Cultish

In this episode of Cultish, we sit down with Ron, a former elder in the General Assembly and Church of the Firstborn. For nearly two decades, Ron was deeply involved in a group that taught it was the only true church going to heaven. He eventually became a preacher, church planter, and ordained elder before beginning to question what he had been taught.

What happens when your church teaches that salvation exists only within its walls?

What happens when faith means rejecting doctors and medicine?

And what does it cost to walk away when your entire community is tied to the church?

Ron shares how the gospel of grace began to unravel the works-based system he had trusted for years. He opens up about the painful process of leaving, losing relationships, and discovering what it meant to follow Christ outside the Church of the Firstborn. This is Part 1 of Ron’s journey out of a little-known religious group with deep roots and startling beliefs.

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In this episode of Cultish, Andrew sits down with Ian Rose, a former member of The New Church, to explore the strange theology of Emanuel Swedenborg and the teachings that shaped Ian’s life. Ian explains how Swedenborg’s alleged revelations became foundational to the New Church, including its “internal sense” of Scripture, rejection of key biblical doctrines, works-based view of salvation, and unusual beliefs about heaven, angels, and the afterlife. 

Most importantly, Ian shares how encountering the biblical gospel—salvation through Christ alone rather than his own works—ultimately led him out of the New Church and radically changed his understanding of Jesus, Scripture, and salvation. 

 

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In this episode of Cultish, Jerry and Andrew revisit the disturbing story of Jim Jones and the tragedy of the Peoples Temple. But rather than simply retelling the events of Jonestown, we dig deeper into the worldview that shaped Jones, including the influence of New Thought and its ideas about God, humanity, and the power of the mind. How did these spiritual ideas intersect with Jones’ increasingly radical political ideology and his demand for absolute loyalty? 

We also examine Jones’ rhetoric surrounding “revolutionary suicide” and play chilling archival testimony from Peoples Temple members who professed their willingness to die for the cause. What happens when spiritual deception, political revolution, and devotion to a charismatic leader become intertwined? Join us as we revisit Jim Jones and explore the beliefs behind one of the most infamous cult tragedies in modern history.

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In this episode of Cultish, the Super Sleuth sits down with Craig to examine a recent video in which Hayden Carroll critiques Reformed theology. Together, they analyze his arguments, address several misrepresentations of Reformed doctrine, and explain what Reformed theology actually teaches. Rather than responding with emotion, this episode seeks to offer a careful, biblical, and charitable critique while presenting the historic Reformed position in its proper context. 

As Christians, we have a responsibility to represent the beliefs of those we disagree with accurately before offering criticism. Throughout this discussion, we demonstrate where Hayden's presentation falls short of that standard. Whether those inaccuracies stem from a misunderstanding of Reformed theology or a failure to engage with it carefully, listeners can judge for themselves as we examine the claims one by one.

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With Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey bringing Homer’s ancient epic back into the spotlight, Cultish sits down with Professor Owen Anderson to explore what lies beneath the gods, monsters, and legendary hero’s journey. From the polytheistic world of Homer to the deeper spiritual ideas that have shaped Western storytelling, the conversation asks whether Nolan is simply adapting a pagan classic—or transforming it into something very different. 

What if Odysseus’ greatest enemy isn’t Poseidon, the Cyclops, or the journey home—but his own sin? 

And what if this ancient pagan story ultimately points toward something the Greek gods could never provide: redemption? 

 

The conversation explores the striking contrast between the traditional pagan hero’s journey and what Professor Anderson describes as a distinctly Christian arc of sin, confession, sacrifice, and redemption. Along the way, the episode examines Greek mythology, the biblical worldview, the spiritual reality behind pagan gods, and the enduring influence Christianity has had on the way the Western world understands stories like The Odyssey.

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