Episode 41: In part two of their conversation with activist / Amish Girl in Manhattan author TORAH BONTRAGER, Lola & Meagan discuss the abuse Torah suffered in her family, escaping the community, graduating from Columbia University, and Torah's involvement with the fight against the Supreme Court case, Wisconsin v Yoder.



If you have your own story about cults, high-control groups, manipulation, or abuse of power, shoot us an email at trustmepod@gmail.com.



FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM:

@trustmepodcast

@oohlalola

@vibehigherbitch



OR TWITTER:

@trustmecultpod

@ohlalola 

Episode 41: In part two of their conversation with activist / Amish Girl in Manhattan author TORAH BONTRAGER, Lola &amp; Meagan discuss the abuse Torah suffered in her family, escaping the community, graduating from Columbia University, and Torah's involvement with the fight against the Supreme Court case, Wisconsin v Yoder.

If you have your own story about cults, high-control groups, manipulation, or abuse of power, shoot us an email at trustmepod@gmail.com.

FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM:
@trustmepodcast
@oohlalola
@vibehigherbitch

OR TWITTER:
@trustmecultpod
@ohlalola

Trust Me is a weekly interview podcast about cults, extreme belief, and the fine line between devotion and delusion—told through firsthand accounts from the people who lived it. Hosted by two women who’ve been in cults themselves, Lola Blanc and Meagan Elizabeth, the show features survivors from groups like Heaven’s Gate, the Manson Family, NXIVM, OneTaste and more–sharing personal stories of how they got in, how they got out, and everything in between.

Each week, they invite these guests alongside experts who can dive deep into seductive leaders, the darker aspects of organized religion, and the subtler shades of groupthink and the psychology of influence. Trust Me explores it all with unfiltered honesty, dark humor, and a lot of heart. This isn’t a sensationalized deep dive into cults—it’s a compassionate, first-person exploration of what it means to believe, to belong, and to break free. At the end of the day, wanting to believe in something bigger than yourself is one of the most human instincts there is.

Trust Me is a weekly interview podcast about cults, extreme belief, and the fine line between devotion and delusion&mdash;told through firsthand accounts from the people who lived it.&nbsp;Hosted by two women who&rsquo;ve been in cults themselves, Lola Blanc and Meagan Elizabeth, the show&nbsp;features survivors from groups like Heaven&rsquo;s Gate, the Manson Family, NXIVM, OneTaste and more&ndash;sharing personal stories of how they got in, how they got out, and everything in between.
Each week, they invite&nbsp;these guests&nbsp;alongside experts who can dive deep into seductive leaders, the darker aspects of organized religion, and the subtler shades of groupthink and the psychology of influence. Trust Me explores it all with unfiltered honesty, dark humor, and a lot of heart.&nbsp;This isn&rsquo;t a sensationalized deep dive into cults&mdash;it&rsquo;s a compassionate, first-person exploration of what it means to believe, to belong, and to break free.&nbsp;At the end of the day, wanting to believe in something bigger than yourself is one of the most human instincts there is.

Trust Me: Cults, Extreme Belief, and Manipulation

Torah Bontrager - Growing Up Amish, Part 2: Escaping & Activism

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/445e7a72-7136-41a7-84fc-b2de013662cf/transcript

This week is part 1 with, at long last, Sarah Edmondson, NXIVM survivor, author, and host of A Little Bit Culty, a podcast and now book, co-hosted and authored with her husband, Nippy Ames. She’ll tell the girls how she first joined the self-help group—which turned out to be a sex cult—starting with a comment by Mark Vicente that shook her worldview. She’ll discuss why she was drawn to the goal-oriented framework and define some core tenets of NXIVM, including what it means to be “at cause" by demonstrating the exercise on Lola and Meagan.

Sarah will explain how tenets like being "at cause" were actually tools for manipulation used to deflect from the group’s wrongdoings. She will also discuss feeling starstruck when she first met leader Keith Raniere, who claimed to be the smartest man in the world, and the idea of “spiritual wives” (and how he may have stolen that from Lola’s prophet).

Next week we’ll get into her later years in the group, DOS, and how she left.

