Podcast appearances and mentions of Warren Jeffs

The first episodes of Secret Lives of Mormon Wives are packed with more drama than doctrine — and we're here for all of it. In this video, we dive into the chaos: from passive-aggressive prayers and friendship sabotage, to pregnancy revelations and messy relationship dynamics.We talk about Jen and Zach's struggle to reconnect in their marriage and faith while dealing with a surprise pregnancy, Taylor being blamed for Dakota's bad behavior, and the bizarre addition of Miranda to the group. Oh — and don't forget Whitney's desperate mission to win back her spot in the friend circle. It's Mean Girls meets Mormonism, and it's a wild ride.Grab your popcorn — this is going to be good.

In this episode, we react to Sister Wives One-on-One Part 2, where things get even more uncomfortable. From Kody Brown refusing to answer direct questions, to Robyn repeatedly saying "I don't know," this interview was full of awkward pauses, emotional contradictions, and tense moments.We dive into the cultural reasons behind Kody's failed marriages, his emotional reaction to moving Meri out—despite years of mistreatment—and the shocking moment he claimed to be grieving the loss of their relationship.Why does Kody suddenly care now? Why won't he take accountability? And how do these behaviors reflect deeper issues in polygamous culture and belief systems?

In this episode, we react to "How I Escaped My Cult"—featuring the House of Yahweh, a high-control religious group with shocking similarities to the FLDS church Sam grew up in. From strict isolation and doomsday prophecies to plural marriage and using food stamps to pay tithing, this story hit incredibly close to home.As former members of the FLDS and LDS Churches, we break down the tactics used to keep people trapped—like fear-based teachings, total control over relationships and resources, and the belief that only their group would be saved.We also discuss the raid on their Texas compound, the arrest of their leaders, and the disturbing reality that the group is still active today.

In this episode, Sam and Melissa react to Part One of the Sister Wives One-on-One Interviews, and things get messy. Most of the episode centers around Kody's refusal to take accountability—for his words, his actions, and especially for how things ended with Meri.We break down Kody's shifting narratives, emotional deflections, and how he continues to paint himself as the victim, even when confronted with his own past behavior. Meri opens up about the end of their relationship, and we dive deep into the emotional toll it's taken—and whether Kody ever really cared.As former members of fundamentalist and mainstream Mormonism, we bring our unique perspectives to the table and examine the deeper religious and emotional dynamics playing out behind the scenes.

Découvrez l'effroyable traque de Warren Jeffs.  leader autoproclamé d'un mouvement religieux sectaire, longtemps intouchable. Derrière ses discours, un système de contrôle total, de manipulations psychologiques et d'abus passés sous silence. Pendant des années, il a échappé à la justice, s'est volatilisé, protégé par ses fidèles et par la peur. Mais peu à peu, les témoignages se multiplient. Et la traque commence… Dernier voyage à Las Vegas En cavale depuis deux ans, Warren Jeffs reste insaisissable, changeant de planque et de fausse identité, tout en continuant à diriger sa secte à distance. Sa traque est un cauchemar pour le FBI : les fidèles, convaincus qu'il est un être divin, se murent dans le silence. Il est finalement arrêté lors d'un banal contrôle routier, dans une Cadillac tape-à-l'œil, en possession de perruques, liasses de billets et documents accablants. Jugé pour agressions sexuelles sur mineures, il est condamné à la perpétuité. Pourtant, même derrière les barreaux, il conserve une emprise totale sur sa communauté, qui continue de le vénérer. Pour découvrir une autre traque, cliquez ci-dessous : ⁠⁠[INEDIT] Bruno Sulak, le gentleman braqueur : de la légion à la prison (1/4)⁠⁠ ⁠⁠[INEDIT] Bruno Sulak, le gentleman braqueur : un voyou et un flic (2/4)⁠⁠ ⁠⁠[INEDIT] Bruno Sulak, le gentleman braqueur : des braquages spectaculaires (3/4)⁠⁠ ⁠⁠[INEDIT] Bruno Sulak, le gentleman braqueur : une évasion qui tourne au drame (4/4) Crédits : Production : Bababam  Textes : Capucine Lebot Voix : Anne Cosmao, Aurélien Gouas En partenariat avec Upday.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Découvrez l'effroyable traque de Warren Jeffs.  leader autoproclamé d'un mouvement religieux sectaire, longtemps intouchable. Derrière ses discours, un système de contrôle total, de manipulations psychologiques et d'abus passés sous silence. Pendant des années, il a échappé à la justice, s'est volatilisé, protégé par ses fidèles et par la peur. Mais peu à peu, les témoignages se multiplient. Et la traque commence… Une ville pour les fidèles  Warren Jeffs disparaît, mais garde la mainmise sur sa communauté, bannissant des hommes et s'appropriant leurs familles. En cavale à travers les États-Unis, il multiplie les déguisements et construit en secret un temple à El Dorado, au Texas. Tandis que ses fidèles vident leurs comptes pour financer sa fuite, il continue de marier des fillettes et vit reclus avec ses nombreuses épouses. Le silence de la communauté et l'isolement du lieu attisent les soupçons, jusqu'au témoignage décisif d'Elissa Ward, une jeune fille mariée de force. Grâce à elle, Jeffs devient l'un des 10 fugitifs les plus recherchés du FBI. Pour découvrir une autre traque, cliquez ci-dessous : ⁠⁠[INEDIT] Bruno Sulak, le gentleman braqueur : de la légion à la prison (1/4)⁠⁠ ⁠⁠[INEDIT] Bruno Sulak, le gentleman braqueur : un voyou et un flic (2/4)⁠⁠ ⁠⁠[INEDIT] Bruno Sulak, le gentleman braqueur : des braquages spectaculaires (3/4)⁠⁠ ⁠⁠[INEDIT] Bruno Sulak, le gentleman braqueur : une évasion qui tourne au drame (4/4) Crédits : Production : Bababam  Textes : Capucine Lebot Voix : Anne Cosmao, Aurélien Gouas En partenariat avec Upday.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this heartfelt episode of Sister Wives, the family gathers to honor and remember Garrison Brown. We react to Season 19, Episode 24, as they share joyful memories, funny stories, and the deep love they have for Garrison. From his playful spirit to his love for cats, this episode is a beautiful tribute to the bright light he brought into their lives.Join us as we reflect on the impact Garrison had—not just on his family, but on so many viewers who felt connected to him. This isn't just about grief—it's about celebrating a life well-lived and remembering the joy he shared.

Découvrez l'effroyable traque de Warren Jeffs.  leader autoproclamé d'un mouvement religieux sectaire, longtemps intouchable. Derrière ses discours, un système de contrôle total, de manipulations psychologiques et d'abus passés sous silence. Pendant des années, il a échappé à la justice, s'est volatilisé, protégé par ses fidèles et par la peur. Mais peu à peu, les témoignages se multiplient. Et la traque commence… La dictature religieuse  Prophète autoproclamé de la FLDS, Warren Jeffs impose une dictature religieuse fondée sur la peur, la soumission et l'isolement. Il contrôle les femmes, exploite les hommes, détourne les aides de l'État et célèbre des mariages forcés avec des mineures. Mais une cérémonie de trop déclenche une enquête, et l'étau judiciaire commence à se resserrer. Warren entame alors une cavale de plusieurs années, persuadé d'être intouchable, car il est, dit-il, “l'élu de Dieu”. Pour découvrir une autre traque, cliquez ci-dessous : ⁠⁠[INEDIT] Bruno Sulak, le gentleman braqueur : de la légion à la prison (1/4)⁠⁠ ⁠⁠[INEDIT] Bruno Sulak, le gentleman braqueur : un voyou et un flic (2/4)⁠⁠ ⁠⁠[INEDIT] Bruno Sulak, le gentleman braqueur : des braquages spectaculaires (3/4)⁠⁠ ⁠⁠[INEDIT] Bruno Sulak, le gentleman braqueur : une évasion qui tourne au drame (4/4) Crédits : Production : Bababam  Textes : Capucine Lebot Voix : Anne Cosmao, Aurélien Gouas En partenariat avec Upday.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Découvrez l'effroyable traque de Warren Jeffs.  leader autoproclamé d'un mouvement religieux sectaire, longtemps intouchable. Derrière ses discours, un système de contrôle total, de manipulations psychologiques et d'abus passés sous silence. Pendant des années, il a échappé à la justice, s'est volatilisé, protégé par ses fidèles et par la peur. Mais peu à peu, les témoignages se multiplient. Et la traque commence… Des fanatiques religieux  Fils d'un prophète tout-puissant, Warren Jeffs grandit dans un univers fermé, entre fanatisme religieux et abus. Très jeune, il prend le pouvoir sur l'école de la communauté, puis sur l'Église elle-même. Manipulateur et dangereux, il devient l'un des hommes les plus craints de son époque. Mais jusqu'où ira-t-il pour garder le contrôle ? Pour découvrir une autre traque, cliquez ci-dessous : ⁠⁠[INEDIT] Bruno Sulak, le gentleman braqueur : de la légion à la prison (1/4)⁠⁠ ⁠⁠[INEDIT] Bruno Sulak, le gentleman braqueur : un voyou et un flic (2/4)⁠⁠ ⁠⁠[INEDIT] Bruno Sulak, le gentleman braqueur : des braquages spectaculaires (3/4)⁠⁠ ⁠⁠[INEDIT] Bruno Sulak, le gentleman braqueur : une évasion qui tourne au drame (4/4) Crédits : Production : Bababam  Textes : Capucine Lebot Voix : Anne Cosmao, Aurélien Gouas En partenariat avec Upday.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bienvenue dans la traque. Cette semaine, découvrez une toute nouvelle saison. Une histoire, prête à vous entraîner dans l'exploration d'un parcours criminel, saisissant. Découvrez l'effroyable traque de Warren Jeffs.  leader autoproclamé d'un mouvement religieux sectaire, longtemps intouchable. Derrière ses discours, un système de contrôle total, de manipulations psychologiques et d'abus passés sous silence. Pendant des années, il a échappé à la justice, s'est volatilisé, protégé par ses fidèles et par la peur. Mais peu à peu, les témoignages se multiplient. Et la traque commence.  Joignez-vous alors à nous et découvrez cette nouvelle saison prochainement disponible sur toutes les plateformes d'écoute.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're reacting to the shocking true story of the Bergholz Clan, a radical Amish cult led by a man who declared himself a prophet and claimed only he could interpret the Bible.As control tightened, the group began attacking other Amish men and women, forcibly cutting off their sacred hair and beards—a deep act of humiliation in Amish culture. The leader even took photos of the attacks, which ultimately helped land him in prison.This story is told by his former right-hand man, who bravely left the group—but is still shunned by his family to this day.Different group. Same patterns of power, fear, and control.#BergholzClan #AmishCult #HairCuttingAttacks #ExCultStory #SamAndMelissaReactsJoin our Patreon HERE: https://patreon.com/growingupinpolygamyIf you or someone you love has left polygamy and needs assistance, please reach out to "Holding Out HELP" at 801-548-3492 or visit their website at www.holdingouthelp.orgAt Growing Up In Polygamy our mission is to "Create compassion for communities that have been misunderstood, marginalized and/or abused by their leaders, and to empower those who have left by giving them a platform to share their stories with the world."If you would like to DONATE to this cause you can do so here: https://donorbox.org/growing-up-in-polygamyInsta: @growingupinpolygamyNew website is now up! www.growingupinpolygamy.comTheme Song created by @artcowles Please feel free to reach out to us!growingupinpolygamy@gmail.com✅SUBSCRIBE NOW : https://shorturl.at/inqrE➡️ Checkout our other Videos:

In this episode, we react to Sister Wives Season 19, Episode 23, and reflect on the heartbreaking loss of Garrison Brown. Our hearts are heavy for the entire Brown family and for anyone who has experienced the pain of losing someone they love. This tragedy reminds us how fragile life is and how important it is to hold our loved ones close and check in with each other—often and without hesitation.If you're struggling or know someone who is, please know that you're not alone. Help is available.988 Suicide & Crisis LifelineCall or text 988Available 24/7 – free and confidential supportIf you or someone you love has left polygamy and needs assistance, please reach out to "Holding Out HELP" at 801-548-3492 or visit their website at www.holdingouthelp.orgAt Growing Up In Polygamy our mission is to "Create compassion for communities that have been misunderstood, marginalized and/or abused by their leaders, and to empower those who have left by giving them a platform to share their stories with the world."If you would like to DONATE to this cause you can do so here: https://donorbox.org/growing-up-in-polygamyInsta: @growingupinpolygamyNew website is now up! www.growingupinpolygamy.comTheme Song created by @artcowles Please feel free to reach out to us!growingupinpolygamy@gmail.com✅SUBSCRIBE NOW : https://shorturl.at/inqrE➡️ Checkout our other Videos:

In this episode, we dive into another story from How I Escaped My Cult — this time focusing on NXIVM, a group that didn't claim to be religious, but promised personal growth and empowerment.We break down how NXIVM used the language of self-improvement to lure people in, and how, despite the different promises, the control, manipulation, and abuse were alarmingly similar to what we've seen in religious cults.Join us as we talk about the red flags, the psychological tactics, and why no one is ever "too smart" or "too strong" to be targeted by a high-control group.If you or someone you love has left polygamy and needs assistance, please reach out to "Holding Out HELP" at 801-548-3492 or visit their website at www.holdingouthelp.orgAt Growing Up In Polygamy our mission is to "Create compassion for communities that have been misunderstood, marginalized and/or abused by their leaders, and to empower those who have left by giving them a platform to share their stories with the world."If you would like to DONATE to this cause you can do so here: https://donorbox.org/growing-up-in-polygamyInsta: @growingupinpolygamyNew website is now up! www.growingupinpolygamy.comTheme Song created by @artcowles Please feel free to reach out to us!growingupinpolygamy@gmail.com✅SUBSCRIBE NOW : https://shorturl.at/inqrE➡️ Checkout our other Videos:

La Luz del Mundo is one of the largest religious organizations in the world—so how did it end up at the center of shocking abuse allegations and cult accusations? In this episode, we react to a powerful “How I Escaped My Cult” story from someone who grew up inside La Luz del Mundo.We explore what makes a church cross the line into cult territory: Is it the teachings, the control, or the corruption of leadership? Can a religion still do good while being built on abuse and manipulation?Join us as we unpack this emotional story, compare it with our own experiences, and ask the hard questions about faith, power, and control.Chapters:00:00:00 The Mega Church Cult Dilemma 00:02:39 Parallels Between LDS and Restorationist Churches00:05:19 Uncovering Secrets of the FLDS Church00:08:07 Psychological Manipulation within Religious Structures00:11:01 Navigating Manipulation and Abuse in High-Demand Religions00:13:42 Warren Jeffs and Nasson's Persistence from Prison00:16:32 The Power Dynamics in Harmful Groups 00:19:19 Examining Leadership and Control in Religious Organizations00:22:14 The Complexity of Recognizing Cult-like Behavior Join our NEW Patreon HERE: https://patreon.com/growingupinpolygamyIf you or someone you love has left polygamy and needs assistance, please reach out to "Holding Out HELP" at 801-548-3492 or visit their website at www.holdingouthelp.orgAt Growing Up In Polygamy our mission is to "Create compassion for communities that have been misunderstood, marginalized and/or abused by their leaders, and to empower those who have left by giving them a platform to share their stories with the world."If you would like to DONATE to this cause you can do so here: https://donorbox.org/growing-up-in-polygamyInsta: @growingupinpolygamyNew website is now up! www.growingupinpolygamy.comTheme Song created by @artcowles Please feel free to reach out to us!growingupinpolygamy@gmail.com✅SUBSCRIBE NOW : https://shorturl.at/inqrE➡️ Checkout our other Videos:

Antigo presidente da FLDS, Warren Jeffs foi condenado a mais de 100 anos de prisão por cometer crimes sexuais contra meninas menores de idade. Sua vida foi baseada na busca pelo poder e pela submissão dos demais, principalmente as mulheres, em favor de sua própria ascensão. 

In this episode of Sister Wives Season 19, we watch as Janelle begins a new chapter of her life in North Carolina, surrounded by love and support.Meri starts to question whether her relationship with Robyn was ever genuine—or just something she clung to in order to stay connected to the family. Meanwhile, Kody baptizes Aurora in her church… but uses the exact words from his former faith.Why is Kody still relying on the language and authority of a church he claims to have left? Is this about spiritual connection—or lingering control?Join Sam and Melissa as they break down all the emotional, spiritual, and relational layers in this thought-provoking episode.

Dive into the disturbing reality of child brides in the FLDS (Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints) under Warren Jeffs' leadership. This video explores the dark underbelly of polygamy, coercion, and generational control within cults like the FLDS in Caliente, Nevada. Learn how leaders manipulated families, exploited young girls, and isolated members from society. We'll also discuss the broader impact of coercive practices and how individuals can break free from these oppressive environments. Key Topics Covered are; FLDS and Warren Jeffs' role in child marriages, Life inside fundamentalist polygamous cults, Coercive practices in generational cults, The harrowing experiences of young brides forced into marriage. #FLDS #Polygamy #ChildBrides #WarrenJeffs #CultAwareness #KingstonClan #AllredGroup #BarlowFamily #CalienteNevada #Cults #CultsAndCoercion #ExposingCults #FLDSChurch #PolygamyExposed #BreakFreeWatch, learn, and share to raise awareness about the dangers of polygamy and cult practices.=======================================Order a copy of Deceived or She Knew No Fear and get the book signed for free! https://www.ProfilingEvil.comDONATE to Profiling Evil: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=T54JX76RZ455SSUPPORT our Podcasts: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1213394/support

Tony Alamo and Warren Jeffs—two self-proclaimed prophets who built their empires on fear, control, and manipulation. In this video, we react to How I Escaped My Cult: Tony Alamo and break down the disturbing similarities between Alamo's group and the FLDS under Jeffs. From isolating their followers to taking child brides, both men used their so-called divine authority to justify unthinkable abuses. How did they gain so much power? And what can we learn from the survivors who escaped? Let's dive in.

For years, Rachel Jeffs lived behind the walls of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ-Latter Day Saints, the FLDS. There, she was abused: physically, mentally and sexually, by Warren Jeffs, the leader of the polygamist group. He was also her father. Rachel has managed to escape the group, and in doing so, is telling the world about her experience as a member of the FLDS, and the control that women inside the group live under. In this episode of Off Script, she shares her story with host Andrew Iden. It's a story of bravery and survival, how she escaped, and even her current views on religion and spirituality. GET RACHEL'S BOOK: https://www.amazon.com/Breaking-Free-Escaped-Polygamy-Father/dp/0062670522 JOIN OUR PATREON: http://www.deviantpodcast.com Visit DEVIANT's socials: http://www.instagram.com/deviant.podcast http://www.tiktok.com/@deviant.podcast Copyright 2025 Cold Open Media LLC Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Big Love Season 2, Episodes 5-8, things take a dramatic turn as Bill secretly courts a potential fourth wife behind his other wives' backs—because honesty in polygamy is apparently optional!

In this video, we react to How I Left My Cult and its episode on the FLDS and Yearning for Zion Ranch. The documentary does a great job covering Warren Jeffs' rise to power and the experiences of his 8th wife and her son, but one thing stood out to us—how it makes it seem like the FLDS is down to just a “handful” of people. The truth is, the FLDS is still thousands strong. Join us as we break down what the show got right, what it missed, and what's really happening with the FLDS today. #FLDS #WarrenJeffs #HowILeftMyCult #ExMormon #cultsurvivor Chapters: 00:00:00 FLDS History and Warren Jeffs' Impact 00:02:45 Exploring Different Perspectives: Vicky and Wendell's Stories 00:05:30 Polygamy Beliefs in FLDS vs. LDS 00:08:20 Warren Jeffs' Capture and the Impact on FLDS Members 00:11:27 Leaving the Church: Family and Emotional Impact 00:14:50 The Impact of CPS Raids on FLDS Families 00:17:51 Ranch Raid Revelations 00:20:39 Leaving the Ranch: Vicki and Wendell's Journey 00:23:45 The Enduring Influence of Warren Jeffs Get your tickets to the Holding Out Help Gala HERE: https://event.auctria.com/3081aa38-737b-436c-9dfb-6c934233a243/ Join our NEW Patreon HERE: https://patreon.com/growingupinpolygamy If you or someone you love has left polygamy and needs assistance, please reach out to "Holding Out HELP" at 801-548-3492 or visit their website at www.holdingouthelp.org At Growing Up In Polygamy our mission is to "Create compassion for communities that have been misunderstood, marginalized and/or abused by their leaders, and to empower those who have left by giving them a platform to share their stories with the world." If you would like to DONATE to this cause you can do so here: https://donorbox.org/growing-up-in-polygamy Insta: @growingupinpolygamy New website is now up! www.growingupinpolygamy.com Theme Song created by @artcowles Please feel free to reach out to us! growingupinpolygamy@gmail.com ✅SUBSCRIBE NOW : https://shorturl.at/inqrE #like #comment #post #share and #encourage other to #subscribe to the channel.

In this episode, we dive into Big Love Season 2 and unpack the aftermath of Barb's "Mother of the Year" disaster. Is she finally realizing she never truly wanted polygamy? Meanwhile, Roman Grant continues to run Juniper Creek like his personal kingdom—but now, there's a new prophet on the run, and the similarities to Warren Jeffs are uncanny. So, which real-life group is Juniper Creek actually based on? And why do these polygamous leaders always have underage brides?Join us as we break it all down and compare Big Love to real-life polygamous communities! Let us know your thoughts in the comments!#BigLove #FLDS #Polygamy #WarrenJeffs #ExMormon #CultSurvivor #SisterWives #Mormonism #ReligiousTraumaChapters:00:00:00 Big Love Season 2 Tensions Arise 00:02:46 Struggles and Challenges in Polygamous Relationships00:05:54 The Complexities of Living a Plural Marriage Life00:09:10 Handling Family Jealousies in Plural Marriages 00:12:20 The Bridal Registry Book: A Creepy Tradition 00:15:20 The Impact of Polygamist Practices on Public Perception00:18:17 Rhonda's Spiritual Awakening and Inner Conflict 00:21:17 Advocates Helping to Escape Polygamy 00:24:24 Exploring FLDS Family Dynamics Join our NEW Patreon HERE: https://patreon.com/growingupinpolygamyIf you or someone you love has left polygamy and needs assistance, please reach out to "Holding Out HELP" at 801-548-3492 or visit their website at www.holdingouthelp.orgAt Growing Up In Polygamy our mission is to "Create compassion for communities that have been misunderstood, marginalized and/or abused by their leaders, and to empower those who have left by giving them a platform to share their stories with the world."If you would like to DONATE to this cause you can do so here: https://donorbox.org/growing-up-in-polygamyInsta: @growingupinpolygamyNew website is now up! www.growingupinpolygamy.comTheme Song created by @artcowles Please feel free to reach out to us!growingupinpolygamy@gmail.com✅SUBSCRIBE NOW : https://shorturl.at/inqrE#like #comment #post #share and #encourage other to #subscribe to the channel.

In part two of our interview with Jaden Jeffs, he reveals the shocking and disturbing revelations that his father, Warren Jeffs, has been sending to his family from prison. As the self-proclaimed prophet of the FLDS, Warren continues to control his followers—even from behind bars. Jaden shares how these messages became too much to bear, the impact they had on his mother and siblings, and why they ultimately led him to leave the FLDS and escape his father's control.This eye-opening conversation sheds light on the lasting influence of Warren Jeffs and the painful decisions Jaden had to make to break free.

What was it like growing up as the son of Warren Jeffs, the infamous FLDS prophet? In this exclusive interview, Jaden Jeffs shares his firsthand experience of life inside the inner circle of the FLDS church. From living in the prophet's home alongside his 80 wives to moving between secret compounds in Texas and other states, Jaden reveals what life was really like behind closed doors. He offers rare insights into the power, control, and fear that shaped his childhood under one of the most notorious religious leaders in modern history.Don't miss this eye-opening conversation!

Go To https://rumble.com/user/MormonRenegade for free video & access to exclusive content.Renegade Supply Store: https://renegade-supply-shop.printify.me/products Today's episode is going to be a heavy conversation, but one that has to be had. On this episode I talk with a man who has had one of the most remarkable of faith journeys that I have ever had the privilege to hear. Today I have a conversation with Ammon Jeffs. Ammon is the son of Warren Jeffs and was a firsthand witness to what life was like living on several of the compounds owned and operated by his father and the FLDS Church. During the course of our conversation, we cover Ammon's early life and childhood while first living in Northern Utah, then Short Creek, Texas and many other places. We talk about how his life changed once his father took power, the death of his mother, his father's arrest for abuse, his banishment from the FLDS Church and his coming to terms with his father's actions. From that point we move into talking about his deconstruction of false doctrines taught by Warren Jeffs and just how different they were from the doctrine taught by Joseph Smith and Brigham Young and other early Mormon leaders. We then finish up by talking about how he found and kept his faith in the Restored Gospel as taught by early Mormon leaders. While this conversation starts out really heavy by the end Ammon demonstrates the healing and transformative power of Atonement of Jesus Christ and the Restored Gospel and shows us that we don't have to be a slave to our trials or the sins of our family's past. 

Short Creek consists of the twin FLDS cities of Hildale, Utah & Colorado City, Arizona. Come along as Rick Bennett visits these 2 communities that were founded on the Utah-Arizona border to escape prosecution for polygamy. We'll visit Warren Jeffs house which is now the "Most Wanted Hotel" because Warren Jeffs was on the FBI Most Wanted List. Check it out! https://youtu.be/XPFPXiCjJ-g polygamy polygamy Don't miss our other episodes on Mormon fundamentalism! https://gospeltangents.com/denominations/fundamentalism/ Copyright © 2025 Gospel Tangents All Rights Reserved Except for book reviews, no content may be reproduced without written permission. transcript to follow Copyright © 2025 Gospel Tangents All Rights Reserved Except for book reviews, no content may be reproduced without written permission.

