Blown For Good: The Man Poised To Bring Down The Church Of Scientology
Most people haven’t heard of Marc Headley. He’s not a celebrity, but he has met Tom Cruise. In fact, Tom audited Marc during his Scientology training courses at Gold Base. Tom may not remember Marc, but he’ll know him soon enough.
Marc Headley is a former Scientologist who worked at the Hemet, California desert compound called Gold Base. For 15 years, Marc worked long hours at the 500 acre guarded facility, also referred to as Int Base, or International Base. Marc was a member of the Church’s paramilitary group called Sea Organzation, or Sea Org. Sea Org members are recruited from within the organization’s ranks of poorly paid workers and volunteers, they are made to sign a “billion year contract” and are often forced to live away from family and friends doing the type of manual labor typically reserved for slaves, inmates of illegal immigrants.
It is at Gold Base, where the now infamous story of the “flowered meadow for Nicole Kidman” occurred. As the story goes, Scientology President David Miscavige forced Sea Org members to work round the clock creating a flowered meadow for Tom Cruise and his second wife Nicole Kidman to frolic in, simply because Cruise mentioned it to Miscavige as a fantasy he had for the two.
To understand what drove Marc Headley to confront one of the most litigious organizations in the world, you must understand Scientology’s leader David Miscavige. What Miscavige lacks in size (he’s reportedly only 5′2″) he makes up for in blinding fits of rage. Perhaps driven by a deep-seated insecurity, Miscavige uses his power and rage to intimidate and “motivate” those beneath him.
Unfortunately for Miscavige, he underestimated one such subordinate.
Reports of Miscavige abusing Sea Org members are nothing new. Glosslip detailed such first-hand accounts in our interviews with former members of the group, including Jeff Hawkins, another long time ex-member who was also physically abused by Miscavige.. When we interviewed Headley, he corroborated Jeff’s claims, stating he witnessed Miscavige abusing members during his time at Int/Gold Base. Here’s an excerpt of that Glosslip interview (full transcript here):
Well, from the time I showed up at Golden Era Productions in 1990, I had been there maybe a few months when I saw David Miscavige physically beat somebody up. And that was in 1990. So it’s not like this just developed over the past five years, there’s a pattern going on.
All the way up until I left in 2005 I’d say that I saw David Miscavige physically strike somebody or slap as you say or punch in the face, I’d say I witnessed myself at least thirty different occasions, myself. And I heard from other people second hand many more instances that occurred. That was the turning point was for me. In late 2004 I was walking through the main factory facility with David Miscavige and I had made a smart-alec comment in response to one of his questions, apparently he’d not had a good day already and my comment was not well received and he proceeded to unload on me.
He punched me in the face at least ten times and my glasses fell off, I was thrown up against a desk unit, a counter top, and that was the moment right then when I realized I could go no further down than this, to be beaten by the leader of my so-called church. What else could I do that could get me in a lower status than that? And I decided that I would strike back. As soon as he saw that in my eyes, I was grabbed and escorted out of the building and made to take a walk for about an hour or so. He sent several people off to console me, that he really shouldn’t have done that and he was really sorry. While I was being escorted out of the room I heard him say to his staffers, “He was going to hit me back”.
And I thought to myself, “Do you know what? I really was, I really was going to hit you back”. At that point that I started figuring out what I was going to do because I wasn’t going to be staying there much longer. And in January 2005 I left. A lot of people, a lot of Scientologists think that Dave Miscavige is the savior of the church and all those things that he’s done have kept it alive, basically the reason they are still around. That might also be the reason why they’re not going to last, because of the crimes, the physical violence, the emotional and mental torture, that he puts people through, its mind-boggling.”
Marc has written a book titled “Blown For Good” detailing his experiences inside the cult and what has happened to him since he left in 2005. Marc has been fair-gamed (a tactic of intimidation Scientology officials claim they no longer use) and he has been disconnected from family and friends (another tool used to keep ex-members from talking about the abuses they suffered). Marc has many grievances against the Church of Scientology and has a pending lawsuit which is set to blow to lid off of the super-secretive organization. We will be doing a multi-part series on Marc’s allegations against the Church of Scientology in what we believe will be the most damaging blow to Miscavige and his followers since the infamous Time Magazine article titled “Scientology, Cult Of Greed” hit newsstands in 1991.
