Lives Less Ordinary - After doomsday: I outgrew a cult and became a professor

Download After doomsday: I outgrew a cult and became a professor

Jerald Walker grew up in the predominantly white, Worldwide Church of God – a doomsday cult that convinced its followers the world would end in 1972. Raised by blind, African American parents and under the cult's strict teachings, which preached racial segregation and an imminent apocalypse, Jerald’s life was dominated by fear, isolation, and the belief that his future didn’t exist.

When the promised doomsday never came, Jerald and his family were left grappling with shattered beliefs. As his life unravelled, Jerald fell into addiction and crime, struggling to escape the mental and emotional grip of the cult. But through education, an extraordinary teacher and a passion for writing, he found a path to redemption.

Presenter: Asya Fouks Producer: Thomas Harding Assinder

Get in touch: liveslessordinary@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp: 0044 330 678 2784

Published on Monday, 9th December 2024.

Available Podcasts from Lives Less Ordinary

Subscribe to Lives Less Ordinary

We are not the BBC, we only list available podcasts. To find out more about the programme including episodes available on BBC iPlayer, go to the Lives Less Ordinary webpage.