Escaping a Cult Through Chess: Danny Rensch on Surviving the Church of Immortal Consciousness скачать в хорошем качестве

Escaping a Cult Through Chess: Danny Rensch on Surviving the Church of Immortal Consciousness

In this powerful episode of the Quillette Podcast, Danny Rensch, Chief Chess Officer of Chess.com, shares his harrowing yet inspiring story of escaping from a cult through the unlikely avenue of chess. Danny was born into the Church of Immortal Consciousness, an Arizona-based cult where his life was controlled by a woman claiming to channel a 14th-century spirit named Dr Duran. From forced spiritual "purposes" to bizarre relationship rules, Danny’s childhood was anything but ordinary. Through his exceptional talent for chess, he found both freedom and identity, eventually becoming an International Master and co-founding the world’s most influential chess platform. In his critically acclaimed memoir Dark Moves, Danny reflects on trauma, healing, and how intelligence and vulnerability can coexist in the face of cultic manipulation. 🎙️ In this interview: The inner workings of a modern American cult How chess became a lifeline and escape route Psychological manipulation, “like vibrations”, and spiritual abuse Why intelligent people can still fall victim to cult thinking The emotional process of writing a memoir as therapy Why forgiveness, not bitterness, led to real healing 🔗 Get Danny’s book Dark Moves: https://amzn.to/49bXBfO?ref=quillette... 🔗 Read transcript: https://quillette.com/2025/10/20/podc... #DannyRensch #DarkMoves #Chess #CultSurvivor #Chesscom #Memoir #SpiritualAbuse #QuillettePodcast00:00 Introduction to Danny Rensch 02:35 Interview begins 03:12 – Honest Reflections: Portraying Family, Trauma, and Redemption 06:25 – The Emotional Toll of Writing About Cult Trauma 09:10 – A Complex Father Figure: Abuse, Power, and Reconciliation 11:42 – Letting Go of Anger: Why Forgiveness Matters After Cult Life 15:12 – Why Intelligent People Join Cults: The Psychology of Belief and Belonging 18:11 – Cults, Purpose, and the Search for Meaning 19:19 – Believing Chess Was His Destiny: The Burden of Spiritual Purpose 21:24 – Spiritual Control vs. Family Bonds in High-Control Groups 21:54 – When Chess Became a Spiritual Obligation, Not a Joy 22:21 – Dysfunction Behind Closed Doors: Women’s Lives Inside the Cult 24:27 – The Cult’s False Matriarchy and Hidden Male Power Structure 25:23 – Why Women in Cults Often Feel Trapped and Powerless 26:32 – Dating Under Surveillance: Relationship Rules in a Cult Environment 27:12 – Charisma and Control: How Steven Camp Manipulated Followers 28:20 – The Psychology of Cult Leadership: Charm, Power, and Obedience 29:54 – Danny’s Father and the Inner Power Struggles of Cult Leadership 34:42 – The Collapse of the Church of Immortal Consciousness: How the Cult Unravelled 35:38 – Living Through a Dying Cult: Emotional Survival and Family Loyalty 39:32 – When Religion Becomes a Cult: The Danger of Absolute Truth Claims 40:56 – Breaking Down Belief: The Importance of Deconstructing Your Faith 42:32 – Existentialism Over Dogma: Danny Rensch’s New Spiritual Philosophy 42:46 – Self-Awareness as Healing: Becoming the Best Version of Yourself 43:01 – Life After the Cult: Chess as a Lifelong Passion and Escape 43:14 – From International Master to Chess Commentator 43:27 – How Danny Rensch Balances Chess with Real Life 43:42 – Best Chess Openings: Nimzo-Indian vs. Queen’s Gambit 44:13 – Dark Moves: A Critically Acclaimed Memoir of Cult Survival and Chess Success ----- Quillette is an Australian-based online magazine that focuses on long-form analysis and cultural commentary. It is politically non-partisan, but relies on reason, science, and humanism as its guiding values. Quillette was founded in 2015 by Australian writer Claire Lehmann. It is a platform for free thought and a space for open discussion and debate on a wide range of topics, including politics, culture, science, and technology. Quillette has gained attention for publishing articles and essays that challenge modern orthodoxy on a variety of topics, including gender and sexuality, race and identity politics, and free speech and censorship. --- Quillette's revenue comes from our readers. We are a grassroots organisation that relies on voluntary subscriptions and community membership as our primary revenue stream. Support Quillette by becoming a subscriber: https://quillette.com/#/portal/signup Or donate send us a one-off tip: https://quillette.com/#/portal/support We made our website using Ghost, a powerful app for new-media creators to publish, share, and grow a business around their content. It comes with modern tools to build a website, publish content, send newsletters & offer paid subscriptions to members. Try it here: https://ghost.org/?via=claire91