Was I In A Cult? - CHRISTMAS BONUS!: “Here Comes Santa Cult”

Episode Date: December 22, 2021

There are many a Christmas tale that we all know and love, but this one, dear listener, we can (almost) guarantee... that you have never ever heard this one.   'Twas the night before Christmas and through the town's center, not a creature was stirring, not even a cult member...   Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays! From our family, to yours.   ----   "Was I In A Cult" Instagram   ----   Research NY TIMES ARTICLE FROM 1899: Mnason got arrested  GUILTY! After Mnason got out of prison, 1903 Thomas Nast Changed Santa  Mnason T Hunstman Obituary   Please support Was I In A Cult? Through Patreon  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Spoiler alert, this episode makes mention that a certain December-centric holiday character is in fact fictional and may not be appropriate for those working hard to be on the nice list if you know what I mean. Welcome to Was I an occult? She's Liz Ayakuzzi and he's Tyler Miesam. And this is our first bonus episode. Bonus for you dear listeners because we love you and appreciate you. Now this won't make up for that Christmas bonus that you didn't get at work. But it is our holiday gift to you. It's a heartwarming Christmas cult tale. So light the fire, get out the gingerbread cookies and hot toddies. Grab your loved ones, gather round the hearth, and let old Liz and Tyler tell you a story of long, long ago.

We're talking a shit long time ago, people. Back to 200 AD. Meet the humble Christian Bishop, Bishop Nicholas of Myra. That's right, the man who would become St. Nicholas, Mr. Father Christmas himself. And what about him? Well, he sucked. And by sucked, she means he sucked the energy out of the room. He had no charisma, no panash.

This wasn't the rosy-cheeked, hoe-hoeing Santa Claus we all know today. The original St. Nicholas was of Greek heritage, and was neither fat nor jolly, but tall and thin. And according to National Geographic was, quote, fiery, and a defiant defender of church doctrine during the great persecution in the year 303 when Bibles were burned and priests made to renounce Christianity or face execution. Because of this, his legacy lived on well after his death, and by about the year 1200,

he became known as a patron saint of children and magical gift-bringer. Because in Bishop Nicholas's heyday, he sold all his worldly belongings and gave everything he owned to the needy. He wore no jolly red suit, but instead donned a tunic, cloak, and tall, pointy hat, and he wasn't even known as Santa Claus. That name evolved from St. Nicholas's Dutch nickname, Sinterklaus. Sorry. But for hundreds of years, this patron saint of children, he had no slay, no elves, nor magic reindeer. He was a serious man who wandered the woods at night by lantern light.

Well, that was his first problem. Don't creep the woods at night, dude, looking to give away minty sticks to random children. They're gonna get the wrong idea fast forward a few hundred years to the mid 1800s set course for 1800s 1800s coming right up For those who feel that the good old US of A is currently in a rough patch, well, it ain't America's first rodeo kids. In the mid-1800s, our country was in a bit of a mess. It was dark times and the country needed hope that there would be light on the other

side of this damned civil war. And there's something about the holiday season that just lifts the spirit no matter what the external circumstance. But the feeble, malnourished, stocker-like, cremugin St. Nicholas wasn't helping the situation. This holy dude desperately needed a queer eye makeover. So the German American artist named Thomas Nast, known as the father of the American cartoon, stepped up to the plate and decided to make St. Nicholas a superhero. Nast's reinvented St. Nicholas image was published in the 1862 Christmas issue of Harper's Weekly, and a new and improved Santa Claus was born.

Wearing an American flag outfit, he arrived on a sleigh pulled by reindeer handing out gifts to Union soldiers. Confederate soldiers were obviously on the naughty list. And there it was. Thomas Nast had created the first jolly gift giver and hope was born. Tan France and the boys would be so proud. But it would be 50 years before the jolly old dude was ready for major endorsement deals. So artists, illustrators and advertisers at the prestigious Art Students League in New York worked tirelessly to perfect this new and improved Santa 2.0. But they were quickly

losing hope that they would ever find their perfect prototype. And then one not so foggy summer day in 1916 the wind whipped open the door and a whiskered man appeared. He was there to answer an ad about modeling as Santa. The man's name was Mason, T.A. Huntsman. He bore a snow-white beard, broad face, big rosy cheeks, and a little round belly. That quite possibly shook like a bowl full of jelly. And lo and behold, he was perfect. They had finally found their ideal Santa Claus. But what these glee-filled artists didn't know, he he their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their the found their ideal Santa Claus. But what these glee-filled artists didn't know was that this jolly old man had a bit of a sordid past.

Because, as it turns out, this man who became the poster child for the Santa we've all known in love for over a century was in fact... A cult leader. That's right folks. Mason T. Huntsman was in fact a maniac loony-tuned cult leader. Okay, Ghost of Christmas Pass.take us back. Mason, T.A. Huntsman, was born sometime in the 1850s in Stroudberg, Pennsylvania. We don't exactly know when, because Wikipedia didn't exist back then, guys, and papers, they get lost over time. I mean, do you know where your birth certificate is? Yeah. Great. Anyways.

