Uploaded October 2024 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Interviewee in the new film Escaping Utopia - and founder of Gloriavale Leavers' Support Trust joined me in the Decult Takeover series for the ramp up to Decult Cult Awareness Conference in Christchurch New Zealand.
Get your live stream tickets now for the Decult Cult Awareness Conference, happening on October 19th & 20th in Christchurch! This event is a must for anyone interested in the psychology of cults and the tools needed to support survivors.
events.humanitix.com/decult-cult-awareness-conference-tickets
In this powerful interview Liz Gregory, founder of the Gloriavale Leavers' Support Trust, a New Zealand-based non-profit dedicated to helping those who manage to escape the abusive, multi-generational cult compound, Gloriavale. Located on the remote west coast of New Zealand’s South Island, Gloriavale has been shrouded in secrecy and control for decades and now those who escape are showing up across New Zealand in need of support.
Liz dives into the complexities of spiritual abu5e—when faith is weaponized against you—and shares her mission to help upskill mental health professionals, including psychologists and therapists, to effectively support former cult members. She’ll be speaking at Decult this October, where she will discuss her work, the psychological impacts of cult control, and the urgent need for trained professionals in this field.
This conversation sheds light on the extreme challenges faced by cult leavers and the critical role mental health care workers can play in their recovery. If you're a professional in the psychology or therapy field, this is your chance to learn from a true expert on the front lines of cult recovery.
Get your live stream tickets today to hear Liz Gregory’s presentation, along with many other experts, at the Decult Cult Awareness Conference!
events.humanitix.com/decult-cult-awareness-conference-tickets
Hashtags:
#DecultConference #LizGregory #Gloriavale #GloriavaleLeavers #CultAwareness #SpiritualAbuse #MentalHealthCare #Psychology #Therapists #ScottHoman #CultRecovery #Decult2024 #NZCults #CoerciveControl #SupportSurvivors #Decult
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Watch Next: "Cult members speak out Rock the Watchtower Cult Awareness Conference - WITNESS UNDERGROUND highlight"
youtube.com/watch?v=s2tYsA9nIXY
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Interviewee in the new film Escaping Utopia - and founder of Gloriavale Leavers' Support Trust joined me in the Decult Takeover series for the ramp up to Decult Cult Awareness Conference in Christchurch New Zealand.
Get your live stream tickets now for the Decult Cult Awareness Conference, happening on October 19th & 20th in Christchurch! This event is a must for anyone interested in the psychology of cults and the tools needed to support survivors.
events.humanitix.com/decult-cult-awareness-conference-tickets
In this powerful interview Liz Gregory, founder of the Gloriavale Leavers' Support Trust, a New Zealand-based non-profit dedicated to helping those who manage to escape the abusive, multi-generational cult compound, Gloriavale. Located on the remote west coast of New Zealand’s South Island, Gloriavale has been shrouded in secrecy and control for decades and now those who escape are showing up across New Zealand in need of support.
Liz dives into the complexities of spiritual abu5e—when faith is weaponized against you—and shares her mission to help upskill mental health professionals, including psychologists and therapists, to effectively support former cult members. She’ll be speaking at Decult this October, where she will discuss her work, the psychological impacts of cult control, and the urgent need for trained professionals in this field.
This conversation sheds light on the extreme challenges faced by cult leavers and the critical role mental health care workers can play in their recovery. If you're a professional in the psychology or therapy field, this is your chance to learn from a true expert on the front lines of cult recovery.
Get your live stream tickets today to hear Liz Gregory’s presentation, along with many other experts, at the Decult Cult Awareness Conference!
events.humanitix.com/decult-cult-awareness-conference-tickets
Hashtags:
#DecultConference #LizGregory #Gloriavale #GloriavaleLeavers #CultAwareness #SpiritualAbuse #MentalHealthCare #Psychology #Therapists #ScottHoman #CultRecovery #Decult2024 #NZCults #CoerciveControl #SupportSurvivors #Decult
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Watch Next: "Cult members speak out Rock the Watchtower Cult Awareness Conference - WITNESS UNDERGROUND highlight"
youtube.com/watch?v=s2tYsA9nIXY
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![Music Heals Trauma - Q&A - Witness Underground Podcast #25 (S02E05)
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@WitnessUnderground
Watch all of the other full episodes in the XJW Coming Out Playlist
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Welcome to our channel! In this exciting Q&A session, we dive deep into the transformative power of music and self-expression with the talented musicians featured in the documentary, Witness Underground. Join Annie from the band Vaureen, Chad Rhiger from Daytrip, Ghost Army, and HighTV, and Ryan Sutter from The Lavone, Trumpet Marine, and Ryan Sutter music as they share their experiences and insights.
