IndoctriNation

In this episode, Rachel Bernstein speaks with Matthew Boedy, who is a professor of rhetoric at the University of North Georgia. He researches and writes about religious rhetoric, particularly in the last few years about the rise of Christian Nationalism. In the interview, Boedy explains rhetoric as framing reality through living language, and describes religious rhetoric as examining powerful “divine terms” like good and evil, including how “evil” has shifted historically from social corruption to vague, dehumanizing group labels. The conversation centers on the Seven Mountains Mandate, a roughly 50-year-old Christian nationalist strategy to “retake” seven cultural institutions (education, government, religion, family, business, media, entertainment) through institutional control rather than mass conversion. They discuss propaganda-like repetition, patriotism as a rhetorical cover, and the need for a broad majority response and more open, less militarized language.

Matthew’s Links

Website: https://www.matthewboedy.com/about
Books: https://www.matthewboedy.com/books

Connect with us on social media: 
⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/indoctrination⁠⁠
Watch full video episodes of IndoctriNation here:
⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNAi0T2hzH9dM029dkTfj635PzuXl67jS⁠⁠
Support IndoctriNation on Patreon for exclusive bonus episodes and more: 
https://www.patreon.com/indoctrination⁠
Prefer to support the IndoctriNation show with a one-time donation? Use this link:
https://www.paypal.biz/indoctriNATION
Restart and Restore: A Journal for Survivors of Manipulation: 
https://a.co/d/1ssz4Rm
Restart and Restore: Companion Notebook:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FSCLTZN4
Download a Free Chapter from Restart and Restore:
https://education.rachelbernsteintherapy.com/restart-and-restore-campaign
Download Rachel’s Video Lectures and Webinars here:
https://rachelbernsteintherapy.com/videos.html
IndoctriNation is edited by The Podcast Consultant:
⁠https://thepodcastconsultant.com/about

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

This is just a preview of our Patreon exclusive Bonus Episode. You can hear the full episode by becoming a member at:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.patreon.com/indoctrination 
In this Patreon bonus episode, Rachel Bernstein explains how people who leave controlling, groups, or manipulative relationships often carry repeated phrases in their minds that become internalized beliefs. Drawing on survivor reports, exit counseling literature, and research on coercive persuasion, she shows that these aren’t random slogans but crafted messages designed to shape identity, distort self-perception and worldview, and increase dependency on a leader, partner, or group. Rachel breaks down several of the most common themes, why they are effective at keeping people compliant or fearful of leaving, and how they can continue to affect someone afterward.

Connect with us on social media: 
⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/indoctrination⁠⁠
Watch full video episodes of IndoctriNation here:
⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNAi0T2hzH9dM029dkTfj635PzuXl67jS⁠⁠
Support IndoctriNation on Patreon for exclusive bonus episodes and more: 
https://www.patreon.com/indoctrination⁠
Prefer to support the IndoctriNation show with a one-time donation? Use this link:
https://www.paypal.biz/indoctriNATION
Restart and Restore: A Journal for Survivors of Manipulation: 
https://a.co/d/1ssz4Rm
Restart and Restore: Companion Notebook:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FSCLTZN4
Download a Free Chapter from Restart and Restore:
https://education.rachelbernsteintherapy.com/restart-and-restore-campaign
Download Rachel’s Video Lectures and Webinars here:
https://rachelbernsteintherapy.com/videos.html
IndoctriNation is edited by The Podcast Consultant:
⁠https://thepodcastconsultant.com/about

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

In this episode, Rachel Bernstein interviews Becky Garrison, author of "Gaslighting for God," about spiritual narcissism, charismatic leaders, and how abuse is hidden behind a persona with little accountability. Garrison describes her background in religious satire, family alcoholism, and how research into trauma and somatic therapies helped her recognize narcissistic patterns without becoming triggered. They distinguish lying from gaslighting as deliberately altering someone’s perception of reality and discuss DARVO and institutional cover-ups, including examples involving clergy, money, and celebrity wellness figures. Garrison emphasizes prevention through education, following the money, testing groups with “gentle no” boundaries, watching for coercive demands (time, money, access), avoiding parasocial attachments, and finding support communities after leaving toxic leaders or groups.

