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Notes -
Alternative explanation, presented as a devil's advocate position with much less charity for Tim Ballard - he was leading a cult and cults often turn into sex cults when their leaders are sufficiently in control of the group. Even the eventually notorious Jim Jones started his cult with what looks like sincere dedication to the anti-racist cause, charity, and equity for all. That Ballard and OUR inspire incredible passion and loyalty from their followers, that the followers are often steeped in conspiracy theories about evildoers going to the highest level of international governments, and that Ballard has experience with LDS doctrine are the sorts of things that make think it's entirely possible that this organization could go from being primarily do-gooders to being basically a cult. What's fun is that this story can fit neatly with your James Bond narrative - if there's anything I've learned from listening to Timesuck cult episodes, it's that these leaders seem like they eventually come up with reasons that they just have to screw the attractive women in their cult, and that the leaders seem to at least somewhat believe the story they're telling. Tim Ballard could have believed that he was the James Bond of the anti-slavery world, that it was very important that he have sex with his followers, and there's a pretty good chance that people would just kind of go along with it until something snaps that makes everyone rethink what the hell they're doing.
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