SOURCES

A Little Bit Culty

This week is part 1 with, at long last, Sarah Edmondson, NXIVM survivor, author, and host of A Little Bit Culty, a podcast and now book, co-hosted and authored with her husband, Nippy Ames. She&rsquo;ll tell the girls how she first joined the self-help group&mdash;which turned out to be a sex cult&mdash;starting with a comment by Mark Vicente that shook her worldview. She&rsquo;ll discuss why she was drawn to the goal-oriented framework and define some core tenets of NXIVM, including what it means to be &ldquo;at cause" by demonstrating the exercise on Lola and Meagan.
Sarah will explain how tenets like being "at cause" were actually tools for manipulation used to deflect from the group&rsquo;s wrongdoings. She will also discuss feeling starstruck when she first met leader Keith Raniere, who claimed to be the smartest man in the world, and the idea of &ldquo;spiritual wives&rdquo; (and how he may have stolen that from Lola&rsquo;s prophet). Next week we&rsquo;ll get into her later years in the group, DOS, and how she left.
SOURCES
<a href="https://alittlebitculty.com/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://alittlebitculty.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1778709944925000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3S1qwiCQsJ9a4RWH1KFFzs">A Little Bit Culty</a>

Sarah Edmondson, Part 1 - Joining NXIVM, Meeting Keith Raniere, and Moving Up the Ranks

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/999d8a2d-a4b5-4953-ba70-b448016c8d30/transcript

In part 2 with Nomzia aka Nomz Bistline, from Netflix’s docuseries Trust Me: The False Prophet (with Lola’s mom), Nomz shares what it was like getting raided by the FBI, how she felt about Lola’s mom when she learned Christine was the FBI informant, and why the “prophet” Samuel Bateman was obsessed with marrying the queen of England.

She discusses the events leading up to her time in jail, how she began the painful process of deconstructing while in prison, and what life has been like since getting out–and finally being free of Samuel Bateman.

In part 2 with Nomzia aka Nomz Bistline, from Netflix&rsquo;s docuseries Trust Me: The False Prophet (with Lola&rsquo;s mom), Nomz shares what it was like getting raided by the FBI, how she felt about Lola&rsquo;s mom when she learned Christine was the FBI informant, and why the &ldquo;prophet&rdquo; Samuel Bateman was obsessed with marrying the queen of England. She discusses the events leading up to her time in jail, how she began the painful process of deconstructing while in prison, and what life has been like since getting out&ndash;and finally being free of Samuel Bateman.

Nomzia Bistline, Part 2 - Raided by the FBI, Life in Prison, and Breaking Free From Sam Bateman

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/5dfb9c0a-e8b7-41c4-8373-b442015ba52f/transcript

This week is part one with Nomzia “Nomz” Bistline, from the Netflix docuseries Trust Me: The False Prophet (with Lola’s mom, Christine!). Nomz joins the girls to talk about what it was like growing up in polygamist group the FLDS after leader Warren Jeffs went to prison, how she was raised in poverty and taught to be paranoid about the outside world, and how many of the fathers in the community were sidelined and sent away.

She explains how Samuel Bateman began claiming that he was the new prophet, and what it was like when he started targeting her and wearing her down over time, threatening her salvation and ultimately coercing her into becoming one of his wives.

And next week, she’ll talk about the raid, Sam’s conviction, and her relationship with Christine now.

This week is part one with Nomzia &ldquo;Nomz&rdquo; Bistline, from the Netflix docuseries Trust Me: The False Prophet (with Lola&rsquo;s mom, Christine!). Nomz joins the girls to talk about what it was like growing up in polygamist group the FLDS after leader Warren Jeffs went to prison, how she was raised in poverty and taught to be paranoid about the outside world, and how many of the fathers in the community were sidelined and sent away. She explains how Samuel Bateman began claiming that he was the new prophet, and what it was like when he started targeting her and wearing her down over time, threatening her salvation and ultimately coercing her into becoming one of his wives.
And next week, she&rsquo;ll talk about the raid, Sam&rsquo;s conviction, and her relationship with Christine now.

Nomzia Bistline, Part 1 - The False Prophet: Growing Up FLDS & Marrying Sam Bateman

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/4c413cda-2621-4cad-8891-b4400175fd93/transcript

Torah Bontrager - Growing Up Amish, Part 2: Escaping & Activism

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Trust Me: Cults, Extreme Belief, and Manipulation

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