Best Jesse and Ameran Podcasts (2024)

1
Get Them to the Greeks 1:24:47

1d ago1:24:47

1:24:47

We're BACK and it's Ameran's turn to teach Jesse a thing or two! This week we'll need you to grab your best matching group tee, your inexplicably decorated wooden paddle, and of course, an irresponsible amount of alcohol. Oh, and bring a few candles and a working lighter, in case we need to perform any midnight oath rituals. We have missed our week…

1
The Commune Turns 50... 15:34

2h ago15:34

15:34

Surprise! It's a break week for CIJ, but in this little pocket, two super awesome things happened! Cults I'd Join hit 50k downloads, and Jesse's favorite commune celebrated their 50th Land Day (they turned 50 years old)!!! So Jesse recorded a bunch of interviews about the moment while she was there, then she ran off to run around the Maypole, and h…

1
Season 4 Half-Chat 1:29:26

2h ago1:29:26

1:29:26

This season we're doing twice as many episodes (two on each group), so we're doing twice as many season wrap-ups as well! We're halfway through, so let's revisit our first 6 cults we'd join, and decide who has the best snacks and outfits... which one from this batch is your first pick?? Ps, CIJ will be on a two week break after this mid-season wrap…

1
The Handmaid's Tale 1:19:09

1M ago1:19:09

1:19:09

Every season we join a fictional community, and this time, we're joining Gilead! Fabulous outfits? Check. Endless baked goods? Also check. Some issues that we'd call... problematic? THIS IS A BIG FAT YES. But you might know about those-- or recognize them from the dystopian parts of our real lives. See you over in Gilead, and blessed be the fruit! …

1
Ramtha Part 2 1:36:39

13d ago1:36:39

1:36:39

Wow. NXVIUM is such a complex and constantly surprising... wait! We're supposed to be talking about Ramtha this week! Don't worry, we are, but yet again, NXVIUM is stopping by to join the party! See you this week for class with Ramtha, where we're about to control our reality, and hopefully go home with no blindfold related head injuries! Original …

1
Ramtha 1:28:55

28d ago1:28:55

1:28:55

Are you tired of traditional religious structures? Would you rather piece together pseudo science and colorful mythology delivered to you by a woman named Zebra channeling an ancient warrior man named Ramtha? Well then welcome, besties! You've come to the right place! Also there is some horrifying racism and blindfolded archery. See you in class at…

1
Burning Man Part 2 1:29:44

2M ago1:29:44

1:29:44

Oh hey fellow practically-burners! We're still over here at the man, getting even deeper into the dust and and the tea... we'll bring the matches and see you there!!! Original song and performance by Devon Sproule Love Cults I'd Join? Want to join all the communal fun with us? *Subscribe to the pod on all pod platforms! *Rate and review us on Googl…

1
Burning Man 1:19:48

2M ago1:19:48

1:19:48

Oh hey giant man in the desert, nice to meet you... oh my! You're on fire! And everyone is dancing around you and they're spinning fire! And there are so many hula-hoops! And why are giant sculptures driving toward me... oh I get it. I've joined Burning Man! Yay! Welcome, fellow burners, it's fire time!!! See ya'll on The Playa! Original song and p…

1
Birds Aren't Real 1:29:02

2M ago1:29:02

1:29:02

It's the second inning of Cult-V-Cult, and we're done joining Q, and on to joining BIRDS AREN'T REAL! Are you ready to know the TRUTH about the world around you? Are you ready to join your like minded new family in spreading the REAL reality to the masses? Well we're doing that this week and it all starts with the birds. Don't be fooled, brothers a…

1
Q#2 1:14:56

3M ago1:14:56

1:14:56

Look. We don't like Q talk any more than the rest of you but that's exactly why we have to get to the bottom of this whole murky but extremely shallow pool. Also, this is our new favorite, Cult-V-Cult, so we have to cover the Quirkiest letter in the alphabet, so that we can get to the mashup Cult who we'll be covering next week! See you in the dirt…