For those who don’t believe a so-called “church” is willing to break laws to keep its secrets in tact, we offer a police report from the Riverside County Sheriff’s office, detailing Headley’s escape from Gold Base in January of 2005. For a recounting of that day, click here for an excerpt from Marc’s upcoming book.
POLICE REPORT AFTER THE JUMP.
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Marc Headley has been thrown out of the Church of Scientology, I heard. Maybe his book is about what he did to trigger them off to boot him?
Headley otherwise is a very good example of what is called an apostate, former disgruntled member or simply someone with an axe to grind. Sometimes they sue and harass just to be right about betraying their friends. Says someone who must know:
“The above analysis [" The Reliability of Apostate Testimony About New Religious Movements"] clearly shows that while there is a certain incidence of apostasy in new religious movements, the overwhelming majority of people who disengage themselves from these non-conforming religions harbor no lasting ill-will toward their past religious associations and activities. While they frankly acknowledge the ways their religious needs and hopes were disappointed, they were able to realize some positive meaning and value from their past experiences. By contrast, there is a much smaller number of apostates who are deeply invested in discrediting if not destroying the religious communities that once claimed their loyalties. In most cases, these apostates were either forcibly separated from their religious community through the intervention of family members and anti-cult groups, or soon came under the influence of anti-cult groups and literature after their own voluntary defection from a new religious group.
There is no denying that these dedicated and diehard opponents of the new religions present a distorted view of the new religions to the public, the academy, and the courts by virtue of their ready
availability and eagerness to testify against their former religious associations and activities. Such apostates always act out of a scenario that vindicates themselves by shifting responsibility for their actions to the religious group. Indeed, the various brainwashing scenarios so often invoked against the new religious movements have been overwhelmingly repudiated by social scientists and religion scholars as nothing more than calculated efforts to discredit the beliefs and practices of unconventional religions in the eyes of governmental agencies and public opinion. Such apostates can hardly be regarded as reliable informants by responsible journalists, scholars, or jurists. Even the accounts of voluntary defectors with no grudges to bear must be used with caution since they interpret their past religious experience in the light of present efforts to re-establish their own self-identity and self-esteem.
In short, on the face of things, apostates from new religions do not meet the standards of personal objectivity, professional competence, and informed understanding required of expert witnesses.
Lonnie D. Kliever
Dallas, Texas
January 24, 1995″
Comment by Jeff — February 26, 2009 @ 11:01 pm
PS: Sorry, I forgot, the source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apostasy – Footnote 29
Comment by Jeff — February 26, 2009 @ 11:03 pm
I feel sorry for you, Jeff.
Comment by charlotte — February 26, 2009 @ 11:10 pm
Is there something wrong with Lonnie?
Comment by Grace — February 26, 2009 @ 11:10 pm
Headley has a shady past. He tries to write a book since about a year. How much money did he ask from YOU for “operation costs”? Are you sure you will get it back?
Comment by Guiseppe — February 26, 2009 @ 11:13 pm
I feel sorry for Marc. He has to keep up with a lot of stupidity. Poor guy.
Comment by Wonderwoman — February 26, 2009 @ 11:18 pm
Bring caek! For example: Carrot Cake Cheesecake Recipe
Crust
1/4 cup
1 cup
1/4 cup Butter, melted
Graham cracker crumbs
Brown sugar
Carrot Cake Layer
1/2 cup
1 1/2
3/4 cup
3/4 cup
1/2 tsp
3/4 tsp
3/4 tsp
1/2 tsp
1/4 tsp
1 cup
1/3 cup
1/8 to 1/4 cup
1/8 cup Vegetable oil
Eggs, beaten
Granulated sugar
Flour
Salt
Baking soda
Baking powder
Cinnamon
Nutmeg
Carrots, peeled and grated
Walnuts, chopped
Raisins, soaked in
Hazelnut liqueur
Cream Cheesecake Layer
16 oz.