Listen to the music:
http://WitnessUnderground.com/Art
http://Vaureenband.com
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
05:44 Annie Vaureen - Power of music to heal and save lives
08:26 Ryans Sutters JW music origin
13:38 Audience question: How did we decide to frame our documentary around the Jehovahs Witness indie music scene in Minneapolis?
15:26 Godfather & Speculatio - Chads nickname for Ryan & Scott
16:51 Audience question: Has the cult become more lenient over time?
17:25 Ryan Relates last personal interaction with cult family members.
21:30 Song Errands by Ryan Sutter - inspired by interactions with cult member father.
22:30 Guest discussion: What Just Announced means in cult terms
28:37 Control and fear is the enemy of love
29:26 The Apostle Paul McCartney & Pop Riveter on love
33:40 The Akai Pretty Songs About Ugly Things - Eric Elvendahls production Opus excellent art!
35:14 Hira Hira - search instructions to download present version
36:44 Trinity guest - Their unraveling moment after leaving
40:05 Advice - Check the references and quotes
40:46 Advice - RecoveringFromReligion.org
42:28 Fuck Im an atheist moment - also a great fresh start - label becomes powerless
47:10 Outro
From March through May, we hosted live, private Virtual Cinema events resembling a Film Festival experience, followed by engaging Q&A sessions. Our esteemed panel includes Annie from Vaureen (never-JW), Chad Rhiger from Daytrip, Ghost Army, and HighTV, and Ryan Sutter from The Lavone, Trumpet Marine, and more. Ryan is not only an incredible musician but also the co-founder of the Nuclear Gopher music production studio, a focal point of the documentary. Scott Homan, the films director and our podcasts host, joins us as well.
We were fortunate to have exceptional guests in the audience who made valuable contributions throughout the event. Join us on this enlightening journey as we explore the incredible influence of music and self-expression in transforming and even saving lives.
Dont forget to like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell to stay updated with our latest content. Share your thoughts and questions in the comments section below. Thank you for supporting Witness Underground!
#WitnessUnderground #PowerOfMusic #QandA #Documentary #MusicTransforms
ADD Chronicles - Oh The Crib!
The Directors first album:
https://add-chronicles.bandcamp.com/album/oh-the-crib
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Watch Next: Cult members speak out Rock the Watchtower Cult Awareness Conference - WITNESS UNDERGROUND highlight
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2tYsA9nIXY
-~-~~-~~~-~~-~- Music Heals Trauma - Q&A - Witness Underground Podcast #25 (S02E05)](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/d30sbIu2oX8/mqdefault.jpg)






![Christian ministers punish teen woman - Elders sexual harassment - Witness Underground 5/8
Christian ministers punish teen woman - Elders sexual harassment
[5 of 8]
Watch WITNESS UNDERGROUND on: Apple TV, Amazon, Tubi TV, & YouTube Movies
All global links to watch:
https://WitnessUnderground.com
Watch WITNESS UNDERGROUND with this Full Documentary Playlist:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSh1p2dV3s8fgd4ST3VNE835oRFYwa-N2
In this powerful fifth installment of an 8-part YouTube series [5 of 8] on the Banana Island Films channel, we dive into the captivating world of Witness Underground, a documentary that explores the indie rock christian music scene that flourished within the confines of the Jehovahs Witness religion until they went too far.
This harrowing chapter of Witness Underground reveals the destructive mechanisms of the Jehovah’s Witness organization. Chad Rhiger, a member of Daytrip, HighTV, and Ghost Army, opens by describing the extreme social isolation used to erase the positive collective memory of former members. Whether individuals leave voluntarily or are disfellowshipped, the congregation enforces a system of complete emotional and social isolation using libel. Elders—the men in charge of congregation discipline—use this form of punishment to maintain control, punishing anyone caught communicating with removed members. Such actions reinforce that all relationships within the group are conditional and devoid of genuine love. Many people refer to the Jehovah’s Witnesses as a hate group for mandating such extreme forms of isolation.
