Sarah Steel
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letstalkaboutsects.bsky.social
Sarah Steel
@letstalkaboutsects.bsky.social
Podcaster: Let’s Talk About Sects | Author: Do As I Say

https://linktr.ee/letstalkaboutsects
Reposted by Sarah Steel
Front page Epstein files story today reveals Steve Bannon told Clive Palmer to spend $60mil on anti-China and anti-climate change ads for the 2019 election.
D’ya think this could be why we want our media to ask “who’s behind this & who does it serve?” rather than just reporting “pollie said this”?!
February 1, 2026 at 10:43 PM
‘"There are two principles: You never have questions, and the teachings are a secret," said one former member, who asked to remain anonymous.’
www.abc.net.au/news/2023-08...
'Don't question it': Inside the world of Tasmania's 'living Buddha'
For decades, an eccentric spiritual group called Holy Tantra Esoteric Buddhism has been not just accepted but celebrated in Hobart. But now, an insider desperate to reach her son is describing the gro...
www.abc.net.au
February 2, 2026 at 7:31 AM
Reposted by Sarah Steel
“Industry lobby group Coal Australia donated more than $5 million to third-party campaigns that attacked Labor, the teals, and Greens under the guise of grassroots groups.”

www.smh.com.au/politics/fed...
Exclusive Brethren members, Gina Rinehart donate to right-wing group Advance
Clive Palmer was Australia’s biggest political donor, pouring $53 million into his failed campaign, while Coal Australia donated millions to third-party “grassroots” campaigns.
www.smh.com.au
February 2, 2026 at 7:14 AM
Reposted by Sarah Steel
Thanks to The Guardian. Gina 💰💰💰who is now shaping and gathering “talent” for far right nativist party One Nation, is also funding Atlas Network-linked Advance & longterm IPA. Liberal Cormack Foundation is also Advance funder. Will Advance back both horses? Is Gina/Advance/ON/LNP ouroboros? #Auspol
February 2, 2026 at 4:51 AM
Reposted by Sarah Steel
We know the Redress Scheme has been critically important for many survivors of institutional child sexual abuse but has been plagued by delays, abusive orgs not signing up and more. Submissions into the review of the scheme are due by this Friday 6 February - share widely.
February 2, 2026 at 12:21 AM
Reposted by Sarah Steel
A South Korean fringe religious organisation accused of brainwashing members, Shincheonji, is targeting pastors in order to recruit entire Australian congregations, a former member says.
www.abc.net.au/news/2026-02...
Ex-Shincheonji member says cult targets Australian churches to recruit
A former member of cult-like religious group Shincheonji says the group targets pastors around the world in an attempt to boost membership by recruiting entire congregations.
www.abc.net.au
February 1, 2026 at 9:30 PM
Can’t possibly imagine why
February 1, 2026 at 7:17 AM
Reposted by Sarah Steel
In the USA, UK & definitely here in Australia for 25 years there has been a complete absence of care about thinking “what if your enemy was in charge & took advantage of these laws?”

Comes IMO from both sides mostly agreeing those who challenge the status quo / power structures as the bad guys
Every single “national security” law since 9/11: “cripes this is the type of stuff Hitler or Stalin would’ve loved”

“Don’t exaggerate, that’s not how it will be used”
straight up Gestapo shit
February 1, 2026 at 12:17 AM
“so far, the muted response has left many First Nations people feeling that acts of violence against them are not treated with the same gravity as those against other communities.”
January 31, 2026 at 8:42 AM
Sad but not surprised to catch some Shen Yun advertising on my Taiwan trip – this billboard for “The world’s top performance from New York” with “performances in seven major cities” (according to my translate app) displayed at Sun Moon Lake.
January 30, 2026 at 12:45 PM
“The academic reluctance to apply psychological analysis doesn’t protect religious freedom; it protects abusers by making their methods invisible to scrutiny.”
January 29, 2026 at 11:53 AM
Reposted by Sarah Steel
Record temperatures, bushfires, meh fire up those data centres that use stonks of water and require a shit tonne of electricity

www.afr.com/politics/fed...
Labor to fast-track data centre approvals as OECD flags energy strain
The global body said the cloud computing boom meant Canberra would need to make additional efforts to meet its 2050 net zero carbon emissions target.
www.afr.com
January 26, 2026 at 10:18 PM
Reposted by Sarah Steel
A white guy threw a homemade bomb into a crowd protesting colonialism in Australia and the media have broadly reframed it in more gentle terms, eg this describing it as a "device" that was 'designed to explode'.
Device allegedly thrown into Invasion Day crowd designed to 'explode on impact', say police
A 31-year-old man is charged with making explosives in suspicious circumstances after a device was allegedly thrown into a crowd of hundreds of people attending an Invasion Day rally in central Perth ...
www.abc.net.au
January 28, 2026 at 7:10 AM
Reposted by Sarah Steel
Donate to support families of Aboriginal deaths in custody.
Donate
Dhadjowa Foundation is an independent, not-for-profit charity that receives no government funding and relies solely on donations, fundraising, and philanthropy. This financial independence allows us t...
dhadjowa.com.au
January 26, 2026 at 7:09 AM
Reposted by Sarah Steel
Thanks to the ABC for this great reporting.
#auspol

www.abc.net.au/news/2026-01...
January 25, 2026 at 11:31 PM
Reposted by Sarah Steel
Explore this gift article from The New York Times. You can read it for free without a subscription. www.nytimes.com/2026/01/24/o...
Opinion | State Terror Has Arrived
www.nytimes.com
January 25, 2026 at 10:26 AM
Reposted by Sarah Steel
Labor’s vague and ill-conceived hate speech laws risk undermining Australia’s democracy instead of defending our way of life | Timothy Roberts
Labor’s vague and ill-conceived hate speech laws risk undermining Australia’s democracy instead of defending our way of life | Timothy Roberts
Australians deserve principled political leaders who reflect the community’s strength and goodness at such difficult times * Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast If the Australian response to the attack on the Jewish community in Bondi showed us anything it is that the Australian people have an inexhaustible capacity for greatness. Undoubtedly, we saw this in the heroes, both in and out of uniform, who ran into harm’s way to protect us from terror. We saw it too in the outpouring of grief and solidarity in the wake of the horrific event. No reasonable person wishes for such a dark time to fall on our community again, but should it do so, we have the persistent hope that in such times we will have the light of the individual and collective Australian response to guide us. Timothy Roberts is the president of the NSW Council for Civil Liberties Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
January 23, 2026 at 2:04 PM
And Baker Boy is playing Yabun Festival after the Sydney rally, why would you be anywhere else? Unless you’re gallivanting around Taiwan like me.
Always was, always will be Aboriginal land
January 23, 2026 at 8:18 AM
Reposted by Sarah Steel
I feel like large parts of the commentariat have memory-holed that the Christchurch terrorist was Australian and was radicalised in Australia.
January 19, 2026 at 10:10 PM
Reposted by Sarah Steel
Did you know that there’s a secretive new command of the AFP to protect AUSKUS and US military assets? But more tellingly it has the remit to quash anti-AUKUS protest anywhere. 7ampodcast.com.au/episodes/the...
The AFP’s secretive new anti-protest command
Rex Patrick is a former senator from South Australia. Before that, he was a submariner in the Navy. Last year, he noticed a reference to a new arm of the Australian Federal Police called the AUKUS Co...
7ampodcast.com.au
January 19, 2026 at 10:03 AM
Reposted by Sarah Steel
we are truly in our Bad Sentence To Read Era
January 16, 2026 at 8:35 PM
“Documents seen by the ABC show the group moving out of major capital cities and targeting new followers in places such as Bendigo, Ballarat, Geelong and Darwin.”

www.abc.net.au/news/2026-01...
Ex-member says Shincheonji 'cult' spreading across the country
Documents leaked to the ABC reveal an "apocalyptic Christian cult" is targeting Ballarat, Bendigo, Geelong and Darwin.
www.abc.net.au
January 16, 2026 at 2:26 AM
Reposted by Sarah Steel
Some thoughts on Adelaide Writers' Week and the moment we find ourselves in. It's all just so grinding. rick-morton.ghost.io/the-great-si...
The Great Silencing
Last week it snowed heavily twice in Paris, turning the city into a frigid, monochrome fantasy land over three days, and at the weekend I popped into the Musée Marmottan Monet for a spot of impression...
rick-morton.ghost.io
January 14, 2026 at 9:25 PM
Can’t see how this could go wrong
Source : 'Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism Bill 2026', 114A.4 Regulations specifying prohibited hate groups

Sounds legit.*

*JESUSONAPOGOSTICK!
January 14, 2026 at 12:40 PM
“In Australia and New Zealand, a survivor hotline called The Brave Truth has received reports from about 300 alleged victims, alleging abuse from about 200 perpetrators.”

www.abc.net.au/news/2026-01...
Christian sect investigated by the FBI under pressure to reveal wealth
Survivors of a secretive Christian sect, under investigation by the FBI, say it is hiding wealth through trusts, blocking access to abuse compensation.
www.abc.net.au
January 11, 2026 at 9:19 PM