shunned
Religious and cult ideologies often use the practice of shunning to silence their critics and to control their members through fear. This podcast sheds light on shunning through real life stories as told by the people that have lived through it. Learn what their lives were like and where they have ended up in life after being shunned. Featuring stories from Jehovah's Witnesses, Scientology, Amish, Mennonite, FLDS, the Moonies, and more, you will learn about the real lives of former members that have been shut out by their former communities. The host is an exJW himself, a professional cult recovery coach, and provides insight into the psychology of coercive control and the impacts on those subjected to it through these high control groups.
- Update frequency
- every 11 days
- Average duration
- 120 minutes
- Episodes
- 219
- Years Active
- 2017 - 2025
Episode Eighteen - Torah Bontrager - Escaping The Amish
In this episode I was able to interview Torah Bontrager, a non-practicing Amish that is the founder of the Amish Heritage Foundation. Torah has been on MTV True Life, the Tim Ferriss Blog, Forbes.com…
Episode Seventeen - Midwest Apostafest 2018
Sadly no, there is not necessarily any pasta and an Apostafest. What there is constitutes a group of people that have all been shunned by everyone that they ever knew for no longer believing what the…
Episode Sixteen - Sydney is shunned by Jehovah's Witnesses
This episode is a great look into the narcissism and authoritarianism that can be displayed by some inside the cult of Jehovah’s Witnesses. You will see how a young person can get caught between dif…
Episode Fifteen - Jason is shunned by Jehovah's Witnesses
Jason grew up in Amish Country but was raised in the cult of Jehovah’s Witnesses. This story has cars hidden in the woods for a getaway, living on boats, time spent in rehab, a JW group of “lost boys…
Episode Fourteen - Kacey is shunned by Jehovah's Witnesses
Kacey grew up as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses in the same Kingdom Hall as I did, so this episode is personal for me too. In this episode you’re going to hear what it can be like to grow up in a “divide…
Episode Thirteen - Fernando is shunned by Jehovah's Witnesses
One of the hallmarks of growing up as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses is that feeling that you’re never “good enough”. It drives a lot of the depression seen in the cult, and is often something that peopl…
Asking For Your Help
We have an opportunity here to help more people, but I need some assistance in two different ways. Listen to find out more.
Find us online at shunnedpodcast.com
Support the show at patreon.com/shunn…
Episode Twelve - Mark is shunned by Jehovah's WItnesses
Episode Eleven - Brenda is shunned by the FLDS
At the border of the states of Utah and Arizona lies another world, a community known as Short Creek. A patriarchal world of polygamy with sister wives, where women have few rights, and where certai…
Episode Ten - DJ is shunned by Jehovah's Witnesses
Yet another person has their life impacted by the cult of Jehovah's Witnesses. Listen as DJ recounts his life growing up in the cult as well as his awakening and eventual path out. There are so man…
Episode Nine - Update - David Speaks Out
In this episode we hear the audio of David's Kingdom Hall Crash and discuss the aftermath. The original video is below, but my commentary and some additional updates are found in the podcast.
Episode Eight - Bonus Content - Sexual Abuse and Jehovah's Witnesses - David's Story
This episode is taken from the pre-interview process, before we got deep into David's story. In it we talk about the abuse, the way abuse is often overlooked within the cult of Jehovah's Witnesses, …
Episode Seven - Part 2 - Sexual Abuse and Jehovah's Witnesses - David's Story
(see Part 1 for full notes)
Trigger Warning: Sexual Abuse Discussion
In Part 2 you will learn more about Steve B. and his interactions with David. You will see how relationships impacted David, bo…
Episode Six - Part 1- Sexual Abuse and Jehovah's Witnesses - David's Story
In Episode 6 – Part 1, you will get to know David a bit. This episode builds and will take you through David’s upbringing and right up into the beginnings of adulthood. You will learn a lot about h…
Episode Five - Caleb is shunned by Jehovah's Witnesses
Episode Four - Mike is shunned by Jehovah's Witnesses
Episode Three - Emily is shunned by Jehovah's Witnesses
Episode Two - Jerry is shunned by the Mennonites