Ryan Sutter shares his struggles in this segment of the film. After his wife left him, she threatened to inform his father about Ryan’s changing beliefs unless he disclosed them himself, forcing him into an emotionally excruciating position. Additionally, Ryan reflects on the downfall of the music scene that once thrived within the religion. After leaving, Ryan’s music studio and website were handed to his brother, Reed, who rebranded them under the label Band Kids Unite. Over four years, the scene withered under this new management, illustrating how control within the religion can extend to creative expression and community.
Eric Elvendahl provides an insider perspective on how this internal rule of law is enforced. Decisions by the elders often depend not on rule-breaking but on whether a person seems sorry enough. However, gossip can tip the scales toward the harshest punishment: one full year of isolation while enduring public shaming in silence during 3-5 weekly church sessions. Victims are barred from speaking, sharing meals, or making eye contact with others, effectively destroying their social and familial ties.
The clip also touches on deeply personal accounts of emotional abuse and manipulation. Cindy Elvendahl exposes an unprecedented form of sexual harassment by Jehovah’s Witness elders, recounting her experience as a teenager during a judicial meeting. This has since come out powerfully in narrative form in the short film Debutante. In this invasive and coercive process, three older men interrogated her about intimate sexual details, crossing her boundaries in ways that no Christian ministers should ever impose on a young woman. Cindy reflects on how this traumatic high-stakes experience at risk of losing her entire family and community shaped her as an adult, revealing the broader pattern of Jehovah’s Witnesses controlling women through fear and humiliation.
This clip unflinchingly exposes the intersection of elders’ sexual harassment, emotional abuse in religion, and the soul-crushing punishments inflicted on members. From coercive meetings to the conditional love that tears families apart, this segment paints a stark picture of the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ oppressive control. It also sheds light on the strength required to heal and rebuild after escaping these abusive systems.
#cult #jworg #deconstructingfaith #igotout #recoveringfromreligion #riotgrrrl #musicvideo
#jworguk #documentary #documentaryfilm #documentarymusic #jw #freedocumentary #jworgsitio #jworgusa #abuseofpower #cultdocumentary2024 #christianmovies #atheist #atheism #humanist #humanistdocumentary #jesusmovie
#CultSurvivor #ReligiousTrauma #EmotionalAbuse #FamilyHealing #BreakFree #MentalHealthAwareness #SpiritualAbuse #WomenEmpowerment #HealingJourney #SpeakYourTruth
#ExJW #JehovahsWitnesses #Disfellowshipped #CultRecovery #ShunningSurvivor
#RiotGrrrl #ExJWCommunity #HighControlGroup #ExCultMember #ReligiousFreedom
#UndergroundMusic #Rockumentary #IndieFilm #HealingThroughMusic #DIYMusicScene #RiotGrrrlRevolution #BandKidsUnite #CreativeFreedom #MusicDocumentary #IndieArtists
#StopShunning #ExposeCults #NoMoreSilence #SupportSurvivors #FaithDeconstruction #AdvocateForChange #TraumaInformed #ReligiousAccountability #EndReligiousAbuse #CultAwareness
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Watch Next: Cult members speak out Rock the Watchtower Cult Awareness Conference - WITNESS UNDERGROUND highlight
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2tYsA9nIXY
-~-~~-~~~-~~-~- Christian ministers punish teen woman - Elders sexual harassment - Witness Underground 5/8](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/fgwCsgj5zy4/mqdefault.jpg)
![Rockumentary WITNESS UNDERGROUND - Escaping Jehovahs Witnesses
Escaping Jehovahs Witnesses Rockumentary WITNESS UNDERGROUND
Within the confines of an elusive cult, a vibrant alternative music community thrived, deprogramming themselves through art. Powerful live performances punctuate tragic losses to beautifully illuminate shunning.
All links to watch:
Apple TV - Amazon - Tubi TV - YouTube + more...
https://www.WitnessUnderground.com
Watch WITNESS UNDERGROUND with this Full Documentary Playlist:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSh1p2dV3s8fgd4ST3VNE835oRFYwa-N2
Witness Underground unveils an unexplored music community surviving within a dystopia humanizing the struggle, courage, and artistry of former cult members.
A compelling cult documentary of 2024, chronicling an underground music community influenced by mind control tactics. A gripping tale of escape, surviving shunning, and finding their voices through self-expression.
The only documentary to humanize cult life & survival via self-expression, musicians triumph over trauma from coerced shunning.
Jarring, heartbreaking, infuriating ...Movie score 8/10. [Film Threat]
Advocacy with a megaphone [Bad ASSociation Podcast - Chev Clark]
Witness resilience, escape, & healing through poignant original music.
Shunning beautifully illuminated [Chris Gray - Freestyle Distribution]
Rate and review on IMDb, TMDb, Rotten Tomatoes & Amazon
IMDb - 9.5/10 - Incredible score! - Help keep it high
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt15215562
TMDb - Particularly great synopsis. Leave a Review
https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/829437-witness-underground
Rotten Tomatoes: Get us on the Tomato Meter
https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/witness_underground
Amazon - Help boost the algorithm
https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B0CVGPPFZ5
Short Synopsis:
Witness Underground is a feature documentary that reveals the insular DIY artist community that emerged within a high-control faith in Minneapolis. Music, fame, and success are typically forbidden in this religion, which instructs its members to “beware of independent thinking.”
The artists at the heart of the music scene have their faith tested in deeply personal ways. They battle for positive mental health and push the boundaries of their religion’s norms, where leaving often means being banned from interacting with your entire family and social circle for life.
Although severely restricted, they create the record label Nuclear Gopher and produce over 30 albums of earnest and personal music that spans singer/songwriter, riot grrrl, psychedelic rock, pop, EDM, shoegaze, and post-rock. Carefully curated songs and live performances punctuate their stories of friendship, deep loss, and personal growth.
Discover their losses of innocence, friends, and family as they grapple with being outcasts.
Experience their journey from home-brew music videos to grand pop-up festivals over 17 years and 30 albums. Art becomes more than self-expression; it is awakening, healing, and freedom from their trauma. Frequently searing and undeniably confrontational.” [Tone Madison Music Magazine]
An extraordinary narrative of the resilience of the human spirit.
Long Synopsis:
A chilling, yet empowering social impact documentary, Witness Underground highlights the music and defection of doomsday cult members and the consequences of self-expression. A “unique look, with unwavering access, inside the complexities of faith, and the bond forged between artists.” [Amir George, Film and Art Programmer, True/False Film Festival.]
Nuclear Gopher, an underground indie record label, arose within their dystopia as a safe space for a few hundred born-in artists to express themselves. Witness the history of their most prolific underground bands as they navigated in the shadows of a high-control society.
From homebrew music videos to pop-up music festivals these groups created earnest, multi-genre, secular music, as a means of waking up, deprogramming, and processing trauma. Frequently searing and undeniably confrontational [Tone Madison] As outcasts they expose the losses of community, spouses, and family. These artists use their music as more than just an outlet for self-expression but rather as a powerful tool to heal.
#documentary #indierock #indiemusic #atheist #faith #faithjourney #independentfilm #filmmaking #musicproducer #apocalypse #musicdocumentary #doomsday #amazonprime #faithingod #plex #tubitv #ReligiousBeliefs #deconstruction
#protestantchurch #christianreligion #movietrailer #ChristianityExplained #watchtower #FreedomFromReligion #exjw #jw #jworg #apostate #jehovahswitnesses #indielabel #culture #jehovahswitness #deconstructingfaith
#religionandsociety #IGotOut #ChristianFaithJourney #HealingReligiousTrauma #goddebate #religiondebate
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Watch Next: Cult members speak out Rock the Watchtower Cult Awareness Conference - WITNESS UNDERGROUND highlight
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2tYsA9nIXY
-~-~~-~~~-~~-~- Rockumentary WITNESS UNDERGROUND - Escaping Jehovahs Witnesses](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/gNg1_DJaU4E/mqdefault.jpg)
![Rise & fall of indie rock music record label documentary ex christian - Witness Underground 2/8
Rise & fall of indie label, a music label documentary featuring a Christian indie rock record label.
[2 of 8]
Indie music record label minnesota, twin cities alternative music scene inside of a high stakes high demand religious group. Rise and fall of indie rock music inside of Jehovahs Witnesses - A Christian music label documentary Witness Underground.