1
QAnon Part 1 1:35:59

3M ago1:35:59

1:35:59

Hello and welcome to Cults I'd Join's first official cult vs. cult! It's a battle of the true believers and only one can emerge victorious! Which cult will Ameran and Jesse join? Who has the better food and/or hair? Who is the second cult in this mashup?! Stay tuned to find out, and come on in to visit our first contender... the QAnon conspiracy th…

1
Hillsong Episode 2 1:41:14

3M ago1:41:14

1:41:14

D*ckroot. The Beebs. Pentecostal worship. Adultery. DUI's. Biblical enlightenment. All this and more are waiting for you as you join us for another week at Hillsong-- they started at the bottom now they here! Original song and performance by Devon Sproule Love Cults I'd Join? Want to join all the communal fun with us? *Subscribe to the pod on all p…

1
Hillsong Part 1 1:17:03

3M ago1:17:03

1:17:03

Okay party people!!! Put your hands up in the air and wave them all around like you just don't... no wait, wave them around like you care a LOT. Now feel free to cry. Now tithe 10% and make your peace with loving Justin Bieber, because this week we're all joining... Hillsong!!! The Australian mega-church that took the US hipster scene by storm! Com…

1
Twin Flames Part 2 1:02:01

3M ago1:02:01

1:02:01

We are so glad you've found your NEED for your one and only Twin Flame! That's the first step. You're doing great. All you have to do now, is give up the rest of your money, acknowledge Jeff and Megan as Gods, possibly change your ACTUAL genitals, or at least LOOK like you're heteronormative, and bing-bang-boom! All your problems are answered! The …

1
Twin Flames Part 1 1:25:52

4M ago1:25:52

1:25:52

Oh, you thought you were going along just living your best life... BUT YOU DIDN'T EVEN KNOW YOU HAVE A TWIN FLAME and NOTHING CAN WORK OUT IN LIFE WITHOUT THEM! Also, only two people can find your twin flame, neither of those are you, and these people are gonna need a LOT of your money. It all makes sense don't think about it just get a new credit …

1
Mother God—a gift from Patreon 1:47:25

4M ago1:47:25

1:47:25

Happy solitude season, everyone! It's been a long lonely winter and we have MISSED you! Cults I'd Join will be kicking off Season four NEXT WEEK, but this week, we thought we'd gift you an appetizer with a little gift from our Patreon. Ya'll. We'd like to remind everyone that we were covering Love Has Won before it was cool. Still, nobody does docu…

1
Season 3 Chatting-Bee 1:46:48

5M ago1:46:48

1:46:48

Can you even??? Season 3 is wrapping up, and we're talking all things culty from the last 12 episodes. Which was the best? Which was the worst? Who had the best clothes? Has Ameran already joined the Essenes? Is there ANY group Jesse won't join (YES, but WHO)?!? You can find all those answers and more right here in episode 13, but the biggest gift …

1
The Farm Part 1 52:29

5M ago52:29

52:29

We saved this one for last because The Farm is a dreamy dreamscape for dreamers (and yuppies), and we can't wait to stroll down First Street, Second Street, and so on, with YOU! If you don't already know The Farm, get over here and soak up all its loveliness with us. If you do already know The Farm, sit down while we spill the tea and go over the m…

1
The Farm Part 2 1:00:22

5M ago1:00:22

1:00:22

This one is a two-parter because... we'd love to give you a good reason, but it's because our hosting platform just stopped recording mid-episode, so parts one and two are unceremoniously stopped and started. Listen. People who join cults as their favorite hobby are often not also people who are great at tech stuff—so please enjoy The Farm, Episode…

1
Women Talking, a bonus New Years Gift to YOU! 1:38:44

5M ago1:38:44

1:38:44

Surprise, you guys! It's New Year's Eve and the wrap-up to our first year as a new podcast. Thanks to all of you new friends, we're rounding out our first year with 26k downloads and in the top 25% of podcasts overall—imagine if we learned how to advertise!!! We are LOVING the discussions we get to have with you online, we are loving the community …

