The Antidote: Diane Benscoter on Getting Victims Out

This episode is sponsored by Better Help. It was the early ‘70s and life was weird. War was still going on in Vietnam, and those back in the US of A were struggling with political, societal, and economic changes. One day, Diane Benscoter passed a van where some strangers were giving out bananas. She grabbed a snack and avoided making conversation with the van people. Shortly after, she was on a five-day trek from Omaha to Des Moines with those banana enthusiasts, who were in fact Sun Myung Moon enthusiasts. Next thing you know, Diane’s cut off all of her hair, done some fasting, and has dedicated five years to selling candy and flowers while devoted to the second coming of Christ. 

You can read all about this in her memoir, linked out below. But on today's episode, we’re focusing on Diane’s organization, Antidote, which helps people escape from cults, or to get their loved ones out of cults and extremist mentalities such as those shared by QAnon. Having experienced cult life herself, Diane knows that convincing someone that everything they hold true in their life is a vicious lie can be next to impossible. That’s why she became a master at it. 

Check out Antidote.ngo

Purchase Shoes of a Servant: My Unconditional Devotion to a Lie

Also…

Hear Ye, Hear Ye:

The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad.

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CREDITS: 

Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames

Production Partner: Citizens of Sound

Producer: Will Retherford

Senior Producer: Jess Tardy

Writer: Mathias Rosenzweig

Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin

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