Not every religion is easy to understand from the outside. But polygamy is one that almost no outsider gets. Especially when it deals with children. In this chapter of cult chronicles, we are learning about Warren Jeffs and the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warren_Jeffs   Netflix - Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey   https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/sandiegouniontribune/name/rulon-jeffs-obituary?id=38166972   https://biglovecompound.proboards.com/thread/64/flds-owned-companies-todays-society   https://www.suzukilawoffices.com/faqs/arizonas-law-on-statutory-rape-and-age-of-consent/   https://www.conyersnix.com/faq/what-are-consent-laws-in-utah/   https://www.theintelligencer.com/news/article/Polygamist-Cop-Charged-With-Bigamy-10476869.php   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winston_Blackmore   https://esearch.schleichercad.org/Property/View/10677   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YFZ_Ranch   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fundamentalist_Church_of_Jesus_Christ_of_Latter-Day_Saints   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sister_Wives   https://fldsmormons.com/

In this video, we take you behind the scenes of an incredible transformation made possible by your generous donations! Together, we renovated a men's common room at the Short Creek Dream Center, turning it into a warm, inspiring, and welcoming space now known as "The Phoenix Room." What makes this project even more meaningful is the history of the building. The Short Creek Dream Center is located in the very house where Warren Jeffs, the FLDS leader, once lived. Today, it stands as a beacon of hope, healing, and new beginnings for those escaping polygamy and seeking a better life. Your support made this possible, and we can't thank you enough!

In this episode of Sister Wives Season 19, Episode 15, Meri Brown confesses that her legal divorce from Kody felt like a spiritual separation as well. As Meri grapples with the emotional fallout, accusations fly within the Brown family, suggesting deep-seated manipulation and a complex interplay of relationships. Join us, Sam and Melissa, as we delve deep into the heart of these revelations. We'll analyze the claims that Robyn might have influenced Meri's drastic decision, explore Christine's role in the family drama, and ponder the profound questions about spiritual and legal marriages. Plus, we'll follow Robyn and her daughters on their journey of church shopping in hopes of finding a place that accepts their unique family structure. 00:00:00 Sister Wives Episode 15: Meri and Kody's Divorce 00:03:24 The Importance of Small Gestures in Relationships 00:07:08 Polygamy Perceptions and Divine Inspiration 00:10:25 Exploring Different Church Communities 00:14:48 Finding Spiritual Connection Through Music 00:17:42 Kody's Approach to Teaching Mormonism to His Children 00:21:27 Understanding the Unique Authority Claims of Fundamentalist Mormonism 00:25:11 The Dual Ceremony: Legal and Spiritual Marriage 00:28:55 Who's Lying in the Family Drama?

New York Times bestselling author Stephen Singular provides an inside look at the Mormon polygamist sect that made headlines in 2008 for coercing young girls into marriage, and the story of their ruthless leader, Warren Jeffs.As the self-proclaimed prophet of the Fundamentalist Latter Day Saints, Warren Jeffs held sway over thousands of followers for nearly a decade. His rule was utterly tyrannical. In addition to coercing young girls into marriages with older men, Jeffs reputedly took scores of wives, many of whom were his father's widows. But in 2007, after landing on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted List, Jeffs's reign was forcefully ended. He would be imprisoned for committing rape as an accomplice.In When Men Become Gods, Edgar Award–nominee Stephen Singular traces Jeffs's rise to power and the concerted effort that led to his downfall. Newly updated, it describes the controversial 2008 raid on Jeffs's Texas compound and the fate of the 439 children taken from the sect. It offers readers a rare glimpse into a tradition that's almost a century old, but has only now been exposed.Buy the book here https://amzn.to/44I7CeXOppermnan Report seriously needs your support during this seasonal low in radio broadcasting.You can join Pareon at https://www.patreon.com/oppermanreportOr Paypal a dobnation to Oppermareport@gmail.comDonate button with other options at oppermanreport.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-opperman-report--1198501/support.

New York Times bestselling author Stephen Singular provides an inside look at the Mormon polygamist sect that made headlines in 2008 for coercing young girls into marriage, and the story of their ruthless leader, Warren Jeffs.As the self-proclaimed prophet of the Fundamentalist Latter Day Saints, Warren Jeffs held sway over thousands of followers for nearly a decade. His rule was utterly tyrannical. In addition to coercing young girls into marriages with older men, Jeffs reputedly took scores of wives, many of whom were his father's widows. But in 2007, after landing on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted List, Jeffs's reign was forcefully ended. He would be imprisoned for committing rape as an accomplice.In When Men Become Gods, Edgar Award–nominee Stephen Singular traces Jeffs's rise to power and the concerted effort that led to his downfall. Newly updated, it describes the controversial 2008 raid on Jeffs's Texas compound and the fate of the 439 children taken from the sect. It offers readers a rare glimpse into a tradition that's almost a century old, but has only now been exposed.Buy the book here https://amzn.to/44I7CeXOppermnan Report seriously needs your support during this seasonal low in radio broadcasting.You can join Pareon at https://www.patreon.com/oppermanreportOr Paypal a dobnation to Oppermareport@gmail.comDonate button with other options at oppermanreport.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-opperman-report--1198501/support.

This week I am excited to welcome Briell Decker! This is Warren Jeffs 65th wife (now Ex wife) who was held prisoner by the "Prophet" during their marriage! Briell didn't shrink down and accept this! She fought back and regained not only her freedom but, in the process, helped to put the "Prophet" just where he belongs, in JAIL! Briell then did something even more amazing! She fought for her rights to his home to create a safe haven for those like herself coming out of the FLDS!!! Short Creek Dream Center was created to serve and heal those facing this type of abuse. Briell Decker I applaud you! I am so amazed at how you rose above it all! Come join us on this journey and check our Briell's new show Prisoner Of The Prophet on HBO Max today! And if you can donate anything this holiday season to the Short Creek Dream Center, please do.... God Bless Always Guest LInks Website IG Short Creek Dream Center Website Unfiltered Rise Podcast Links Website: Patreon: IG: X: YouTube: TikTok: Donations: Merch: #prisoneroftheprophet #brielldecker #warrenjeffs #polygamy #flds #mormon #prophet #Utah #abuse

Who is Luigi Mangione? More on the alleged assassin of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson, the chilling killing leaving the public and law enforcement stunned. A self-proclaimed prophet in Arizona, linked to the FLDS sect led by Warren Jeffs, receives a 50-year prison sentence for leading a group that sexually abused young girls under the guise of religion. Drew Nelson reports.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Sam and Melissa delve into the ongoing drama surrounding Coyote Pass and its future now that the Brown family has fractured. Kody's intentions to sell the land and how he plans to divide it amongst his ex-wives is explored, raising questions about fairness and control. The hosts discuss family dynamics, Kody's relationships with his children, and the tensions between his public persona and private actions. With Janelle and Meri seeking independence, their respective stances on Coyote Pass are highlighted. Additionally, the episode touches on Meri's newfound freedom, her trip to Europe, and the emotional complexities faced by the Brown children. Learn more about Descript HERE: https://get.descript.com/lx1ja60o20yy Chapters: 00:00 The Shattered Dream of Coyote Pass 00:45 Meet Sam and Melissa 01:35 Sister Wives Episode 12 Recap 01:57 Kody's Emotional Breakdown 05:35 The Cul-de-Sac Memories 07:42 Kody's Struggle with Polygamy 12:40 Savannah's Graduation Party Drama 17:31 Meri's European Adventure 23:01 The Coyote Pass Conflict 29:56 Is Kody Going to Play Nice? Join our NEW Patreon HERE: https://patreon.com/growingupinpolygamy If you or someone you love has left polygamy and needs assistance, please reach out to "Holding Out HELP" at 801-548-3492 or visit their website at www.holdingouthelp.org At Growing Up In Polygamy our mission is to "Create compassion for communities that have been misunderstood, marginalized and/or abused by their leaders, and to empower those who have left by giving them a platform to share their stories with the world." If you would like to DONATE to this cause you can do so here: https://donorbox.org/growing-up-in-polygamy Insta: @growingupinpolygamy New website is now up! www.growingupinpolygamy.com Theme Song created by @artcowles Please feel free to reach out to us! growingupinpolygamy@gmail.com ✅SUBSCRIBE NOW : https://shorturl.at/inqrE ➡️ Checkout our other Videos:

Join us as we share the incredible story of how we met, fell in love, and started our journey together. It all began in a Mormon church meeting, where a chance encounter sparked something truly special. Just six weeks later, Sam proposed to Melissa at Disneyland, and only a few months after that, we were married in the Mormon Temple. In this video, we dive into the details of our whirlwind romance, how the church shaped our relationship in those early days, and the lengths we went to in trying to follow the rules perfectly. It's a love story filled with faith, adventure, and some unexpected twists! Grab a cozy seat and join us as we reflect on the beginning of our journey together.

In this episode, Sam and Melissa dive into the emotional rollercoaster of Sister Wives Season 19, Episode 11. Kody is in tears as he says goodbye to Meri, but let's be real—he played a huge role in the breakdown of their relationship. Was this farewell genuine or just another attempt to deflect blame? Join us as we break down the drama, share insights from our personal experiences, and discuss the deeper dynamics of polygamous relationships. Don't miss this thought-provoking reaction! Check out Descript HERE: https://get.descript.com/lx1ja60o20yy Chapters: 00:00:00 Kody and Meri's Emotional Goodbye 00:02:50 Realization of Family Dynamics 00:05:42 Christine's New Life and Unique Preferences 00:08:50 Janelle Reveals Kody's Secret to Christine 00:11:32 Relationship Conflicts and Realizations 00:14:32 Meri's Journey to Freedom and Self-Discovery 00:17:37 Robyn's Emotional Manipulation Revealed 00:20:33 The Frustration of Unrequited Love and Friendship 00:23:35 Emotional Conflict in Kody and Meri's Relationship 00:26:52 Engage with Us in the Comments Join our NEW Patreon HERE: https://patreon.com/growingupinpolygamy If you or someone you love has left polygamy and needs assistance, please reach out to "Holding Out HELP" at 801-548-3492 or visit their website at www.holdingouthelp.org At Growing Up In Polygamy our mission is to "Create compassion for communities that have been misunderstood, marginalized and/or abused by their leaders, and to empower those who have left by giving them a platform to share their stories with the world." If you would like to DONATE to this cause you can do so here: https://donorbox.org/growing-up-in-polygamy Insta: @growingupinpolygamy New website is now up! www.growingupinpolygamy.com Theme Song created by @artcowles Please feel free to reach out to us! growingupinpolygamy@gmail.com ✅SUBSCRIBE NOW : https://shorturl.at/inqrE ➡️ Checkout our other Videos:

In this video, Melissa opens up about her experience growing up in the Mormon faith. She shares the joys, traditions, and sense of community she found, as well as the challenges and pressures that came with it. From the teachings she was raised with to the personal struggles she faced, Melissa provides an honest look at how her faith shaped her life and identity. Whether you're curious about Mormonism or can relate to navigating faith and culture, this heartfelt discussion offers valuable insight. Chapters: 00:00:00 Growing Up in the Mormon Faith 00:10:52 Growing Up in St. George Utah 00:21:35 Childhood Memories of Baptism and Blessings 00:32:28 Navigating Church Pressure and Community 00:43:25 The Role of Bishops in Repentance 00:54:49 Considering a Mission: Career and Faith Decisions 01:05:28 Disparities in Confession Consequences 01:16:19 Questioning the Importance of Temple Marriage Join our NEW Patreon HERE: https://patreon.com/growingupinpolygamy If you or someone you love has left polygamy and needs assistance, please reach out to "Holding Out HELP" at 801-548-3492 or visit their website at www.holdingouthelp.org At Growing Up In Polygamy our mission is to "Create compassion for communities that have been misunderstood, marginalized and/or abused by their leaders, and to empower those who have left by giving them a platform to share their stories with the world." If you would like to DONATE to this cause you can do so here: https://donorbox.org/growing-up-in-polygamy Insta: @growingupinpolygamy New website is now up! www.growingupinpolygamy.com Theme Song created by @artcowles Please feel free to reach out to us! growingupinpolygamy@gmail.com ✅SUBSCRIBE NOW : https://shorturl.at/inqrE ➡️ Checkout our other Videos:

In this episode of Sister Wives, Mary comments on Cody helping her move being his severance package since they aren't legally married. Sam and Melissa dive into the vulnerabilities and challenges women face in polygamous relationships when marriages end. They also discuss Christine's new life with David, including their move-in plans and engagement, and emotional moments involving Isabel. The episode further explores Robin's contradictory actions towards Mary and delves into the complicated dynamics of plural marriages. Chapters: 00:00 Mary's Unexpected Comment and Polygamy Realities 00:31 Meet Your Hosts: Sam and Melissa 01:44 Christine's New Journey with David 02:18 Isabel's Emotional Struggles 03:59 Christine's Transition to Monogamy 10:30 Mary's Relationship with Robin's Kids 10:46 Cody and Robin's Manipulations 19:48 Legal Vulnerabilities in Polygamous Marriages 23:06 Question of the Week: Legalizing Polygamy 23:50 Closing Thoughts and Future Episodes Join our NEW Patreon HERE: https://patreon.com/growingupinpolygamy If you or someone you love has left polygamy and needs assistance, please reach out to "Holding Out HELP" at 801-548-3492 or visit their website at www.holdingouthelp.org At Growing Up In Polygamy our mission is to "Create compassion for communities that have been misunderstood, marginalized and/or abused by their leaders, and to empower those who have left by giving them a platform to share their stories with the world." If you would like to DONATE to this cause you can do so here: https://donorbox.org/growing-up-in-polygamy Insta: @growingupinpolygamy New website is now up! www.growingupinpolygamy.com Theme Song created by @artcowles Please feel free to reach out to us! growingupinpolygamy@gmail.com ✅SUBSCRIBE NOW : https://shorturl.at/inqrE ➡️ Checkout our other Videos:

In this video, Melissa interviews Sam about his incredible journey from growing up in a polygamous FLDS community to serving as a Mormon missionary in Chile. Sam opens up about the challenges of leaving behind his polygamist roots, adapting to a new culture, and sharing his faith in a foreign country. This candid conversation reveals the highs and lows of his mission, the impact it had on his beliefs, and how it shaped the person he is today. Whether you're curious about the FLDS, Mormon missions, or Sam's personal journey, this interview offers a unique and eye-opening perspective. Don't forget to like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell for more engaging stories and interviews! 00:00:00 Transition from FLDS to Mormon Missionary 00:07:49 Life at the Missionary Training Center 00:15:49 Overcoming Language Learning Challenges 00:23:44 Navigating Missionary Rules and Expectations 00:31:43 Language Immersion Experience in Chile 00:39:26 Experiences as a Tall Missionary in Chile 00:47:07 Reflections on Missionary Work 00:55:21 Life as a Missionary in Chile 01:03:13 Support and New Beginnings with the Wyson Family Join our NEW Patreon HERE: https://patreon.com/growingupinpolygamy If you or someone you love has left polygamy and needs assistance, please reach out to "Holding Out HELP" at 801-548-3492 or visit their website at www.holdingouthelp.org At Growing Up In Polygamy our mission is to "Create compassion for communities that have been misunderstood, marginalized and/or abused by their leaders, and to empower those who have left by giving them a platform to share their stories with the world." If you would like to DONATE to this cause you can do so here: https://donorbox.org/growing-up-in-polygamy Insta: @growingupinpolygamy New website is now up! www.growingupinpolygamy.com Theme Song created by @artcowles Please feel free to reach out to us! growingupinpolygamy@gmail.com ✅SUBSCRIBE NOW : https://shorturl.at/inqrE ➡️ Checkout our other Videos:

In this reaction video, Sam and Melissa break down Sister Wives Season 19, Episode 9, how the Brown family's journey has taken unexpected turns. As the family grapples with unplanned twists and new realities, Sam, an ex-FLDS member, offers a unique perspective on how families in polygamous relationships can find themselves on paths they never anticipated. Join us as we explore the breaking points, the hard decisions, and the emotional shifts that come with these surprising changes. With insider insights from Sam's own experiences, this deep dive provides a fresh perspective on the struggles and surprises within plural families.

In this video, Sam shares the incredible story of leaving the FLDS (Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints) community, where he was raised with four mothers and Warren Jeffs as the prophet. At just 18 years old, Sam made the life-changing decision to walk away from everything he knew, waking up on a stranger's couch with no plan for what was next. Join us as Melissa interviews Sam about his journey from a strict polygamous upbringing to discovering the mainstream LDS (Mormon) Church. From the challenges of navigating the outside world to reconnecting with family members who viewed him as "wicked" for leaving, Sam reveals the ups and downs of transitioning between two very different religious worlds. 00:00:00 Transitioning from FLDS to LDS: A Personal Journey 00:08:07 Experiencing a New Church Community 00:16:52 Leaving the FLDS Church: An Unplanned Farewell 00:25:30 Experiencing Freedom and Financial Struggles 00:33:57 FDLS Church and Missionary Discussions 00:42:01 Differences Between FLDS and LDS Churches 00:50:41 A Memorable 18th Birthday and Meeting Sam 00:59:01 Preparing for the Mission: Financial Challenges and Community Support 01:07:17 Embracing a New Life for Purpose 01:16:31 Closing Remarks and Call to Action Join our NEW Patreon HERE: https://patreon.com/growingupinpolygamy If you or someone you love has left polygamy and needs assistance, please reach out to "Holding Out HELP" at 801-548-3492 or visit their website at www.holdingouthelp.org At Growing Up In Polygamy our mission is to "Create compassion for communities that have been misunderstood, marginalized and/or abused by their leaders, and to empower those who have left by giving them a platform to share their stories with the world." If you would like to DONATE to this cause you can do so here: https://donorbox.org/growing-up-in-polygamy Insta: @growingupinpolygamy New website is now up! www.growingupinpolygamy.com Theme Song created by @artcowles Please feel free to reach out to us! growingupinpolygamy@gmail.com ✅SUBSCRIBE NOW : https://shorturl.at/inqrE ➡️ Checkout our other Videos:

In this video, Sam opens up about his unique and complex journey growing up in the FLDS (Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints) community. With Warren Jeffs as the prophet and four mothers all married to his father, Sam's childhood was filled with both cherished memories and challenging experiences. Sam shares what life was really like inside a polygamous household, from the daily routines with his large family to interactions with the influential Jeffs family, including visits to their home. He dives into the good parts of his upbringing, like working together in the family garden, but also reveals the darker realities of life within the FLDS church. Join us as Melissa asks Sam the tough questions about growing up in a tightly controlled religious environment—and his eventual decision to leave it all behind at just 18 years old. 00:00:00 Leaving the FLDS: A Life-Altering Decision 00:09:33 Memories of a Blissful Childhood 00:18:47 Childhood Adventures: Building Forts and DIY Bows 00:28:16 Transition to Homeschooling in FLDS 00:38:18 Childhood Memories and Family Dynamics 00:48:03 Moving into a New Home 00:57:18 The Risks of Rebelling in a Strict Community 01:07:21 Fear of Leaving the Community 01:17:10 Leaving the FLDS: A Life-Altering Decision Join our NEW Patreon HERE: https://patreon.com/growingupinpolygamy If you or someone you love has left polygamy and needs assistance, please reach out to "Holding Out HELP" at 801-548-3492 or visit their website at www.holdingouthelp.org At Growing Up In Polygamy our mission is to "Create compassion for communities that have been misunderstood, marginalized and/or abused by their leaders, and to empower those who have left by giving them a platform to share their stories with the world." If you would like to DONATE to this cause you can do so here: https://donorbox.org/growing-up-in-polygamy Insta: @growingupinpolygamy New website is now up! www.growingupinpolygamy.com Theme Song created by @artcowles Please feel free to reach out to us! growingupinpolygamy@gmail.com --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/growingupinpolygamy/support

In this video, Sam (an ex-FLDS member) and Melissa dive into the latest drama from Sister Wives Season 19, Episode 7! We break down the unique pressures that come with weddings in a polygamous setting, comparing the cultural and religious expectations placed on marriages like Kody's with his wives. Meri makes a bold move by leaving Arizona—and Kody—for good, and Christine's journey takes an exciting turn as she searches for a wedding venue with her new love, David. Join us as we explore the emotional and complex layers of marriage, faith, and independence within polygamous communities! 00:00:00 Pressure of Social and Religious Expectations in Marriage 00:03:12 Quick Engagement and Wedding Planning 00:06:39 Temple Marriage Ceremony Challenges 00:10:00 Exclusion from Weddings in Different Religions 00:13:35 Christine's Anticipated Wedding and FLDS Expectations 00:17:12 Cody and Mary's Changing Relationship Dynamics 00:20:52 Cody and Christine's Complex Marriage Journey 00:24:18 Religious and Cultural Pressures in Marriage 00:27:41 Eternal Commitments in Marriage Join our NEW Patreon HERE: https://patreon.com/growingupinpolygamy If you or someone you love has left polygamy and needs assistance, please reach out to "Holding Out HELP" at 801-548-3492 or visit their website at www.holdingouthelp.org At Growing Up In Polygamy our mission is to "Create compassion for communities that have been misunderstood, marginalized and/or abused by their leaders, and to empower those who have left by giving them a platform to share their stories with the world." If you would like to DONATE to this cause you can do so here: https://donorbox.org/growing-up-in-polygamy Insta: @growingupinpolygamy New website is now up! www.growingupinpolygamy.com Theme Song created by @artcowles Please feel free to reach out to us! growingupinpolygamy@gmail.com ✅SUBSCRIBE NOW : https://shorturl.at/inqrE ➡️ Checkout our other Videos:

In this video, Sam (Ex-FLDS) and his wife Melissa react to "Winston Blackmore in Polygamy: The Bishop of Bountiful, Canada." Together, they dive into the realities of the FLDS branch in Bountiful, shedding light on the secrets of this closed-off polygamous community. As they explore Winston Blackmore's role as the Bishop, Sam shares insights from his own experience growing up in polygamy, while Melissa offers her perspective as a former mainstream Mormon. Don't miss this revealing discussion on the control, power dynamics, and hidden world of Canadian polygamy. 00:00:00 Exploring the Controversy of Winston Blackmore 00:06:04 Mainstream and Fundamentalist Mormonism on Divinity and Polygamy 00:12:25 Exclusive Interview with Winston Blackmore 00:18:39 Life in a Polygamist Family 00:25:21 The Dynamics of Polygamous Communities 00:31:25 Life in the Bountiful Community 00:38:15 Teenage Pregnancy and Community Dynamics 00:44:27 Winston Blackmore's Business Empire 00:50:56 The Controversy of Winston Blackmore and Child Labor 00:57:27 Discussion on Winston Blackmore and the Canadian Group Join our NEW Patreon HERE: https://patreon.com/growingupinpolygamy If you or someone you love has left polygamy and needs assistance, please reach out to "Holding Out HELP" at 801-548-3492 or visit their website at www.holdingouthelp.org At Growing Up In Polygamy our mission is to "Create compassion for communities that have been misunderstood, marginalized and/or abused by their leaders, and to empower those who have left by giving them a platform to share their stories with the world." If you would like to DONATE to this cause you can do so here: https://donorbox.org/growing-up-in-polygamy Insta: @growingupinpolygamy New website is now up! www.growingupinpolygamy.com Theme Song created by @artcowles Please feel free to reach out to us! growingupinpolygamy@gmail.com ✅SUBSCRIBE NOW : https://shorturl.at/inqrE ➡️ Checkout our other Videos:

She is indeed a book whisperer and a great storyteller. Our guest this time is Bridget Cook-Birch. Bridget grew up, as she says, being a tom boy. However, she also had an insatiable appetite for reading as much as she could even from an early age. She will tell us about her growing up years and So I will leave that for her.   She had a near death experience that showed her that she had a greater purpose in life than she thought. She found it when she began to write. To date she has written several bestselling books and she has helped others to successfully create and tell their stories. Bridget is firmly convinced that stories of all kinds are an extremely part of all our lives and that we should tell them.   We get to learn much about today's publishing industry and how we can each begin our own story-telling journey. I am sure you will leave this episode and possibly be more ready to tell your own story. If you are, by the way, I would love you to reach out to me at michaelhi@accessibe.com to arrange a time for us to discuss you coming on Unstoppable Mindset. Enjoy this episode with Bridget.       About the Guest:   Bridget Cook-Burch's clients call her “The Book Whisperer”. She is a New York Times & Wall Street Journal bestselling author, mentor, trainer, mamma-bear humanitarian, and speaker known for riveting stories of transformation. Her powerful work has been showcased on Oprah, Dateline, CNN, GMA, The History Channel, NPR and in People among many others. She is the CEO and Founder of YourInspiredStory.com and Inspired Legacy Publishing. Bridget is also a co-founder and former executive director of SHEROES United, a non-profit organization that helps women and girls rise from trauma. As a leader, storyteller, trainer and humanitarian, her greatest passion is helping others to discover the importance of their own story, and to become leaders in their own communities, and worldwide. Bridget's many national bestsellers include Divine Turbulence; The Witness Wore Red; Shattered Silence; Skinhead Confessions; Leading Women; and also Living Proof.   Bridget invites you to believe in the power of your story to change the world. Join her writers' retreats and leadership retreats in Utah, Italy, Ireland and more.  Find out more at www.YourInspiredStory.com and www.SHEROESUnited.org.   Ways to connect with Bridget:   Linkedin:  Bridget Cook-Burch “The Book Whisperer” - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mbridgetcookburch/   Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/bridgetcookburch   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bridgetcookburch   YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@inspiredlegacypublishing       About the Host:   Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog.   Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children's Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association's 2012 Hero Dog Awards.   https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/   accessiBe Links https://accessibe.com/ https://www.youtube.com/c/accessiBe https://www.linkedin.com/company/accessibe/mycompany/   https://www.facebook.com/accessibe/       Thanks for listening!   Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!   Subscribe to the podcast   If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can subscribe in your favorite podcast app. You can also support our podcast through our tip jar https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/unstoppable-mindset .   Leave us an Apple Podcasts review   Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.       Transcription Notes:   Michael Hingson ** 00:00 Access Cast and accessiBe Initiative presents Unstoppable Mindset. The podcast where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet. Hi, I'm Michael Hingson, Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe and the author of the number one New York Times bestselling book, Thunder dog, the story of a blind man, his guide dog and the triumph of trust. Thanks for joining me on my podcast as we explore our own blinding fears of inclusion unacceptance and our resistance to change. We will discover the idea that no matter the situation, or the people we encounter, our own fears, and prejudices often are our strongest barriers to moving forward. The unstoppable mindset podcast is sponsored by accessiBe, that's a c c e s s i capital B e. Visit www.accessibe.com to learn how you can make your website accessible for persons with disabilities. And to help make the internet fully inclusive by the year 2025. Glad you dropped by we're happy to meet you and to have you here with us.   Michael Hingson ** 01:21 Well, hi once again, wherever you happen to be, I want to welcome you to unstoppable mindset. Today we get to visit with someone who is known as the book whisperer. How about that? Bridget Cook-Birch writes a lot of stories. She writes a lot of books. She is a storyteller, and I love that about Bridget because I believe that everyone in the world has stories to tell that they can tell, and if they don't necessarily know how to tell the stories themselves, they should seek people who can help them bring the stories out into the open for people to hear however they want to do that. But I think we should never be afraid of telling our stories whatever they happen to be. So this is going to be, needless to say, a fun podcast episode to do, because stories really is what it's all about. So with that Bridget Welcome to unstoppable mindset, we're really glad you're here.   Bridget Cook-Birch ** 02:18 Thank you, Michael. I'm so honored to be here, and I cannot wait, because I know we're going to have so much fun. And I've, as   Michael Hingson ** 02:24 I've told a number of people, the only hard and fast rule on this podcast, and it's what I've really only made up in the last few months, but it is, we both have to have fun, or there's no sense doing it so. And the other part of that, I suppose, is that listeners have to have fun too, so we'll work on that. We need to make it fun for them and and that's as good as it gets. Well, let's start a little bit by maybe you telling us kind of the story about the early Bridget, growing up and all that.   Bridget Cook-Birch ** 02:52 The early Bridget, oh, that's scary.   Michael Hingson ** 02:55 Early Bridget,   Bridget Cook-Birch ** 02:58 well, the early Bridget was adopted by two extraordinary beings, Dick and Pat whirling, who were just amazing folks. But I did have three sets of parents by the time I was six months old, and I didn't know that. Unconsciously there, there were a lot of belief systems like, oh, I can't really trust because the big people will always leave. And so I was pretty firely independent, but they were very patient with me, and I had some amazing siblings, and I read books like crazy. So I was one of those nerds that was a tomboy whenever I was outside. So I play football and climb trees and mountains and, you know, play with rattlesnakes and all the fun stuff. And then when I would go home, I would read every book I could get my hands on, read out the school library, read out the bookmobile, and my mom would let me go downtown to read out the public library. So I read a lot, and I read a lot of things that many people didn't read until they were college age, but they were important to me, and I was profoundly affected by some of those early stories, like the Diary of Anne Frank and Uncle Tom's Cabin and To Kill a Mockingbird. And I think deep down, it inspired within me to do storytelling that could change the world. So   Michael Hingson ** 04:31 now you got me curious. Tell me about playing with a rattlesnake.   Bridget Cook-Birch ** 04:36 Well, we lived up against the Rocky Mountains, and we were kind of in a deserted area. And where was this? What's that?   Michael Hingson ** 04:46 Where were you?   Bridget Cook-Birch ** 04:47 I was in Brigham City, Utah, in Utah. Okay, great. All places. My folks had adopted me from, Laramie, Wyoming. And yeah, my folks were from Detroit originally, and they. Came out so my dad, who was an engineer, could work on the Minutemen missile. And, yeah, so he was a, he was a cowboy in in always, except he wasn't from here. Yep, he wore the cowboy boots and a belt buckle the size of Texas and a 10 gallon hat. And loved to take us on historical, you know, sites all around the West. So   Michael Hingson ** 05:26 So playing with rattlesnakes, playing with rattlesnakes.   Bridget Cook-Birch ** 05:28 Yep, we we used to climb up into the mountains behind our house, and they were full of rattlesnakes. When I was little, I didn't understand that the baby rattlesnakes were actually more poisonous. I just thought they were kind of cute. So I would do a little playing around with them, until I found out that that that was not the smartest thing.   Michael Hingson ** 05:53 Did you ever get bit by one?   Bridget Cook-Birch ** 05:54 You know what? I never did. I think it's because I have a lot of affination for nature. I had a lot of peace when I was out in nature, and it seems like I never got bit or scratched or anything else. So I was very blessed. We will tell you that, because there is no way that a ambulance would have made it up the mountain, and the baby rattlers are actually more poisonous than the adults, so   Michael Hingson ** 06:23 they're more prone to strike because they don't really have, or at least they haven't yet developed some of the things that they will learn later. But yeah, that is true. My brother in law, so my what my late wife and her family grew up in Fontana and Rialto in California, also sort of on the the lower desert, but lots of things around. And one day, my brother in law, Gary, came into the house holding a black widow spider, and was showing off to everybody. And of course, everyone was just freaked out. And so he then took it outside and let it go, but still, he carried this black widow spider into the house fearlessly. Wow, that   Bridget Cook-Birch ** 07:13 I was not as fearless of spiders. I could handle snakes quite a bit, but no spiders. I would just run screaming from spiders.   Michael Hingson ** 07:22 I have occasionally been in a position where I ended up sitting very close to spiders and didn't know it, but, but nevertheless, I and black widows, among other things, when I was growing up on the desert in Palmdale, that's sort of the high desert, and we had a lot of critters. Of course, my favorites were tortoises, and we had several tortoises come up to our house, and if you decided to live with us for a little while, which is fun. Now we don't see tortoises anymore, unfortunately.   Bridget Cook-Birch ** 07:51 Oh, that's too bad, but I do know that they don't bite poisonously, but you still have to watch for them biting you. Well, tortoises, tortoises,   Michael Hingson ** 08:01 you know, there's tortoises and terrapins, which are sometimes called snapping turtles, but tortoises generally won't if you're friendly and and don't do anything that you you shouldn't do to an animal or anyone else. One of the things that I did was fed them lettuce and rose petals and occasionally cantaloupe. And even when they weren't eating, if I would put my hand down in front of a tortoises nose and then slide my finger under the nose, they would stick their head out of the shell to get their neck scratched. They loved it. Oh, yeah, tortoises can be very friendly. Oh, that's awesome. Yeah, they're they were fun. And we, we had them a fair amount. And then after growing up and living on the East Coast and coming back to California, we we didn't really have so much with tortoises, it's unfortunate. They're more endangered, I think, than they were, but really enjoy them, which was a lot of fun.   Bridget Cook-Birch ** 09:00 Yeah, there's a lot of things that our kids don't have as easy access to, in terms of animals and nature that we once did. Yeah, I hope that shifts. I hope that changes   Michael Hingson ** 09:12 I do too. I think we also need to learn not to be afraid of so many things. I mean, I would say you'd be cautious around rattlesnakes, but I think fear is one of the biggest problems that we face, because animals can sense when you're afraid, like people say, if you're caught out somewhere with a bear or with a wolf or or even dogs that tend to Be aggressive, they're going to be more. So if you're showing fear,   Bridget Cook-Birch ** 09:45 I'll tell you what. I had a situation up in mountain green. I was a single mom, and I had my sweet husband. Now I was dating. We had so much snow that our dog. Were walking out of this the fence, and so he put up like a little compound, and so that they couldn't walk walk out, and a wolf jumped over the fence to get to the dog food, but then couldn't jump back out. And I, you know, and I had kids, and I have Mama Bear instinct when it comes to kids, to my dog, so I ended up having to open every door in the house that led outside to the other and and then finally opened the sliding glass door so the wolf could go all the way through my house and up through and and escape, but that was a pretty harrowing experience. But you said we have to be careful about fear, because they do sense that. And you know that because of all you know your your dogs, and I'm sure that you've had pretty intense connections with certain animals   Michael Hingson ** 10:57 well, and I value that a great deal. And in fact, later this year, we're publishing a new book called Live like a guide dog, true stories from a blind man and his dogs about being brave, overcoming adversity and walking in faith. And the idea is that I use lessons that I've learned directly from all of my dogs on my wife's service dog, Fantasia, to deal with fear. And I'm it's the first time I've really started to work to try to teach people that they don't need to be, as I call it, blinded by fear or paralyzed by fear, that you can use fear as a very powerful tool to help you and that you can use it to help you focus. It isn't to say don't be afraid, but it is a question of how you're afraid and what you do with it. So yeah, I'd be really concerned about a loose wolf or cat in my yard, but I think that the thing to do is to figure out how to deal with it and and try to be peaceful with it. And mostly you can do that unless there's some disease around that, like rabies, that you don't and they don't have any control over and having gotten but mostly, I think we really can learn to be a lot more focused and use fear as a very powerful supportive tool than not. So it is, is something that will be out later this year. It's going to be out in August, and I'm looking forward to it. People have seen links to it. We've already tindalled. The publisher has already put out some pre order links and so on, and people are saying very kind things about it with so I hope it'll be as successful as thunder dog was back in 2011 which was my   Bridget Cook-Birch ** 12:38 first question to say, I can't wait to read this one, because I really enjoyed thunder dog. I enjoyed the storytelling. I enjoyed the teaching that you did with it. Some of those stories, though were were really something in the stairwell, but also when you were out of the building, and you did use fear in a in a smart way and saved people's lives like that was incredible. Well,   Michael Hingson ** 13:05 thank you. And I think that that's really what's important. And I realized when the pandemic occurred that I've been talking about not being afraid for song, but never really worked to try to help people learn how to control fear. So that's what it's about helping people. I'm and really enjoying being able to have the opportunity to get people to understand we're all better than we think we are.   Bridget Cook-Birch ** 13:32 I would agree with that 1,000%   Michael Hingson ** 13:36 so you want you went off? Did you go to college? I did,   Bridget Cook-Birch ** 13:41 I started off at University of Utah, and then I ended up at Utah State, little more smaller school that I liked better for just a few different reasons, but especially because I could just be immersed in nature, like the canyon was right there in my backyard, and I spent a lot of time up in the canyon. And so I went to, I've got a BS and a BA. I took political science and Russian language and all different, all different aspects. I got a couple different minors as as well as a couple majors and and loved it. Nothing in English, nothing on writing. So it all had to do, really, with with human relations and international relations. So it was one of those things that I thought I would do, until I began writing, and now I incorporate all of it.   Michael Hingson ** 14:34 So what did you do after college?   Bridget Cook-Birch ** 14:37 Well, I got married, and that's   Michael Hingson ** 14:41 a full time job. Yes,   Bridget Cook-Birch ** 14:43 while I was while I was in college, I had a pretty intense near death experience that solidified my faith in God in a really remarkable way. But it also I've, I've talked to a lot of people who've had near. Experiences and shared death experiences, and it seems like you you often come back with a gift, and the gift that I came back with was to be able to see people's stories in an extraordinary way. And I can almost like they'll be telling me a story, and I can see the threads of it and how that could be used for a speech, or how it could be written into a book, and how it could be, you know, even more compelling in the way that it's told. And and so I was, I was able to see that, and after college, I was able to start writing and working on some of these stories. So it really turned out to be a boon and a blessing for me.   Michael Hingson ** 15:44 If you want to, can you tell us a little bit about what happened with your near death experience?   Bridget Cook-Birch ** 15:50 Yeah, there was a time I was afraid to talk about it because it was so sacred, yeah, but I was also worried that, you know, people might think I was crazy. I hadn't in the beginning. When it first happened, I was in my early 20s. I was working three jobs and going to school and overworking. I got very, very ill and ended up in in the hospital and listening to a couple nurses outside in the corridor saying, this girl's not going to make it until morning. And Michael, I don't know how you felt in the tower, except from what you wrote in the book, but the one thing I knew was that I had not fulfilled the measure of my creation, and I had no idea what that was. I was pretty clueless for a college student, had big dreams, but I didn't know what the fulfillment of my my creation was, but I just knew I hadn't done it yet, and I was so sad that I wasn't going to have that opportunity. And you know, I had what I would call intercessory prayers, my mother really praying to save my life. And I had other people that were praying and and I had a I had actually two figures that filled my room, one I know is an angel, and then one that for me was definitely Jesus Christ, my Creator, and he told me that I was being given a second chance at life, and I didn't take any of it for granted and and the for the first time in days, I fell into a real deep sleep. My fever came down, and when the nurse came in, she's giving me more intravenous antibiotics because I've been so sick. And I told her, I just had this knowledge, like I said, you can give me every single one of these antibiotics, but not this one. It's killing me. And she thought I was a fruitcake, you know, she's like, this is the only thing saving your life. We thought you were going to be gone. And I'm like, No, I can have every one of these, but not this one. And fortunately, I had a doctor who had patients who'd had other experiences, and he listened and he says, well, we might as well take her off this one. She's on the rest of these. And because of that, I was able to walk out of the hospital in the next 24 hours under my own power. So   Michael Hingson ** 18:25 did they ever decide that you were allergic to it, or explanation   Bridget Cook-Birch ** 18:30 deeply allergic to one of those intravenous antibiotics? The moment they took me off, I started doing better. Wow. So it was pretty crazy.   Michael Hingson ** 18:41 Yeah. Well, you know my experience from Thunder dog, where I heard God's voice in in chapter 10 of thunder dog, and that was as real as it could get. And it's one of the things that led me to believe that when one door closes, a window opens, as Alexander Graham Bell once said, and the whole point is that there are things to do, and I didn't even worry about trying to figure out what they were what I needed to do was to look at opportunities as they came along and Do something with them. Of course, the next day after September 11, so on the 12th, Karen, my wife, said, You want to really call Guide Dogs for the Blind and tell them what happened, because several of them had visited us in the World Trade Center. So I did, and that led to the Director of Public Information wanting to do a story. And also she said, you're going to get visible on TV, I bet, where do you want to be first? And I wasn't thinking so. I just said, Larry King Live. And on the 14th of September, we had the first of five interviews on Larry King Live. And you know, the issue is that, again, that led to people starting to call and. And saying, We really would like you to come on and speak to us and talk to us and tell us what we should learn about September 11 and such things. And so I decided to start doing that. And I realized if I could tell people about what happened and teach them how to move forward from September 11, if I could teach people more about blindness and what guide dogs are all about and such than it was worth doing. And that's exactly what I did, and I've been doing it ever since. And then the pandemic came, and some things changed, but we continue to move on. And now I'm actually starting to ramp up speaking again, and looking for more speaking engagements to to help with the the income process, because not ready to retire yet, and don't have the money to retire yet. So anybody who needs a speaker out there, I'd love to talk with you about it. But you know, the the issue is that God gives us the opportunities, and that's really important to deal with. So anyway, I think we really do need to look at opportunities that come. And I really appreciate you talking about what you experienced, because it certainly told you that there's more to do. And I think that for all of us, there's a lot more that we can do, if we would but listen and and ponder and think about and look at what's happening in our lives to be able to move forward.   Bridget Cook-Birch ** 21:36 I would agree with that 1,000% and hopefully it doesn't have to take a Mack truck or a near death experience for us to recognize like, what a gift life really is and what a gift our story is, and how we can serve and support and lift one another.   Michael Hingson ** 21:55 Yeah, absolutely. And I think it's really important that we do focus on the stories and so well, tell me a little bit more about you and stories. You you believe that words can change the world and that we all should be telling stories. Talk more about that, and also just about the whole idea of when we're talking about stories. Do we really want to talk about the stories that limit us, and do we focus on those, or the stories of possibilities, or does it really even matter?   Bridget Cook-Birch ** 22:30 Oh, I'll tell you what it does matter. I've seen it over and over again, but I'll tell you a little history of how I discovered that. Uh, so after my near death experience, my husband and I moved to Denver, Colorado, and I had the opportunity to work as a PR consultant for a company called community learning centers, and I got to interview high risk kids, gang youth and others, but especially the ones who had turned their life around. And I was listening to stories that so different from how I had grown up that I was fascinated, but I also saw how the stories that we tell ourselves are the most important stories, and I began to see incredible patterns from that, and from that, I thought I would write a fictional book, like a story of forgiveness and redemption, and was even writing this book and and then I had a dream about this book, but it was different than what I had been writing. And in my dream, the book was about, you know, a gang, gang member who had left his gang had a huge price tag on his head, and in the dream, it was a skinhead. And I didn't know anything about skinheads, because the the kids I worked with in Denver were Bloods and Crips and we stra Familia and several others, but not any white supremacists. I had to do all kinds of research and discover their ideology. And then, you know, it was fascinating. Michael was to to have this dream and have to do this research find out more. And then I come across this guy's website, and he was looking for someone to write his life story that I had been writing from this dream. So to make a long story short, I recognized something guided and divine about stories, at least in terms of of where I was finding them, because they continued to find me. And a woman read his book and and she reached out to me, and she said, You know, I think if someone could take a story of darkness and create something of hope and healing, it would be you. And then she told me that she was the. Happy Face serial killer's daughter and asked if I would write her story. And I gotta tell you what. You know, it was difficult enough for me to write the skinhead story, but I learned and grew so much so I wasn't afraid of the story. I just didn't know how I was going to write something of hope and healing about a serial killer's daughter and and then I interviewed her, and I also received a lot of just inspirational downloads on how to write the book and, and I will tell you, because we chose to be of service. And I think this is really important for anybody who's choosing to write a book, is who are you writing to and how do you want to reach them, because when you choose to write a book to be of service, especially in non fiction. You know, in fiction, there's all different reasons to write education and entertainment, but in non fiction, we have, we have different levels that we can go to and and we chose to be of service. And I think because of that, that book did extraordinary things, and continues to it was on Oprah and Dr Phil and CNN and Good Morning America, and it still remains in the top true crime. And it's transformational true crime, because it was not only the victim story, but the rise of Melissa from victim to Victor. Now she's a producer in LA she's been doing tremendous things. I'm her biggest fan, except for her family and and I gotta tell you just that writing that book and seeing what could happen with a story that could change the world, it changed me and and it made me more open to seeing how one person could change the world. And I got to write my next story was of a woman who was the 19th wife of 65 women right here in our country, and she got married to the Prophet of the FLDS Church, which was an extreme organization, and and they were trafficking children in the name of God. And there were a lot of good and innocent people in that group, and then there were nefarious leaders. But I saw the power of this one woman, Rebecca Musser, to help dismantle an organized crime unit in the name of God, and she put Warren Jeffs behind bars for life plus 20 years. And it wasn't all her. There was a huge team. And there was these amazing you know, like attorneys and Texas Rangers and AGs office members, you know, down in Texas, and they all work together along with other witnesses. But she was a primary player. And what was really cool about that, Michael, I'll tell you, is, is Warren Jeffs had outlawed the color red because that was supposed to be the color that Christ would wear when he came again. And so none of his people were allowed to have red cars or red toys or red clothing. And every time that Rebecca testified more than 20 times in a court of law, she came Sasha and in and in some sort of red which I loved, because it was her way of telling this, this man who said he would break her, that she you know, that he did not break her and and it was really lovely. But the last time she went to testify, she had to face Warren Jeffs on her own because he had fired his attorneys. And I know that she was petrified on the inside, but she she comes into court, and she's wearing this beautiful red suit, and she turns around to be sworn in at the end, sees the galley, and I'll never forget, because I was sitting in the galley watching her, and the whole galley was filled with with red red ties on the Texas Rangers and red flowers and women's hair and, you know, red dresses. And I, I witnessed firsthand the power of one woman to change the world again. And ever since then, I've just been recognizing more and more things about story, and I've written some really incredible books since then. But I wanted to share a quote with you, because you asked about, you know, the stories that we tell ourselves, and another author that I love. He was a professor, Harold Goddard, and he said the destiny of the world is determined less by the battles lost and won than by the stories it loves and believes in. And my question to the world is, so are you? Are you going to let. Those stories that you love and believe in be stories of limitation or of possibility. And I've been able to see what happens when someone says, All right, I'm gonna begin to tell myself stories of possibility.   Michael Hingson ** 30:17 How true and so eloquently said. And the the issue is that we we limit ourselves. I've told people on this podcast a number of times that I used to always say to myself, I'm my own worst critic when I'm thinking about things. And I realized over the last year, wrong thing to say. We need to get out of the negative mindset so much in most everything that we do, and I now say I'm my own best teacher, because in reality, I'm the only one who can teach me things, people can offer and give information, but I'm my own best teacher, and I should approach everything that way. And I think more of us should really approach life from a learning and an adventure standpoint, because life really is an adventure, and it's there to give us the opportunity to learn. If we but we'll do it,   Bridget Cook-Birch ** 31:10 I would agree 1,000% it is an adventure, and I think, I think a lot of us will stay in this just just barely getting by, you know, scraping by, whether it's physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, financially, that we hold ourselves in in a box and we're afraid to venture out in the last few years like I love that you realize that people needed a way to overcome fear and really be able to face it and lean into it. And the last several years in our country, we've we've just been facing some things that have made fear come straight up in our face. I think there's a reason for that. I think all things happen for a reason, and it's time for humanity to be able to move beyond fear and to use it as a tool, as you mentioned, but but also as a stepping stone to so many greater things, including, you know, not not having to tear one another down. We've, we've been very territorial, and some of that is, you know, 1000s of years in our DNA of creating an us versus them so we can protect ourselves. And, you know, we've, we've held a lot of judgment for others, but there's this unique and beautiful thing that happens when we let down our walls. And yeah, we still need to discern. We need to, you know, if somebody tells us who they are, we need to believe them. But I also think there's so much good in people, and if we can begin to lift one another up, all the boats rise together, that humanity has some really exciting things in store.   Michael Hingson ** 32:57 We have been experiencing in so many ways from some of our political leaders, and I sort of put leaders in quotation marks, but we've been seeing so much fear. And the other thing is that a lot of people say, Well, I trust what this guy says. I trust what that guy says. And my response is, why do you trust them? Well, because he talks to me, he says what I want to hear again, whoever it is that they're talking about, and my response is, and where it gets back to the whole issue of fear is, how much of it do you verify? And it doesn't matter what political side you're on, how much of it do you really think about and analyze and really look at what one person or everyone is saying right now, I'm in California. We have the the one of the Senate races going on, and there are two major Democrats running, and one is Adam Schiff, who was involved in, of course, the whole issue of the investigation of January 6. And the other one is a woman named Katie Porter. And Adam Schiff's commercials oftentimes talk about, well, they play segments of speeches, and they do other things, and they talk about his accomplishments. And Katie Porter talks about, she doesn't take political PAC money, or federal or large corporate PAC money and other things like that. And when I heard a few of the commercials on both sides, I step back and I say, what is this person really done? Why do I want to vote for this person just because they don't take PAC money or what have they accomplished? What have they done to show me that they're truly going to be able to make our world better than than it is? And I think that it's my obligation as a voter to really look at that. And again, it doesn't matter whether it is in the Democratic side or the Republicans. Side, we really have to analyze, and if we do that, we won't be nearly as fearful of so many things as we are today.   Bridget Cook-Birch ** 35:08 I would agree with that. I'm I love what you have to say about that, because a lot of things have to do with tearing one another down, or, like you said, the fear based. But you know, what is someone's track record in building something, in creating something. So that's a very good point. Michael,   Michael Hingson ** 35:29 well, I think that we we really need to look at more than just listening to words. It's our job to to think about, to synthesize, to internalize and come up with answers based on everything, rather than relying on what some people say. I love all these conspiracy theorists all over the place are are so amazing. And you know, I don't know what to say, other than prove it, and   Bridget Cook-Birch ** 36:03 right know is that they know how to use the power of story. They just happen to be using it to tear people down. And if we're not careful, we can get sucked into a rabbit hole. And I love what you said, like more than words. What are they doing? But also, I think it's important for us to do our own research, not believe something just because everybody else says it. In fact, Michael, I had a funny experience last, last year, the year before, when some of these conspiracy theories were really hitting some high points. And there was a lot going on in terms of of human trafficking and and some of these world power theories on that. And, you know, we found out some of these were true in terms of of, you know, some high profile celebrities that got in trouble, when, when some things were going down. But was interesting because I I found out that I was on a hit list that was going out to many people that were going down these rabbit holes of conspiracy theories. And I was grateful that they were trying to do the work, but they accidentally put me on the other sheet, like, here's the enemies that we're going to go after, and then here are those people that actually will do the journalism and the research, and they'll help to bring it down. And I was supposed to be on the journalism and research and writing books that will help to bring you, know, bring down some of these monolithic crime units, and I ended up being accidentally put on the other list. And luckily, a friend of mine said, whoa, whoa, wait a minute before they publish the list. And she says she's actually see supposed to be on the on the other list. But I thought how quickly my reputation could have been ruined a split second, and that that is happening all across the United States, all across the world, and so that's why we have to stand for our own stories, because sometimes we're going to be put on the wrong list, or someone's going to hate something that we have to say. But But I also think it's, it's really important for us to take a stand for something. You know, we're really good at taking stands against things. But what are we what are we good at taking a stand for?   Michael Hingson ** 38:35 Yeah, so tell me, what do you think the deepest need is that humans have, and what do stories have to do with it?   Bridget Cook-Birch ** 38:44 I honestly deep question. It is a deep question, but it's cool, because I get to see it every day. So I'm glad that you asked that the deepest need that I see humans need is for significance. They need to know that they're here for a reason, that they're wanted, that they're needed, that they're seen and heard and valued by someone, and stories can go such a long way in doing this has to start inside of us, because whatever stories we're telling ourselves, we write the script for other people to treat us that way. I see that over and over as well. But then there's also, how do I present myself and my stories out in the world. Doesn't mean that everybody has to write a book or be a best selling author, but every day, we tell stories. We tell stories to ourselves. We tell stories to our spouses. We tell stories to our bosses and the people that are in our chain of command, or our associates. We tell stories to the the grocery clerk, and and and stories are really remarkable in their power. We were just talking about conspiracy theories, and I think we're seeing some huge things happening the last couple years in Russia too, how Russia was able, just like we've seen in the last several World Wars and other altercations, where propaganda could sway an entire nation to go up against their neighbor, who a lot of them were family members, and to believe lies about that neighboring nation. And so stories are relevant. They are important. Ever since we were around the campfire, you know, as early education of humans took place in the storytelling. At that point, we learned our roles, our responsibilities, what was possible, what we believed was impossible. And the beautiful thing is that we continue to show that we're way beyond what we once thought was impossible, and now the question is, is you know, what are we going to do with it? But stories are vital to humankind,   Michael Hingson ** 41:13 and we should appreciate them and love them and and use them to allow us to teach ourselves more things. You know, you talked earlier about fiction isn't so much about service. And I'm not totally sure I would say that. I think that the Yeah, fiction is intended to entertain. So a lot of non fiction, but, but the issue is, I think of books like the Harry Potter series, which really are so inspirational and offer so many lessons that all of us can use. And the reality is, some people say, Well, yeah, it's fiction. Well, really, so what? How many times do we hear about people who have done so many things that no one thought they or anyone can do. And one of my favorite stories is, of course, it was said for many years that no one could break the four minute mile. You would die before you could make the break the four minute mile, until Roger Banister did it in what 1956 I think it was, or 57 and then everybody started to do it, but people said that he would die before he would be able to do that, and it was a medical impossibility. But the reality is, he believed that he could, and he did,   Bridget Cook-Birch ** 42:33 I agree and and how beautiful that, that all of a sudden, he broke that entire barrier of beliefs for people. And I love that you mentioned Harry Potter. I love JK Rowling. I do too. I love what she's created. And she's done what a lot of people considered impossible, you know, a single mom with a little baby and that she had to care for, and she's riding on cocktail napkins, you know, on the train rides and and doing things. And she did something so extraordinary and reinvigorated an entire world, children and adults to want to read again. And how, how beautiful that is. And you're right, there's, there's so many lessons and other things and she does more than entertain, and I would agree with that. I also just want to share too that, you know, our world has changed quite a bit, and in which the literature for young people doesn't include as many of those profound elements of lessons and morals and friendships, and what do we do? There's a lot of darker elements to our entertainment for young people. And the one thing that I would caution in that is I can't tell you how many people you know who I've helped with their stories and write their books and other things, and they were heavily influenced by the media of that time, in that day. And so, you know, it's one of those things where I still think it's important for writers to be able to influence young people towards believing in themselves, believing in possibilities, and to believe that light can be greater than the darkness. I think we all need that right now.   Michael Hingson ** 44:28 I love Stephen King. I think he's a very creative writer, but I don't like to read nearly as much of the dark stuff as I used to. But I also think that he, like so many people, demonstrates a lot of creativity, especially in some of his earlier books, in a lot of different ways. And so I can appreciate that. And I think that any good author is one that you have to look just beyond the words to. What's going on in the story, what kind of creative things that that they bring to it. And he clearly is a good storyteller.   Bridget Cook-Birch ** 45:08 He's extremely talented. Yeah, he's jealous as I am, but charts talented, that's for sure, jealous   Michael Hingson ** 45:15 as I am. And, you know? And then there are others. Go to the Western Louis L'Amour and Zane gray. Now, Zane Gray, of course, long time ago, but one of the neat things about Zane Gray was, and is, with his stories, he's so descriptive, he draws you in and makes you feel like you're in the country he's writing about, and he talks so much about the land in the country that he he makes you feel you're there, which is so cool.   Bridget Cook-Birch ** 45:46 Oh, that's neat. I you know what? I've not read a lot of Zane Gray. I think only one or two of his back in the day, but I read a lot of Louis L'Amour Yeah. Also add Zane gray to my readers list.   Michael Hingson ** 45:58 I keep looking every so often, in case I find that there's a little and more book I haven't read because I really enjoy his writing. And yeah, a lot of them are all the same sort of basic plot, but, and it's the but, it's the difference, and his stories are all so good,   Bridget Cook-Birch ** 46:14 yeah. And it's interesting about Zayn gray too, finding out that he was a dentist, and always wonder like when he was working in people's mouths, was he, was he crafting plots and storylines, and, you know, other things, I think, and   Michael Hingson ** 46:29 telling stories? Yeah, now you mentioned once that Warren Buffett has an interesting quote that you think is extremely valuable. What is that?   Bridget Cook-Birch ** 46:38 Well, Warren Buffett, as as most people know, has been this incredibly influential business leader.   Michael Hingson ** 46:47 Talk about being a bright and creative guy, a bright and creative guy who's   Bridget Cook-Birch ** 46:51 who's worth so much more than any of us can not any of us, but many of us can conceptualize. And one of the things he's famous for teaching is, you know, if you want to be worth several times more in your lifetime, learn how to express yourself on paper and in person. So he truly believed in the power of story, and I think we've seen that through some of the smartest CEOs of our generation have been the creative storytellers, you know, the ones who who recognize the power of story, and then we're able to put that together. Apple is one of those, those fabulous examples of, you know, when they would fail and then when they could succeed spectacularly is when the storytelling got as good as the technology. The storytelling beam even better than the technology for that particular year, but they've been able to shine because of it.   Michael Hingson ** 47:57 Well, when Steve Jobs really started expressing his vision and talking about what a piece of technology should do and could do, and motivated people to then make it happen. That's so important, I think in an organization,   Bridget Cook-Birch ** 48:15 I think so too. I think so too. And I think we're going to be seeing more and more of that, and sometimes we see when, when some of these leaders fail, you know, they they tell too big of a story, and they can't manage the expectations, or they fall flat in the storytelling, or they hurt someone in the storytelling, which actually ends up not doing them good in the long run, but I think what's important is, can you be inspiring? Can you motivate? And can you be your word when you're when you're choosing to use those stories for for a greater good?   Michael Hingson ** 48:55 Another thing that's coming up, and I was going to call it the elephant in the room, but that's not fair to it. It's not fair to do that. But what about the whole issue of AI and chat, GPT and so on? Where do you see that that fits into the world today and going forward?   Bridget Cook-Birch ** 49:11 Well, that's a fascinating question. And you know, who asked me this the most are some of the young people when I'm on their podcast and I sound so old, like a grandma, and I am Grandma, you know, I'm a Mimi but, but the but these young podcasters, they want to know too, like, hey, you've been around the block. What do you think about AI? And I'm going to tell you something. There's some people who are completely against it, and they feel like we're going to hell in a hand basket really quickly because of AI and and then there are those who are saying, Hey, this is the end all, be all. And, you know, we shouldn't, and couldn't be doing anything without it. And I'm going to tell you, I'm I'm in the middle. I'm going to tell you why. Um, the reason I think that there is merit to AI is that there's certain things that it's going to do so much more quickly for us. It's going to help us with ideas, and in terms of writing, it's going to help us edit more quickly so we can communicate better. Where we run into trouble is if we're asking AI to be our brain, to be our creativity, to be our thinker. And sometimes people get really nervous about that, because they think kids will use AI and that they won't think on their own. But I will tell you this, the kids I've been seeing, even the young ones with AI, it sparks their imagination greater. They're asking smarter questions. They're wanting to see more. They're coming alive with a fire of creativity. They're not relegated to, oh, you couldn't spell a word to save your life. Well, this will spell the word for me, but I want to tell this story, and I want the graphics to look this way, and I want to create a movie and and it it enables the human imagination to take off. All I would say is, don't let it be your brain.   Michael Hingson ** 51:13 I had the honor to talk with someone a couple weeks ago, a gentleman named Glenn Gao, who's a e business coach and supports AI a great deal. He would agree with you and and me, by the way, I believe the same. One of the things that that he said was that he went to a company who wanted his coaching, and they talked about AI, and one day the CEO called his major people together and said, Take the day and study AI and then come back to my I think it was, the next day, and tell us how we should incorporate AI in one way or another, chat, GPT or whatever, into our business. And the creative, incredible ideas that people came back with the next day totally astounded the CEO, and they put things in place, and it improved the company a great deal, because the idea still is it shouldn't be the job of artificial intelligence, I think, no matter how advanced it gets, to be the end all and be all, as you said, it is Still something where I think there's a component of us that we're not going to be able to to create in the near future. Dr Ray Kurzweil would say, We'll join the human brain with with a computer, and that will change all that. I'm not convinced of that. And I know Ray, I used to work for him. I think that the reality is that artificial intelligence is a tool, and I think in the classroom, if teachers embrace it correctly, what they will do, if they think that students are starting to really use it to create their papers is teachers will get more creative and say, Okay, class, everyone's turned in their papers. Now I'm going to call on each of you, and you have a minute and a half to defend your paper in front of the whole class. I mean, there are ways to deal with it, to make sure that the students are really still doing what they should do. And I've used chat GPT to help compose some things that I've worked on. And for me, I get all that I can, I think, from the artificial intelligence system, and then I turn it into my own work by by changing things, adding things that AI didn't catch and I know making a much better article because I started using something else to help me, and I just view it as a collaborative effort, a team, and AI as part of the team.   Bridget Cook-Birch ** 53:53 And sometimes it can provide a really valuable framework for the imagination to take fire. So I, yeah, I'm with you on that. I think that there's a lot of beautiful things that can be used for   Michael Hingson ** 54:08 and I think over time, we'll realize that it's, it's such a big hot issue right now, but, you know, the internet was a big hot issue, and we still have the dark web today, and it's it's there with us, but people, by and large, have now accepted the value of the internet and what it can bring I have always believed it's a wonderful treasure trove of information, so I have a lot of fun exploring the internet. Haven't ever been to the dark web. Don't know where it is, and if I ever found it and I discovered it wasn't accessible, I'd see who I could go off and sue because they didn't make it accessible, but that's another story. That's my conspiracy for the day.   Bridget Cook-Birch ** 54:47 That's your conspiracy for the day. I've hired private detectives to go on the dark web to research situations for safety for my authors. But that's as far as I've gone.   Michael Hingson ** 54:58 I have. No idea how to get to the dark web or, you know, I mean, I can conceptually, intellectually understand the process, but would have no idea where to go to find it. So I have to, you'll have to tell me when we're done here. I've always been curious, but I hear what you're saying. And the reality is that the internet and AI are two tools that can enhance what we do so much, and I think people will eventually recognize that and will become better for it.   Bridget Cook-Birch ** 55:34 I think so too, and again, I just think we have to have faith in each other in humankind and in our own imagination. Yeah,   Michael Hingson ** 55:45 we just have to work on it, and we have to recognize and think it through and then take action. And we can learn to do that very well. I love to tell people, the best thing I think anyone could do is to take time at the end of the day and while you're falling asleep, think about what happened that day. Think about what worked, what didn't work, and even what worked, what could you do better with it? I never talk about failure, so the things that didn't work aren't failures. It's a learning experience, and we grow from it. And I think we can do that, but I think that it's what we have to do to become better than we are, and we can do that every single day, which is, for me, such a cool idea, and what I like to do. Well, what are some of the problems that you think exists in the world today that we as individuals can change?   56:34 How's that for a general   Michael Hingson ** 56:36 question, for you question,   Bridget Cook-Birch ** 56:37 Michael, Well, honestly, it's, it's pretty crazy. It's pretty wonderful. I I remember sometimes that I have felt helpless in the world when something has happened, particularly like in terms of of humankind, right? Sometimes there was a crime committed, and I felt helpless. Sometimes there was like a school shooting, and I felt helpless, a world disaster, and I felt helpless and I wanted to serve and do something in some capacity, and then I get asked to write a story, or I get asked to help an author, and it's just like God brings me a story to show for one thing for me to let down my judgments and and to see that there are so many solutions out there. So one of the things I'll I'll just say, is that you at talk about conspiracy theories, there is an author that I'm working with who has this tremendous story, and I can't tell you all about it today, but I'll, I'll be singing his praises to high heaven in in a few months. But what I will tell you is he had to come across one of the the roughest and nefarious conspiracy theorists of our time, and and he learned to own his voice, and he learned to be able to tell the truth In a really beautiful, extraordinary way, and part of that was was creating something that made other conspiracy theorists think twice before they were going to tell lies about individuals or families just for their own agenda or to make their own money. That's powerful. You know, when someone can use their own personal story to bring down a conspiracy theorist who's making millions of dollars based on those conspiracies that that tells you, again, the power of one person. I'm seeing world leaders do extraordinary things in terms of, how do we lift one another on the planet? How do we take care of our planet? As you know, nature is so important. Animals are so important. How are we going to take care of that? I love that you are one of those authors who in terms of accessibility and making sure that that people are being taken care of in all their forms. You're you're one that brings solutions. So I love that. Can I share story?   Michael Hingson ** 59:29 Oh, sure.   Bridget Cook-Birch ** 59:31 Okay, so one of the things we've been facing, as we've been discussing, is the last several years, this predilection for humankind to tear down one another in our fear. And I had the opportunity to work with an extraordinary person. His name is Gary Lee price, and he faced a lot of that tearing down when he was a child. He had. A mother and stepfather who he lost through murder suicide on an army base in Mannheim, Germany, and he and his baby brother were shipped from the frying pan back into a couple of horrific situations, and Gary himself faced all kinds of abuse, the worst kinds of abuse and and really a slavery in his own house and, and part of it was because the adults were working nights and they didn't know that he was being tortured and abused. And instead of becoming a horrific, violent, bitter person, Gary found God, and he found art, and he became a very famous painter in his area by the time he was in high school, but was when he found this three dimensional miracle called clay that all of a sudden his imagination took flight literally, and he's, to this day, created 1000s of sculptures that lift humankind, and they're in corporate offices and arboretums and churches and outside the Vatican and in the Hong Kong library like they are all over But in terms of solving human problems or inspiring our solving of problems. Gary was asked to create a symbol that was inspired by Dr Victor Frankel. And you know who that is, right? So he had survived four Nazi concentration camps in three years, and he lost his entire family to the gas chambers, into illness and and he got out, and he wrote this extraordinary book, Man's Search for Meaning. And in that book, eventually, and also when he would teach in the United States, he would say, you know, in the United States, it's wonderful that you have the Statue of Liberty on the East Coast. And he said, but in Vienna, we learned that that Liberty itself is not the only answer. You need to have responsibility, because without responsibility, there is no liberty. And you know, he'd seen irresponsibility and anarchy and dictatorship and annihilation. And so anyway, Dr Stephen Covey thought, wouldn't it be awesome to honor Dr Frankel with creating a symbol of the statue of responsibility, and Gary created this symbol. And after everything he'd been through as a child, when he was thinking, what is a symbol that can inspire all of humankind? And it was the symbol of one hand reaching down to grasp another to lift it up. And he says, Sometimes we're the hand reaching down, and sometimes we're the hand reaching up. And here's the COVID, Michael. In our lifetime, in fact, very soon from now, we will be seeing the beginning of the building of the statue of responsibility, and it will be 305 feet tall to match the Statue of Liberty, and it will have interactive museums and discussions for children, like, what does responsibility mean? And there's, there's many other things, but this is one of the ways that stories can change the world for the better, and symbols and art and imagination can lift us rather than destroy us,   Michael Hingson ** 1:03:47 and it should be that way. Well, tell me you've written a number of books that have become bestsellers. How does that happen that they become bestsellers?   Bridget Cook-Birch ** 1:03:58 Well, it can happen a number of different ways, especially you've probably noticed, but publishing has changed tremendously over the last 20 years. Yes, and there used to be a time when traditional publishing was pretty much the only way, and there were a few people who wrote books and and and they would do their best to get it out there. And if it was accepted by traditional publishing, it was such a glorious thing, but most people only sold between 250 and 300 books in their lifetime. And then we had the advent of Amazon, and then we had the advent of self publishing, which I'm not going chronological self publishing, it's been around for a long time. Vanity press, also for a long time, and also indie publishing, which helps to create every service you would get through traditional publishing, but you get to keep your own intellectual property and most. Of your proceeds, rather than the lion's share going to traditional and I've had the luxury and pleasure of being able to work on all sides of that like my first two books were published through a small publisher who took a chance and shattered silence when it was on. Oprah became their number one best seller for two years in a row. So it was a win for them, and it was a huge win for me. And then my third book, when it came out, we had a New York agent, and she negotiated an incredible deal with a chat and Grand Central publishing, which was one of their publishing labels underneath a shet so one of the largest publishers in the entire world, and I got to see all the beautiful machinations that New York publishing offers, all the services, all the wonders of that and the credibility that goes along with it, and and also, since that time, I've also been able to help people with national and international bestsellers on Amazon, and that's a different ball game. It's different than a New York Times or a Wall Street Journal bestseller, and it has to do with there's there's two aspects of it is, number one, making sure that all the information is set up well, and that you're in the right categories, and that you're being seen and being visible. And then the other part of the strategy is that you know, you get everyone that's in your inner circle and anyone and everybody in your family and friends and everything else, to purchase your book on the same day, close to the same time, because it raises your visibility in the ranks. And you want to become a hot, new best seller on Amazon. You want other people's eyes to be able to see it. And if you're lucky enough to have an international team, then you can often become an international bestseller and be seen in countries like France and Australia and Canada and and other things. So it's it can be a game and and you've gotta be careful, because in every every industry, they're scammers, yeah. And in terms of of indie publishing and self publishing and traditional publishing, there are scammers out there, and you've got to watch it, but it's it's a smart and fun business. Part of the business strategy in terms of pre launch, launch and post launch, you just need to make sure that you're working with reputable people who care about the longevity of your book, not just a flash in the pan, but something that's going to serve people and have a ripple effect, you know, you hope for 50 years from now, right? And that someone halfway across the world can be absolutely inspired by your book, yeah.   Michael Hingson ** 1:08:01 And whenever I get comments from people, even today, some 13 years later, and I think that will continue to happen. But who say I read your book and it's it's such a joy to hear that I'm able to help inspire people and show them something, because it's about it's about them, it's not about me, and that's really the way it should be. Well, last question for you, what's one thing that you would advise someone who wants to write a book for the first time and maybe is a little bit reluctant to do it,   Bridget Cook-Birch ** 1:08:39 so fiction or non fiction? Yes. Okay, I usually have a little different answer, but I will tell you this for whoever your main character is. So if it's non fiction, that main character is going to be you. If it's fiction, you will have an aspect of yourself in that character, but I highly recommend that you put together a chronological timeline, because every good story has backstory, and then it has the current story, and then it also has where you're taking the reader and the journey that you're taking them on. And a lot of times when we're thinking of stories, or writing stories, or writing about our own stories, we'll take down little bits and pieces, but we don't always remember the order in which they happened, or why we reacted a certain way, or certain things happened. When we put together a chronology for our character, there's so much magic that happens. You see patterns of story like, oh, we had this conversation, and then he said this, and I reacted this way, and then I got this phone call, and I said, Yes, and all of a sudden we realized, wow, there were five things that raised the stakes, that built up the tension, that. Created a change in the decision and a commitment to that change, or whatever it might might be, and we understand ourselves better, or we understand our characters better, but we can also tell a much better story to our readers,   Michael Hingson ** 1:10:20 makes perfect sense. And as I think back on thunder dog, although I didn't up front specifically thinking the way you're talking about that is the way the book actually ended up not only being written, but I had the tools that really did go in chronological order. So I was guided to do it, I guess, but it was a lot of fun, and certainly now with the new book, live like a guide dog. We, we definitely spent a lot of time on making sure that it that we did things in a very chronological way, and looked at it a lot of times, kept going back over

In this video, Sam (Ex-FLDS) and Melissa (Ex-Mormon) react to the latest drama in Sister Wives Season 19, Episode 2. They dive into Kody's faith crisis, his strained relationship with Janelle, and the tension surrounding plural marriage. Watch as they break down key moments, including Kody's doubts about his beliefs, Janelle's struggle with Christine's encouragement to leave Kody, and more from their unique perspectives as former members of Mormon and polygamist communities. Don't miss their insightful take on the emotional and religious dynamics at play! 00:00:00 Polygamy, Faith, and Control: The Brown Family Dynamics 00:02:52 Perspectives on Divorce and Faith in Plural Marriage 00:05:51 Cody's Perspective on Marrying Young 00:08:41 Fast Love and Marriage Realities 00:11:54 Cody's Struggle with Ego and Image of Family 00:14:53 Understanding Cody's Perspective 00:17:47 Janelle's Perspective on Patriarchy and Marriage Expectations 00:20:50 The Challenges of Polygamy and Family Dynamics 00:23:48 The Impact of Moving from the Cul-de-sac Join our NEW Patreon HERE: https://patreon.com/growingupinpolygamy If you or someone you love has left polygamy and needs assistance, please reach out to "Holding Out HELP" at 801-548-3492 or visit their website at www.holdingouthelp.org At Growing Up In Polygamy our mission is to "Create compassion for communities that have been misunderstood, marginalized and/or abused by their leaders, and to empower those who have left by giving them a platform to share their stories with the world." If you would like to DONATE to this cause you can do so here: https://donorbox.org/growing-up-in-polygamy Insta: @growingupinpolygamy New website is now up! www.growingupinpolygamy.com Theme Song created by @artcowles Please feel free to reach out to us! growingupinpolygamy@gmail.com ✅SUBSCRIBE NOW : https://shorturl.at/inqrE ➡️ Checkout our other Videos:

In this video, ex-polygamist Sam offers a unique and personal perspective as he reacts to Season 19, Episode 1 of Sister Wives. Having grown up in a polygamous community, Sam shares his thoughts on the dynamics within the Brown family, compares his own experiences with polygamy to what's portrayed on screen, and gives insight into the emotional challenges of plural marriage. If you enjoyed the video, be sure to like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell for more content like this! #SisterWives #Polygamy #ExPolygamist #Season19 #RealityTVReaction Chapters: 00:00:00 - Polygamous Family Drama unraveling 00:02:18 - Season 2024 Expectations 00:04:35 - Loss of Control in Polygamous Families 00:06:58 - Different Paths After Leaving Polygamy 00:09:19 - Janelle and Cody's Struggles 00:11:33 - Neglect and Perpetrators in Relationships 00:13:46 - Relationship Dynamics and Marital Decisions 00:16:00 - The Struggle of Leaving High Control Environment 00:18:24 - Redefining Life and Finding Freedom 00:20:38 - Grasping at Straws with Cody Join our NEW Patreon HERE: https://patreon.com/growingupinpolygamy If you or someone you love has left polygamy and needs assistance, please reach out to "Holding Out HELP" at 801-548-3492 or visit their website at www.holdingouthelp.org At Growing Up In Polygamy our mission is to "Create compassion for communities that have been misunderstood, marginalized and/or abused by their leaders, and to empower those who have left by giving them a platform to share their stories with the world." If you would like to DONATE to this cause you can do so here: https://donorbox.org/growing-up-in-polygamy Insta: @growingupinpolygamy New website is now up! www.growingupinpolygamy.com Theme Song created by @artcowles Please feel free to reach out to us! growingupinpolygamy@gmail.com ✅SUBSCRIBE NOW : https://shorturl.at/inqrE ➡️ Checkout our other Videos:

Examining the Fundamentalist Latter-Day Saints community, and the unconventional, controversial life of its prophet, Warren Jeffs, including the rise of the sect and its practice of polygamy. Aired on 02/15/2024 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A Cult Cave? Look inside the secret polygamist caves of the FLDS and Warren Jeffs who ordered his followers to quit having sex, quit having children and abandon Short Creek (Colorado City and Hildale). Did it work? Let's see where they are going. #RulonJeffs #LeroyJohnson Fundamentalist Friday continues to look at polygamy and the hidden secrets behind closed doors. #FLDS. #pluralmarriage #polygamy #sisterwives #biglove #bigamy, #Hildale #ColoradoCity #Cult #CoerciveMindControl #keepsweet #GrowingUpInPolygamy #WarrenJeffs #babycemetery #fumarase #cps #JanjaLalich #YearningForZion #Doomsday #doomsdaycult #cult #sisterwives #biglove #escapingpolygamy =======================================Get the ProfilingEvil coaster set, stickers and pen: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/profilingevilSpecial Discount for CrimeCon Nashville Registration with this code: PROFILINGEVIL https://www.crimecon.com/CC24Catch up on all things Profiling Evil at: www.ProfilingEvil.com and sign up for the BOLO, our newsletter that's only available to subscribers.Learn more about the Dream Center: https://www.shortcreekdreamcenter.org/SUPPORT our Podcasts: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1213394/support

We're exploring Warren Jeffs great escape from the Leroy S. Johnson FLDS Meetinghouse when federal officers attempted to arrest him. How did Willie Jessop and the God Squad set the stage for escape success? Fundamentalist Friday continues to look at polygamy and the hidden secrets behind closed doors. #FLDS. #pluralmarriage #polygamy #sisterwives #biglove #bigamy, #Hildale #ColoradoCity #Cult #CoerciveMindControl #keepsweet #GrowingUpInPolygamy #WarrenJeffs #babycemetery #fumarase #cps #JanjaLalich #YearningForZion=======================================Special Discount for CrimeCon Nashville Registration with this code: PROFILINGEVIL https://www.crimecon.com/CC24Catch up on all things Profiling Evil at: www.ProfilingEvil.com and sign up for the BOLO, our newsletter that's only available to subscribers.Learn more about the Dream Center: https://www.shortcreekdreamcenter.org/SUPPORT our Podcasts: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1213394/support