Cults to Consciousness

In 2002, 14-year-old Elizabeth Smart was kidnapped at knifepoint from her bedroom in Salt Lake City by Brian David Mitchell and his accomplice, Wanda Barzee. She was held captive for nine months, survived repeated SA, and was forced to live in camps across Utah while being disguised in public. In 2003, she was finally recognized by alert bystanders and rescued, leading to the arrest and conviction of her captors. Today, Elizabeth Smart is a survivor, author, and chiId safety activist. She founded the Elizabeth Smart Foundation, which focuses on preventing chiId abuse, supporting victims, and promoting recovery. She also works as a public speaker, advocates for legislation to protect children, appears in media to raise awareness, and has written books including her most recent “Detours”. She is married, has children, and continues to be a prominent voice for survivor empowerment and child safety. Click here to watch on YouTube Elizabeth’s book: Detours Find Elizabeth on social media! IG: https://www.instagram.com/elizabeth_smart_official Website: https://www.elizabethsmart.com/  Foundation:  elizabethsmartfoundation.org Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: This podcast provides a platform for guests to share their personal experiences and opinions. The views expressed are solely those of the guest and do not necessarily reflect the views of the hosts or producers. Any allegations discussed are unverified and represent personal accounts only. All individuals mentioned are presumed innocent unless proven otherwise. The podcast assumes no legal responsibility for statements made by guests.** See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Mormonism has been a hot topic in pop culture the past couple years and not necessarily in a good way. Following the fame of the hit tv show “Secret Lives of Mormon Wives”, the self proclaimed creator of #momtok , center of the swinging drama and “queen bee” of the group, Taylor Frankie Paul was awarded the coveted role of “Bachelorette”. The entire season was filmed and set to premiere tomorrow March 21st, but on Thursday March 19th, the show was pulled by ABC executives following video evidence of a violent encounter between Taylor and her ex Dakota. Join Shelise and @TheAmandaRaeGrant who give details about the situation and their opinions on it.  Click here to watch on YouTube Follow Amanda Rae! YouTube:  @TheAmandaRaeGrant       IG: @amandaraegrant Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: This podcast provides a platform for guests to share their personal experiences and opinions. The views expressed are solely those of the guest and do not necessarily reflect the views of the hosts or producers. Any allegations discussed are unverified and represent personal accounts only. All individuals mentioned are presumed innocent unless proven otherwise. The podcast assumes no legal responsibility for statements made by guests.** See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

BREAKING: Former reality TV TLC's "19 Kids and Counting" star Joseph Duggar is facing a CSA charge in Florida, almost five years after his brother Josh, who also starred in the TLC show, was convicted of downloading CSA images. Joining us is Eric from @PreacherBoys Podcast to give us the full scoop.  Click here to watch on YouTube Watch our original interview with Eric here Find and support Eric! Website: https://www.preacherboyspodcast.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PreacherBoys FB: https://www.facebook.com/preacherboysdoc/ IG: @preacherboysdoc  TikTok: @preacherboyspod  Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: This podcast provides a platform for guests to share their personal experiences and opinions. The views expressed are solely those of the guest and do not necessarily reflect the views of the hosts or producers. Any allegations discussed are unverified and represent personal accounts only. All individuals mentioned are presumed innocent unless proven otherwise. The podcast assumes no legal responsibility for statements made by guests.** See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Escaping a cult and finding peace on the outside is one thing, but what happens when you feel obligated or even required to go back into the same environment that harmed you for so long? Amanda Rae was born and raised in The Order, a polygamous offshoot of Mormonism known for its incestuous marriages. Barely an adult, she escaped and made it her mission to expose the Order while helping other members find their way out. However, a death in the family led her back into the belly of the beast, where she had been shunned and cut off, forced to face the people and places that left physical and emotional scars.  Click here to watch on YouTube Find Amanda: YouTube: @TheAmandaRaeGrant      IG: @amandaraegrant Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: This podcast provides a platform for guests to share their personal experiences and opinions. The views expressed are solely those of the guest and do not necessarily reflect the views of the hosts or producers. Any allegations discussed are unverified and represent personal accounts only. All individuals mentioned are presumed innocent unless proven otherwise. The podcast assumes no legal responsibility for statements made by guests.** See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A raw and powerful coming-out story from the beloved American Idol finalist traces David Archuleta’s journey from closeted Mormon teen to global pop star to openly queer man, revealing the hidden pressures of fame, the weight of religious expectations, and the courage it takes to live authentically. At just seventeen, David Archuleta rose to national fame as the runner-up on American Idol season seven, captivating millions with his angelic voice. Behind the scenes, however, he was struggling with a truth he feared would destroy everything: he was attracted to men—and a devout member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. As David matured, he struggled with obsessive religious perfectionism, shame around sexuality, and deep internal conflict about being gay within the LDS Church. His missionary experience and therapy helped him recognize patterns of emotional abuse and unhealthy conditioning. Despite direct conversations with top church leaders, he felt they lacked understanding of LGBTQ issues and often avoided confronting the harm caused by church policies.  David recounts what it was like growing up with a domineering father who controlled every aspect of his career and reveals the emotional abuse and inner turmoil that he says plagued his childhood. Ultimately, David reached a breaking point and experienced a powerful moment of self-acceptance, allowing him to embrace his identity, step away from rigid beliefs, and redefine spirituality on his own terms. His story highlights themes of autonomy, healing, faith, mental health, and the courage to live authentically. Click here to watch on YouTube David’s book “Devout: Losing My Faith to Find Myself” Find David on Social media! FB: https://www.facebook.com/davidarchuleta IG: https://www.instagram.com/davidarchie/ Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: This podcast provides a platform for guests to share their personal experiences and opinions. The views expressed are solely those of the guest and do not necessarily reflect the views of the hosts or producers. Any allegations discussed are unverified and represent personal accounts only. All individuals mentioned are presumed innocent unless proven otherwise. The podcast assumes no legal responsibility for statements made by guests.** See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.