Becky's Links
Substack: https://beckygarrison.substack.com/
Book: https://www.beckygarrison.com/works.htm
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/becky_garrison?igsh=MWtlcHZ6ZnBvd2t2OA==
Website: https://www.beckygarrison.com/

Connect with us on social media: 
⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/indoctrination⁠⁠
Watch full video episodes of IndoctriNation here:
⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNAi0T2hzH9dM029dkTfj635PzuXl67jS⁠⁠
Support IndoctriNation on Patreon for exclusive bonus episodes and more: 
https://www.patreon.com/indoctrination⁠
Prefer to support the IndoctriNation show with a one-time donation? Use this link:
https://www.paypal.biz/indoctriNATION
Restart and Restore: A Journal for Survivors of Manipulation: 
https://a.co/d/1ssz4Rm
Restart and Restore: Companion Notebook:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FSCLTZN4
Download a Free Chapter from Restart and Restore:
https://education.rachelbernsteintherapy.com/restart-and-restore-campaign
Download Rachel’s Video Lectures and Webinars here:
https://rachelbernsteintherapy.com/videos.html
IndoctriNation is edited by The Podcast Consultant:
⁠https://thepodcastconsultant.com/about

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

In this episode, Rachel Bernstein interviews journalist Harrison Hill about his debut book, “The Oracle’s Daughter: The Rise and Fall of an American Cult.” Hill shares how he connected to survivor Sarah Green through his brother in Brooklyn and how the book centers on Sarah’s escape from the Aggressive Christianity Missions Training Corps, a religious cult founded in California. He situates the cult within American religious extremism and explores why people join, stay, and leave, including how cults restrict trusting one’s senses and simplify life through binary “spiritual warfare.” Hill discusses the leaders Jim and Deborah Green, the group’s uniforms and ranks, the influence of “Aggressive Christianity,” parallels to the Salvation Army’s origins, and how Waco affected law enforcement responses.

Harrison’s Links
Book: https://www.harrisonhill.me/#book
Website: https://www.harrisonhill.me/

Connect with us on social media: 
⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/indoctrination⁠⁠
Watch full video episodes of IndoctriNation here:
⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNAi0T2hzH9dM029dkTfj635PzuXl67jS⁠⁠
Support IndoctriNation on Patreon for exclusive bonus episodes and more: 
https://www.patreon.com/indoctrination⁠
Prefer to support the IndoctriNation show with a one-time donation? Use this link:
https://www.paypal.biz/indoctriNATION
Restart and Restore: A Journal for Survivors of Manipulation: 
https://a.co/d/1ssz4Rm
Restart and Restore: Companion Notebook:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FSCLTZN4
Download a Free Chapter from Restart and Restore:
https://education.rachelbernsteintherapy.com/restart-and-restore-campaign
Download Rachel’s Video Lectures and Webinars here:
https://rachelbernsteintherapy.com/videos.html
IndoctriNation is edited by The Podcast Consultant:
⁠https://thepodcastconsultant.com/about

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

This is just a preview of our Patreon exclusive Bonus Episode. You can hear the full episode by becoming a member at:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.patreon.com/indoctrination 
In the continuation of this Patreon bonus episode, Rachel Bernstein explains that staying busy can suppress, but not heal, painful emotions and stresses the importance of learning to honor feelings without fear. The focus is reclaiming agency after cult involvement, where survivors were conditioned to doubt themselves, seek leader approval for even small choices, and develop learned helplessness and executive dysfunction under chronic stress and coercive control. The episode describes how emotions and forgiveness were weaponized, and reframes panic, depression, flashbacks, and nightmares as normal trauma responses. Recovery is presented as non-linear phases—reevaluation, reconciliation, and reintegration—supported by slowing down, avoiding high-pressure therapy, cautious grounding, decision policies like “I don’t decide on the spot,” boundary-setting language, rebuilding planning through small autonomous choices, replacing thought-stopping slogans with critical thinking, and finding supportive community.

Connect with us on social media: 
⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/indoctrination⁠⁠
Watch full video episodes of IndoctriNation here:
⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNAi0T2hzH9dM029dkTfj635PzuXl67jS⁠⁠
Support IndoctriNation on Patreon for exclusive bonus episodes and more: 
https://www.patreon.com/indoctrination⁠
Prefer to support the IndoctriNation show with a one-time donation? Use this link:
https://www.paypal.biz/indoctriNATION
Restart and Restore: A Journal for Survivors of Manipulation: 
https://a.co/d/1ssz4Rm
Restart and Restore: Companion Notebook:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FSCLTZN4
Download a Free Chapter from Restart and Restore:
https://education.rachelbernsteintherapy.com/restart-and-restore-campaign
Download Rachel’s Video Lectures and Webinars here:
https://rachelbernsteintherapy.com/videos.html
IndoctriNation is edited by The Podcast Consultant:
⁠https://thepodcastconsultant.com/about

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands