In this episode of Some Topic, Nick and Brett venture into one of the strangest discoveries from their Yellowstone rafting trip: a mysterious compound perched above the river that looked less like a ranch and more like a self-contained nation. What began as a guide's offhand comment about a nearby religious group quickly spiraled into a deep dive on the controversial history of the Church Universal and Triumphant, a movement that mixed Christianity, Buddhism, New Age spirituality, apocalyptic prophecy, and enough conspiracy theories to fill an underground bunker. Along the way, the hosts unpack firsthand observations from the trip, bizarre cult lore, and the uncomfortable reality that some of the people affected by these events are still living with the consequences today.

Brett traces the origins of the mo ...