Mason was orphaned at the age of eight and raised by a nearby farm family and lived there until he was 18 when he moved to New York City. Now for reference, you might know the Scorsesey film gangs of New York. That was set in 1862. So New York was wild as hell around that time. Mason once told a reporter, quote, There was not a worse young man in the streets of New York, which I made my place of residence as I did not hesitate at any depth of sin.

But then, at the age of 31, he was converted by a sidewalk evangelical and had a spiritual awakening, like all the great cult leaders do. He then changed his name from Mason, M-A-S-O-N-A-S-O-N, to Mason, M-N-A-S-O-N, after an old disciple from the Bible, Mason of Cyprus, who is said to have helped foster the Christian faith through hospitality. I can just see this douchebag now. N-N-Syceiola. In 1887, a few years after his spiritual epiphany, Mason was invited to participate in an evangelical revival by Reverend Samuel H. Switzer, a controversial religious man in his own right. During this revival, Mason berated the villagers of Park Ridge, New Jersey, and called

the village a pest hole of sin and the local pastors of the Reformed Church, leaders of the imps, and the prince of the devils. The villagers did not take the insults lightly. How does this silly man, Mason with the silent end come to their town and talk trash? So they threw rotten eggs at him, a forgotten tactic if you ask me? And then it all came to a gruesome head. That Sunday evening, an angry mob of about 100 people broke into the house Mason was staying and cut off all of his hair and beard. That means he's a sown bitch, get him!

Seal his cane. Take all of his chickens. Make sure he doesn't have any of his chickens left. And sent the bald, clean-shaven dim store preacher,, a packing on the next train out of town. Who's the imp now, Mason? Manason. But like many a stubborn cult leader, Mr. Silent and kept his preachings, and by 1889 had a large group of followers who referred to him as the New Christ. Will you call me that from now on? I'll call you the New and Improved.

Thank you. Christists. But the town spoke around him didn't take much liking to this peculiar preacher man. And in January of 1889, Mason was tried in court for blasphemy, impersonating a savior. A charge I wish we could pull out today, and child abduction. Child abduction?

Yes. In an attempt to grow the group, he convinced two young girls to leave their homes and come stay with them. The girls were, and this is a direct quote, obliged to do anything he wanted. But they were brought home after two weeks. Mason was found guilty and sentenced to six months in the county jail and fined $100. About $3,000 in today's money. But the world hadn't seen all they were going to see from this future Santa. Following his stint in the clenterms, a family named The Storms opened up their woodcliff,

New Jersey farm to Mr. New Christ and his followers. Following his stint in the clinker, a family named The Storms opened up their woodcliff New Jersey farm to Mr. New Christ and his followers. And there it began. Silent End took on yet another name. Paul Blouden, Mason, and converted the family farm to, wait for it, the Lord's Farm. A religious commune is centered around Mason's ideas of Christianity. Which I guess included child abduction and potential rape? Mason's ideology focused on a section of the Bible known as the Sermon of the Mount,

in which Jesus emphasizes morals and virtue. But Mason's interpretation of this was to live an upside-down kind of world of carnivals and revelry. Which seems appropriate for Jersey. Members of the group even took on names like Blaudina, Titus, Thelka, and Silas the Pure. They divided labor equally and used the farm's wagon for their furniture moving business. They referred to each other as brother and sister, didn't cut their hair and adhered to the plainness of dress policy. And as if all that wasn't fun enough, guys, they were also caffing-free vegetarians.

And took a strict vow of chastity. And then, rumors began to swirl in farmland about this group of stone-cold weirdos that had moved in. It was said they didn't believe in marriage and didn't observe the Sunday Sabbath as the day of rest, the nerve. But the biggest rumor of all was a bit more risque. Q, weird cult music here. Neighbors claimed that twice a month, New Christ and His People would hold a dance called the Angel's Dance, to drive away the devil.

The group would appear as Venus. Which means naked, as in the Roman goddess Venus, and stand in a circle holding a blanket between them. And while chanting a sacred hymn, Mason gave the devil a blanket tossing, waving the blanket to drive away the devil, while the Venuses sang and danced. Because everyone knows the Prince of Darkness

is deathly afraid of bedding. Many tales are told of the wild orgies that were held at this farm. I guess those chastity vows came with a disclaimer. Colts, they do love a loophole. The blanket waving may have chased the devil, but it didn't keep the townsfolk away. And years of clashing began. The local authorities and neighbors were constantly at odds with the communards

of the Lord's farm. By the way, the definition of communeard, the comminard, the the the the the the the the communeard is is they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they do they do they they they they do they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they the communards of the Lord's farm. By the way, the definition of communard is one who lives on a commune. And in 1893, the nards of the commune were arrested on accusation that they were conspiring to cheat and defraud the only Storms family member who wasn't a true believer, Mr. Herman Storms right out of his farm. Herman Storms testified that the angel dancers had been living on his farm for five or six years, and in his own words. They carried on nights and made it extremely unpleasant for me.

