Polycule Coven Cult - PT2: "Do the Gods Provide Housing?"

Evie was only 17 when she met Mary. First, Mary was her friend. Then her girlfriend. Then her friend again. And eventually... her cult leader. Evie didn't know it then, but apparently there was something about Mary. Something that got Evie to mess around with pagan rituals like a couple of bored teenagers in Texas... and eventually got Evie to complete missions from "the gods," practice astral projection, and take direction from a water spirit named Flo. All in the name of "saving Texas." And then somehow... ... got her to QUIT HER JOB, get rid of her WORLDLY POSSESSIONS, and MOVE TO GERMANY to SAVE THE WORLD. This is Part 1 of 2. And this is only the beginning of where this experience takes our wonderful earnest guest with an infectious laugh, Evie. So be sure to stick around for Part 2 next week. ____ FOLLOW US Instagram → @wasiinacult TikTok → @wasiinacult SUPPORT THE SHOW Join our Patreon! Ad-free episodes, bonus content, behind-the-scenes conversations, and our forever gratitude. HAVE A CULTY STORY? Email us → [email protected] SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Quince makes elevated everyday essentials at 50-80% less than similar brands! Free shipping and 365-day returns → quince.com/cult Boll & Branch makes organic cotton sheets woven to keep you cool all night. 15% off plus free shipping → bollandbranch.com/cult, code: CULT

By high school, church wasn't just Shannon McElroy's faith, it was her community and her future. She was going to be a Christian counselor. Then her youth group took her to something called "Acquire the Fire": a massive Christian youth conference that was part rock concert, part revival, and for Shannon, one hell of a spiritual high. Before long, she'd be leaving college to join Teen Mania's Honor Academy. A year-long "internship" in rural Texas that promised purpose, ministry, and a chance to change the world. All she had to do was pay hundreds of dollars a month for the privilege of working for them... for free. All she had to do was pay hundreds of dollars a month for the privilege of working for them... for free. As you can imagine, what Shannon thought she'd signed up for was not exactly what she got. Like the retreat where they simulated a prison and made her do wall sits. For Jesus. And that was just one of their so-called "Life Transforming Events." Now, to be fair, they did transform her. Just not the way it said in the brochure.

Daniella Mestyanek Young was born three generations deep into the Children of God and today, she finally gets out. At 15-years-old, she lands in Texas with no real education, no money and no friggin' idea how life on the outside works. But true to form, she badasses her way through it. And excels. Somehow, the girl who escaped one extreme, hierarchical world becomes an intelligence officer in the U.S. Army, deploys to Afghanistan, and helps make history for women in combat. But on her very first day of basic training she thinks: "Oh... I've joined another cult."

Daniella Mestyanek Young was born three generations deep into the Children of God, yet somehow, that was only the beginning. She would go on to become a US Army intelligence officer, help make history for women in combat, become Harvard educated in organizational psychology, and write two books. But first, she had to survive her childhood. In Part One, Daniella takes us inside the Children of God world she was born into: child labor, child performers, massive communes, David Berg's increasingly deranged teachings, and a family history so complicated Daniella has a name for it... sex cult math. And one rainy day at 12 years old, one casual comment from her mother about glasses changed what Daniella thought she knew about her own family forever. _________ FOLLOW DANIELLA Her website → Knitting Cult Lady Instagram → @daniellamyoung_ YouTube → @KnittingCultLady Her books, Uncultured and The Culting of America → here FOLLOW US Instagram → @wasiinacult TikTok → @wasiinacult SUPPORT THE SHOW Join our Patreon! Ad-free episodes, bonus content, behind-the-scenes conversations, and our forever gratitude. HAVE A CULTY STORY? Email us → [email protected] SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Larineco offers gum that actually makes your teeth stronger. Up to 50% off → buylarine.com/wasiinacult

At 21, Stephanie Vaughn wanted to make some extra money. Then she won a "raffle" at her gym for a free case of energy drinks. Lucky her, that free case won her entry into one of the biggest and most influential MLMs in the world... AMWAY. And the Amway lead her to the LTD, the Amway-affiliated training organization Stephanie says would eventually take over nearly every part of her life. For nine years, Stephanie chased the promise of becoming a "Diamond": financial freedom, early retirement, and the life she was told was waiting for her if she just worked hard enough. Instead she endured control on every level, including how much she slept, when she could visit family and even... who she was allowed to love.