1
Elohim City 1:55:45

5M ago1:55:45

1:55:45

Elohim City has been called the most dangerous compound in America. It's been called God's word in boot leather, a low-rent trailer park, and the underground railroad for right-wing extremists. Cults I'd Join calls them people we no longer see at Thanksgiving. Original song and performance by Devon Sproule Love Cults I'd Join? Want to join all the …

1
The Essenes 1:34:03

6M ago1:34:03

1:34:03

Well everyone, Ameran and Jesse have found their cult, and you can find us hanging with the Essenes in... Portland? Austin? The desert? That's right, a mystic religion that lived and disappeared in a brief window alongside Jesus (yes, THE Jesus), seems to have new converts and new leaders all over the place. We can't put a finger on who's got the b…

1
The Remnant (aka The Weigh Down) 1:47:49

6M ago1:47:49

1:47:49

Ever think to yourself... "I'd love to join a high control cultish group, but I'd ALSO love to develop an eating disorder, and also encourage that in others..."? And after that, did you ever think "More specifically, I'd like that group to also be super snooty, dress like we're all in late 1990's Glamour Shots, and occasionally be at least associat…

1
The Branch Davidians (in Waco, TX) 1:55:10

6M ago1:55:10

1:55:10

No spoiler alert needed on this one, we all know how it ends. But do we all know how it begins? How things went in the middle, or even how a tragedy like this unfurled its road? Today we're talking about the Branch Davidians—before, during, and after David Koresh. And yes, its members give us plenty of humanity and even some great levity—our favori…

1
LuLaRoe 1:46:15

6M ago1:46:15

1:46:15

It's another phat-bottom girl y'all, and this time... she's wearing exploitative leggings! Follow along as Ameran takes us on another journey through MLM land. They've got drama, they've got victimizing marginalized people, they've got rotting pants with questionable pattern mixing, and yet again, they've got Mormons (#notallmormons)! Put on your s…

1
The Hutterites 1:27:13

6M ago1:27:13

1:27:13

Amish. Commune. Amish-commune! AMISHCOMMUNE!!! Or close, anyway. What percentage do you think Jesse is in on this one? Is a million percent a real number? Is Ameran packing her plain black bags? Welcome to the Hutterites, another branch of our good friends the Anabaptists, who have been living fully communally since the 1500s. A peaceful religion, …

1
The Village 1:27:35

7M ago1:27:35

1:27:35

It's fictional utopia time and this season we're joining... The Village! M. Night Shyamalan, we see you. And you see our love for super sweet bustles, window-pane fabric, and suspicious locked wooden boxes lurking in the shadowy corners of the world's coziest houses. Get on the bus friends, this week we're hand-knitting some GORGEOUS shawls, strenu…

1
Lori Effing Vallow and a Triangle of Dummies 1:23:21

7M ago1:23:21

1:23:21

Another doomsday cult who has it all figured out and isn't going to burn like the rest of us. YAWN. But this one has a kick: it's made up of only a handful of people and a few of them are the walking embodiment of everything a cult might call evil. Trigger warning for all things child-related in this one, and an extra trigger warning for anyone ful…

1
FLDS 1:30:52

7M ago1:30:52

1:30:52

Oh hey, FLDS! Did you think we wouldn't stop by for a visit? We think your PERFECT hair (we're not kidding), your sweet prairie dresses (again, LOVE), and your drama-drenched communal history are exactly how we want to spend an afternoon, if not an eternity. Also, at least one of us is all about the sister-wives, but no one still likes all the bloo…

1
Sovereign Citizens 1:31:54

7M ago1:31:54

1:31:54

Don't tread on me! Posse comitatus! God is my authority! Where is your postmaster?!?! All these code phrases and more are about to be available to make you free too, for the low, low price of... one hour of your life listening to this podcast! If you've been wanting to start driving without a license committing tax evasion while insisting that the …

