CAUTION!   In this episode we talk very vulnerably, honestly and explicitly about sex and our personal experiences.   We feel this is not appropriate for younger kids.  Regarding teenagers...  for those who may have already been influenced by or are struggling with the teachings of "purity culture" and/or fundamentalist principles, our unvarnished real-life experiences may be useful and instructive.   Please use discretion.In this Part 1 we discuss: 1) The  "Promise"- remaining a virgin until marriage will give you the healthiest, happiest sex life possible (pssssst - nope!)2) The "Predicament" - what the heck is a good Christian supposed to do with all those sexual feelings and the decision whether / when to marry, and3) "Purity Culture" - the packaging and selling of this definitely-NOT-innocuous belief system to unsuspecting young people (and their parents)NOTES & CORRECTIONS:  Sharon wondered about the publication date of the book "The Joy of Sex"...  turns out it was in 1972, so she was most likely 11 or 12 years old when she first perused those pages. Tracey was right - those home movies in the '70s WERE "Super 8" mm... which means she is also right that Sharon IS F%@*ing OLD!"Feet of Clay - Confessions of the Cult Sisters" is a new podcast hosted by  Sharon Madere (Bennett)  and Tracey Phalen (Reed), who both worked alongside Keith and Melody Green at Last Days Ministries (LDM).  As one-time key leaders in the organization, they go on record about the spiritually traumatic and often damaging influences of the Greens and the multitude of materials (many of which are still available today) published through LDM, including 'The Last Days Newsletter'.  Sharon and Tracey each joined LDM as teenagers, where they met and married their respective spouses during those cult-commune years.  Both couples independently left LDM in 1987 and moved hundreds of miles apart.  They continued in their hard-held beliefs for over ten additional years, yet ultimately divorced in the early 2000s.  In this podcast Tracey and Sharon  come together to talk about their parallel journeys out of the cult mindset, the long process of unpacking indoctrination and spiritual trauma, and their separate but often co-mingled road to healing and  humor.   Come join them on the journey!https://www.instagram.com/feetofclay.cultsistershttps://feetofclayconfessionsofthecultsisters.buzzsprout.comWe love acronyms -- and we aren't afraid to use them! Here are some common ones that we might forget to explain:LDM - Last Days Ministries (organization) ICT - Intensive Christian Training School (at LDM)YWAM - Youth With A Mission (organization) CCM - Contemporary Christian Music