Sects Ed

On June 29, 1881, Muhammad Ahmad bin Abd Allah declared that he was the Mahdi, a messianic figure aiming to expel the British and Ottoman Empires from the Sudan and create a theocratic Islamic state. Join us as we discuss the Mahdi's rise and revolt in this first part of our series on the Mahdist Revolution. 

Correction: The Funj Sultanate was founded in the early sixteenth century, not the nineteenth century as we accidentally say.

Mahdist Revolution, Part 1: A Mahdist Proposal

Following the Mahdi's death, Abdullahi al-Khalifa became the undisputed ruler of the Mahdist State. In this second part of our look at the Mahdist Revolution, we discuss the Khalifa's administration of the Sudan, religious conflicts both internal and international, and war with the British Empire during its Scramble for Africa.

Mahdist Revolution, Part 2: Melankhalifa

In this episode, we consult our pineal glands and attempt to explain some of the beliefs and history of a group of people that are occasionally inclined to describe themselves as the Discordians.

"The" "Discordian" "Episode"

In this episode, we discuss the origins of modern Satanism with a look at the life and work of Anton LaVey, author of the Satanic Bible and founder of the Church of Satan.

The music used in this episode is "Carnival Freaks" by Myuu and is registered under a Creative Commons License.

Contemporary Satanism, Part 1: Speak of the Devil

Content Warning: Satanic Ritual Abuse, Child Abuse

In this very special Halloween episode, we discuss the Satanic Panic, including "Michelle Remembers" and the McMartin Preschool Trial containing some disturbing elements. We then bring our story into the present with the Satanic Temple.

Contemporary Satanism, Part 2: Devil's Advocates

Welcome to Sects Ed, a podcast that carefully explores and shares the history of unorthodox faiths. Whether it be cults, heresies, or new religious movements, Sects Ed is dedicated to understanding the beliefs of peripheral faiths and teaching you both how the world viewed them and how they viewed themselves. Thank you for joining us as we analyze religious groups outside the mainstream whose histories are often overlooked. We post new episodes bi-weekly on Tuesdays.