They broke furniture and crockery and destroyed food. I was eating supper one night when Mason told Howe to get up on the table. She did so. I had some bread and butter and preserves on my plate and she stepped on my food. I took her arm, I pulled her off the table. Then my daughter, Mary, Mason, and others. well, they got on the table. There was a fresh baked cake a setton on that table, and they all stepped on it as they passed. As we all know, if there was one thing that New Jersey doesn't tolerate, its outsiders are stomping on a man's bag goods. Mason was thrown in prison in Trenton, New Jersey for one year.

A whole year in prison for food stomping. The 1890s wouldn't know what to do with 2021. And the court ordered the storms to return home and live as a normal family. But cult leaders can be so predictable. After he was released from jail for the third time, Mason goes right back to the Lord's Farm, picking up right where he left off. And even after all this, the Storm family were still true believers. Except for Herman.

Poor dude. But the legal battles continued, and Mason was arrested yet again in 1899 for assault on two young girls who had been brought to the Lord's farm by their parents. This guy puts Charlie's Sheen to Shane. to to to to to to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. the to. their. their. to. their. their. their. their. their. their. their. their their their their their their their their th. th. And. And th. And th. And th. And th. And their their their their their their their their their their. And. And. And. And. And. And. And. And. And. And. And. And. And. And. And. And. And. And. And. And. And. And. And. And. And. And th. And. And. And. And. And. And. And the. And. And the. And, the. And, the. And, the. And, the. And, the. And, thea. And, th. And, th. And, thea. And, th. And, thea. And, the. And, young girls who had been brought to the Lord's Farm by their parents. This guy puts Charlie Sheen to Shane. After several more years of clashing with authorities and poor Herman Storms. And after the deaths of several of his main believers. In 1910, after a full 20 years of commune-arting, Mr. Silenand deeded the Lord's Farm back to the storms,

folded up his devil-chasing blanket, and dissolved the communal living of the angel dancers once and for all. And just like the spirit of Christmas past, he disappeared and hung up his preacher hat for good. The end. Sike! You guys, he's a cult leader. They never stop until forced to, you crazy kids.

In an effort to reinvent himself, Mason immediately moved back to New York City and opened a church for black parishioners called the Church of the Living God. Now there isn't much information about how long the Church of the Living God was up and running. And keep in mind he was a man of many names. But there is no mention of Mason Huntsman again until that fateful day in 1916 when he walked into the Art Students League to pose as Jolly Old St. Nicholas. Santa Claus. He became the most important Santa Claus figure of his time, being used by famous illustrator J.C. Lyondecker in an iconic image of Santa, peeking through a snowy window. And he is said to be the inspiration for another famous artist, Norman Rockwell, who went on to depict Santa Claus on many covers of the Saturday Evening Post.

And as the real Mason walked the streets of New York City, children who believed him to be Santa Claus would stop him and ask for things for Christmas. And he always told them that they could have it no matter what it was. Because he believed that American parents would spoil their children with whatever they wanted. So it would be inevitable that their wishes would come true. And while he had given up his dreams of the Lord's Farm and Communal Religion, aka cult, he never gave up on his wild ideologies. He continued to write verse and would spout his beliefs to anyone willing to listen.

Including children at the town square, where he was hired to play, sit on my lap Santa. So next time you take your child to the mall to sit on an innocent bearded old man's lap that says ho ho, ho, merry Christmas, just think. They could be sitting on the lap of an insane, narcissistic cult leader, because apparently stranger things have happened. Mason T.A. Huntsman died in 1922. Or did he? Because apparently he knows when you're sleeping and knows when you're awake. And he knows when you've been bad or good.

So be good. For Mason's sake. Here's wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a very happy holidays, from our family to yours. If you would like to see photos of Mason and his Santa Doppelganger, visit the Was I in Inc. There is a link in the show notes. We would very much like to thank all the people who make this podcast possible and our families

who support us doing this crazy thing. Keep in mind that we are going to take a week off to drink to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to their their their their their their their their to drink their their their their their their their their their their their their their to their to their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their family family family family family family their their their their their family their their family their family their family.... tha. tha. tha. tha. their their family. their family. their family. tha. their tha. tha who support us doing this crazy thing. Keep in mind that we are going to take a week off to drink eggnog, rap presents and praise Mason, but we will be back in the first week of 2022 to bring you more inspiring stories of people who were in and out of cults. Like this one. You'd go to the airport airport and we would gather a group of maybe 50-60 people and sing songs to all of the weary travelers. I mean like

Himmanyl's like how great thou are. I just want you to picture that men and pants, girls and skirts at the airport this giant group. I mean would you not love to see that when you are just getting off an airplane? Right. It was so embarrassing. Was I an occult a story produced and written by Tyler Mistletoe Miesum? And Liz Ho, Ho, Ho, Ho, Hayacuzzi.

Executive producer is Maya Lump of Coal Howard. Supervising producer and additional writing on this episode is Ari Communard Basile. Our audio editor is the Stalking Stuffer Chandler Mays. Publicist is Lauren Jinglebellion Dutton Green. And our fan of the week is Courtney Clark Kendrick at the Graham Handel at C. Jane Kendrick. Thank you, Courtney. We appreciate you spreading the