You can stream WITNESS UNDERGROUND on Apple TV, Amazon, Tubi TV, & YouTube Movies...
All global links to watch:
https://WitnessUnderground.com
Watch WITNESS UNDERGROUND with this Full Documentary Playlist:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSh1p2dV3s8fgd4ST3VNE835oRFYwa-N2
This is segment 2 of 9 from the full documentary Witness Underground, diving deep into the vibrant Jehovahs Witness music and art scene in Minneapolis during the rise and fall of indie rock. Centered around Nuclear Gopher, a DIY indie music record label run by Jehovahs Witness members, this segment explores how a group of young creatives used music as a way of surviving within a dystopia of religious control.
While faith and God were strictly off-limits as topics, this indie rock record label documentary highlights how these musicians thrived in a unique niche. The Christian indie alternative music produced under Nuclear Gopher broke boundaries, featuring Christian indie bands creating entirely secular work. One highlight is the edgy full-length music video for Lavone’s “She Cooked Me Up and Ate Me for Dinner,” a cannibalistic comedy that pushed the limits of what was acceptable in the community. Another spotlight is Daytrip, a shoegaze band that made waves in the Minneapolis music scene before the collapse of the community.
The film sheds light on the rise & fall of alternative rock within this unique faith-based environment, blending themes of leaving apocalyptic faith and using creativity to recover from religion with music. This Minnesota indie record label documentary is a must-watch for fans of indie rock Christian music, the Twin Cities music scene, and those interested in the power of music to help people heal while leaving post-apocalyptic faith.
This segment captures the rise and fall of indie rock within a tightly controlled religious community, offering a fascinating glimpse into the rise & fall of alternative rock through the lens of a Minnesota indie record label documentary. Nuclear Gopher represents the rise and fall of an indie label that provided an outlet for creative expression while surviving within a dystopia. As a Christian indie rock record label, it defied expectations by producing entirely secular music, marking a unique chapter in the rise and fall of Christian music and the rise and fall of Christian rock. The indie music record label Twin Cities scene flourished briefly, with bands like Daytrip and Lavone showcasing the raw talent of this group, but it ultimately couldn’t withstand the pressures of the religious restrictions. This story is as much about the rise & fall of indie rock within a highly controlled environment as it is about surviving a dystopian society and finding a voice in a community that sought to silence individualism.
Author James Zimmerman highlighting of shoegaze band Daytrip + psychedelic rock band The Lavone who play She Cooked Me Up And Ate Me For Dinner a Jehovahs Witness cannibalism satire music video + we highlight the quirky thriving art scene inside inside of a doomsday religious group.
#cult #jworg #deconstructingfaith #igotout #recoveringfromreligion #riotgrrrl #musicvideo
#jworguk #documentary #documentaryfilm #documentarymusic #jw #freedocumentary #jworgsitio #jworgusa #abuseofpower #cultdocumentary2024 #christianmovies #atheist #atheism #humanist #humanistdocumentary #jesusmovie
#CultSurvivor #ReligiousTrauma #EmotionalAbuse #FamilyHealing #BreakFree #MentalHealthAwareness #SpiritualAbuse #WomenEmpowerment #HealingJourney #SpeakYourTruth
#ExJW #JehovahsWitnesses #Disfellowshipped #CultRecovery #ShunningSurvivor
#RiotGrrrl #shoegaze #ExJWCommunity #HighControlGroup #ExCultMember #ReligiousFreedom
#UndergroundMusic #Rockumentary #IndieFilm #HealingThroughMusic #DIYMusicScene #RiotGrrrlRevolution #CreativeFreedom #MusicDocumentary #indieartistspotlight #IndieArtists
#StopShunning #ExposeCults #NoMoreSilence #SupportSurvivors #FaithDeconstruction #AdvocateForChange #TraumaInformed #ReligiousAccountability #EndReligiousAbuse #CultAwareness
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Watch Next: Cult members speak out Rock the Watchtower Cult Awareness Conference - WITNESS UNDERGROUND highlight
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2tYsA9nIXY
-~-~~-~~~-~~-~- Rise & fall of indie rock music record label documentary ex christian - Witness Underground 2/8](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/gOLQRcHyRg4/mqdefault.jpg)