1
IBLP 1:51:32

8M ago1:51:32

1:51:32

You may or may not have heard of IBLP, but you've definitely run into some of their famous adherents in the media... 19 kids and a smattering of criminal charges, anyone? IBLP has it all—matching bib dresses, swimming costumes that make the 1800s look lewd, and abuse cases far and wide. Come join us at the giant dinner table and let's talk IBLP, wh…

1
Season 2 Chattypoo 2:11:29

12M ago2:11:29

2:11:29

It's a wrap on Season Two, and in lucky episode 13, we take a little stroll back through all the groups we covered and the best and worst take-aways from the lot of them. Has Ameran changed her mind about joining any? Can Jesse choose just one to contract her soul to? Find out by listening, then chime in with your thoughts on the FB discussion page…

1
The Covenant, the Sword, and the Arm of the Lord 1:42:44

12M ago1:42:44

1:42:44

One of us considered just posting her wedding pics for this one, but decided against it. They make her miss her Golden Retriever. CSA has it ALL... end of the world, concerning weaponry issues, really great dresses, and home made bread. Come on down the dirt road with us (unless you're the feds) and meet the people who were hosting standoffs with t…

1
One Taste 2:01:02

12M ago2:01:02

2:01:02

Female orgasm... ever heard of it? Turns out, it's not a myth, and these folks are REALLY into it! By which we mean they found a way to monetize it, cultify it, and really wring every bit of joy out of an otherwise pretty great thing. Come along with us, as we enter One Taste, the commune you don't have to pack your things to join (because they'll …

1
The Latter-day Saints 1:32:28

1y ago1:32:28

1:32:28

Golden tablets, oddly communicative angels, sacred undies... We at CIJ LOVE a new religion, and the LDS church continues to evolve and find its feet a scant century-plus after its birth. Yes, they have some History with a capital H to contend with, and yes, even their current scene is... a lot at times. And no, you can't have any coffee here. Still…

1
Freedom Fire... no, Moriah Ministries... no, Eva's Eden 1:47:41

1y ago1:47:41

1:47:41

A Pentecostal cult of Karens turned Goddess worshiping murdery Cat Cult? YAAAAAAS this is our JAAAAAAAM. Get over here and pump this pod while we SPILL. THIS. TEA! Love Cults I'd Join? Want to join all the communal fun with us? *Subscribe to the pod on all pod platforms! *Rate and review us on Google (please and thank you)! *Follow us on the social…

1
Young Living 1:51:00

1y ago1:51:00

1:51:00

This one is all Ameran all the time! Jesse is taking the back seat to learn all about Young Living from the girl who lived it (and we can only assume smelled great the whole time)... Ameran, the former YL sales rep/unintentional cult member. There are essential oil turf-wars, sneaky mean-girl recruitment tactics, and triangle shaped shady dealings …

1
The Path 1:32:48

1y ago1:32:48

1:32:48

Each season we choose one fictional cult to join, and this time we're signing our lives over to The Path, a Hulu original populated entirely by super hot people with great clothes. But wait... there's more! A culty underbelly? Characters for whom Jesse is sympathetic and Ameran is not? Enlightened people doing unenlightened things (in this cult and…

1
The Amish 1:47:56

1y ago1:47:56

1:47:56

You don't have to be on your Rumschpringe to know a good party when you see one... and talking about the Amish is ALWAYS a great party with CIJ! This one comes with a lot of personal stories, which is how we like it—inside looking out is our favorite view! Leave the world behind for this one, as you settle into your rocking chair, grab your quiltin…

1
Teal Swan 1:30:59

1y ago1:30:59

1:30:59

Ever stare into the depths of space while wondering "What if Mean Girls became an actual religion"? If so, wonder no more, friends! Welcome to the weird, and arguably dangerous, corner of the world that is Teal Swan! Have we made some similar fashion choices? Sometimes, yes. Do we advocate implanted memories and cutting all family ties? Generally, …

1
The Twelve Tribes 1:33:01

1y ago1:33:01

1:33:01

There are smocks. There are balloon pants. There is circle dancing and hibiscus tea, name changes and matching headbands... Listen, we haven't spent a moment at the Twelve Tribes that we haven't loved—although it does seem others have. Let's get into it! And let's grab a head scarf and an AMAZING tofu sandwich while we do it! Seriously, go get that…

1
The Garden (AKA the Tik Tok Cult) 57:18

1y ago57:18

57:18

TikTok it's cult o'clock! Actually it's more TikTok and less cult, so this is a story of how communes and social media meet... and that produces a LOT of different results. See you on this twisty road, and yes, it does involve former pets being worn as pelts, and a lot of lovely communal dinners. Shout out to TCO for coining cult o'clock, we had to…

1
The Quakers 1:39:07

1y ago1:39:07

1:39:07

Hello, Friends... It's nigh unto the Sabbath and you know what that means... quiet reflection, or high-stakes rabble-rousing if you're down with the Quakers through the centuries! Join us on the scenic and twisty ride that is the path of Quakerism, and keep in mind that the light in us recognizes the light in you. Love Cults I'd Join? Want to join …

1
Heaven's Gate 1:25:28

1y ago1:25:28

1:25:28

Season Two is starting out with a bang—or more with the sound of a comet playing a theremin. Heaven's Gate is forever tied to an ending we all know, but the journey was a long and twisty one. Let's join the members for a bit and step inside the threshold of Heaven's Gate Community on this inaugural episode of Season Two. **** Trigger Warning: Pleas…

1
Let's Talk This Out! 1:00:56

1+ y ago1:00:56

1:00:56

Season one is a wrap and we are having SO MUCH FUN! Here's the plan: Cults I'd Join will give you 12 episodes and a bonus recap every season. We're talking about all 12 groups we've covered in this first recap episode, and we would love to hear your thoughts. What group was your favorite? Which party would you join? Who is your hard no? Which set o…

1
The Rainbow Family of Living Light 1:24:13

1+ y ago1:24:13

1:24:13

Welcome home! At the Rainbow, all ways are free, and you are perfect just the way you are! Will you get sunburned, lightly poisoned, dysentery, and more naked man hugs than necessary...? Sure, yes, at least one of these. Will you also get covered in glitter, all the love you can soak in, free food and gifts and bliss, and an aching face from uncont…

1
Christian Identity 51:49

1+ y ago51:49

51:49

Sometimes we talk about cults we would NOT join. Sometimes even a group we would never join still poses a lot of questions that need answers, and often the groups that we wouldn't join need a light shined into their center. Strife and injustice grow in the places we are not willing to look, so let's talk about some Christian Identity—what they beli…

1
Ruby Ridge 1:09:56

1+ y ago1:09:56

1:09:56

If you know about Ruby Ridge, you know two things—it is not a cult and it is not a happy ending. However, the Weaver family living at Ruby Ridge did belong to a dangerous cult that is thriving today: the church of Christian Identity. Before we talk about the group itself, we're taking the time to talk about the human face of an ugly religion and ev…

1
Zendik Arts Farm 1:32:04

1+ y ago1:32:04

1:32:04

I know we say this a lot but... this is a major favorite! Love communal living? Love matriarchal sex decrees? Love trench digging? Aggressive road-tripping? Rationed food? Truly epic parties? Putting the letter Z on everything? Then say hello to your new favorite hang spot... Zendik Farm!!! Get to know this major player in the history of the Americ…

1
The Rajneesh Movement 1:23:32

1+ y ago1:23:32

1:23:32

Sure, you've seen Wild Wild Country and who doesn’t love a good sex cult dressed entirely in orange. But who were the Rajneeshees before all that? And what about after? What did their kids have to say? And would A&J join them? Okay, so you know J would... Love Cults I'd Join? Want to join all the communal fun with us? *Subscribe to the pod on all p…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Jesse And Ameran Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

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