
About this episode
Pack your hammer and your lack of cultural awareness, because this week on Sounds Like A Cult, we're interviewing Tia Levings, a former Christian fundamentalist, mission trip devotee, and survivor of church-sanctioned domestic violence. Tia is also the author of the brand new memoir A Well-Trained Wife. She joins to discuss the ever-so-common culty practice of recruiting church kids to go on white savior vacations all under the guise of bringing Sky Daddy and ultimate nepo kid Jesus into the lives of people who most certainly never asked for that. Aka, mission trips! Many thanks to all the listeners who submitted call-ins for this episode! Be sure to listen to the end, because we’ve got a verrrrrrrry exciting announcement about next season coming :)
Follow us on IG @soundslikeacultpod @amanda_montell
To order Amanda's new book, The Age of Magical Overthinking: Notes on Modern Irrationality, click here. To subscribe to Amanda's new Magical Overthinkers podcast and/or watch full episodes on YouTube, click here :)
Head to Squarespace.com for a free trial, and when you’re ready to launch, go to https://www.squarespace.com/CULT to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.
Earn points by paying rent right now when you go to joinbilt.com/cult.
Shop the SKIMS Soft Lounge Collection at SKIMS.com. After you place your order, select "Sounds Like A Cult" in the survey and select our show in the dropdown menu that follows.
Go to the App Store or Google Play store and download the FREE Ibotta app to start earning cash back and use code CULT.
Further reading:
Mission trips are an evangelical rite of passage for US teens – but why?
YouTube channel: ExMoLex
Stop going on Mission Trips
Why I'll Never Go on a Mission Trip Again
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Get every episode summarized
Each time Sounds Like A Cult publishes, we email you a written briefing from the transcript — the topics, who appeared, and any specific claims, with the ad reads skipped.
Email me new episodesFree for 3 shows. No card needed.
Hosts & guests
No transcript yet
This episode has not been transcribed. Request it and it moves to the front of the queue.
More episodes
More from Sounds Like A Cult

The Cult of Christian Nationalism
Sounds Like A Cult
Apr 14, 20261:19:19failed

The Cult of Kidfluencers
Sounds Like A Cult
Apr 7, 202657:20failed

The Cult of Pantone (the Color Conspiracy)
Sounds Like A Cult
Mar 31, 20261:01:37failed

The Cult of OneTaste, Creepy Church of Orgasms
Sounds Like A Cult
Mar 24, 20261:00:10failed