universal
While each cult has its own doctrine or dogma, the episode highlights the common traits—performance culture, black-and-white thinking, suppression of autonomy—that unite cult survivors across backgrounds.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Book Projects
03:26 Exploring Gender Perspectives in Cult Experiences
06:37 The Unraveling of Beliefs and Personal Reflection
09:27 The Role of Education in Leaving Cults
12:20 Writing as a Tool for Healing and Reflection
15:36 Navigating the Complexity of Cult Narratives
18:24 Confronting the Charge of Bitterness
21:17 The Power of Personal Stories in Cult Recovery
24:25 The Importance of Documenting Experiences for Future Generations
31:56 The Burden of Representation in Cults
35:18 Historical Narratives and Cultural Spin
39:56 The Roots of Pentecostalism and Racism
44:39 The Legacy of Racism in American Christianity
49:40 Cult of Personality vs. Cult of Ideas
56:11 The Current Political Climate and Its Cult-like Dynamics
Produced by Haley Phillips