1 (14 oz) can
1 1/2
1/4 tsp
1/4 cup Cream cheese
Sweetened condensed milk
Eggs, beaten
Salt
Lemon Juice
Topping
1 Tb Toasted hazelnut crumbs
Comment by Mary Louisa Brignotti — February 26, 2009 @ 11:23 pm
Bring caek! For example: Carrot Cake Cheesecake
http://www.cooksrecipes.com/category/cake.html
Comment by Mary Louisa Brignotti — February 26, 2009 @ 11:25 pm
Leave Marc alone! He is going through such a hard time!
Start by considering this statement:
“Suicide is not chosen; it happens when pain exceeds
resources for coping with pain.”
Help him stay alive!
Comment by BringDownTheBringDowner — February 26, 2009 @ 11:31 pm
WTF?
This fat ass has what?
Comment by Anonymous — February 26, 2009 @ 11:35 pm
Give this man a medal, he needs it.
Comment by Giuseppe Lagioia — February 26, 2009 @ 11:38 pm
To understand how weird and suspicious this is, you have to understand the truly mysterious relationship between Headley and the IRS. The IRS aggressively pursued legal action against Boombalou for decades, before VERY mysteriously caving in and giving Milk an incredibly generous settlement in 1993 – a settlement which came right after Cor$ Fuhrer David Hard walked into the office of the IRS Commissioner unannounced and held a private meeting with him.
Comment by I Know — February 26, 2009 @ 11:42 pm
Another great piece Dawn.
Looking forward to the series.
Comment by Rachel — February 26, 2009 @ 11:45 pm
Disappointing…. I though this is a place to see blow jobs not this scienology shit. “Blown for Good”, nada.
Comment by Disappointed — February 26, 2009 @ 11:47 pm
Thanks! for another great article!
I just saw his youtube video last week. It was a very powerful, informative video and definitely a must see.
I actually made sure everyone I know watched it just so they would be informed.
Kicked out? I think not. I think he’s very brave to have escaped.
Comment by Mom — February 26, 2009 @ 11:47 pm
Hey Jeff, thanks for that reference (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apostasy)
“Benjamin Beit-Hallahmi, a professor of psychology at the University of Haifa, argues that academic supporters of New religious movements are engaged in a rhetoric of advocacy, apologetics, and propaganda, and writes that in the cases of cult catastrophes such as Peoples Temple, or Heaven’s Gate, accounts by hostile outsiders and detractors have been closer to reality than other accounts, and that in that context statements by ex-members turned out to be more accurate than those of offered by apologists and NRM researchers.”
Comment by tall tail — February 26, 2009 @ 11:53 pm
@BringDownTheBringDowner
Ambrosia, my friend, is what you need!
Makes you not die!
But so is scientology doing you good.
And #^$ this Marc Headless!
Comment by Joffe — February 27, 2009 @ 12:02 am
Oh, also Jeff’s referenced wikipedia page says that Lonnie D. Kliever wrote about apostate testimony “upon request for Scientology”.
Comment by tall tail — February 27, 2009 @ 12:02 am
Nice catch tall tail!
I thought using wikipedia was against the rules. I didn’t even bother to check it out!
Comment by Mom — February 27, 2009 @ 12:21 am
Fantastic piece. The Scilons making comments here are so pathetic it’s actually funny. I’m really looking forward to Marc’s book. THE END IS NEAR, SCILONS!
Comment by Cynthia Jenkem — February 27, 2009 @ 12:34 am
[...] Church Of Scientology February 27, 2009 Posted by pseudoscientology in X-Members. trackback From Glosslip.com Most people haven’t heard of Marc Headley. He’s not a celebrity, but he has met Tom Cruise. In [...]
Pingback by Blown For Good: The Man Poised To Bring Down The Church Of Scientology « PseudoScientology — February 27, 2009 @ 12:43 am
YAY flippin MARC he got out!
Comment by Anonymous — February 27, 2009 @ 1:14 am
Keep up the great work Dawn. I can’t wait for Marc’s book, and of course, for yet another legal judgement to be brought against the criminal cult of Scientology.
Comment by Avery1 — February 27, 2009 @ 1:27 am
You usual repetition of half-truths, outright lies and facts. A “Dawn Olson”, so to say.
- L
Comment by Louanne — February 27, 2009 @ 1:58 am
You comment Scilons are really pathetic today. What is the matter OSA, lose all your good people and had scrape the bottom of the barrel?
Losers
We run this.
Comment by Anonymouse — February 27, 2009 @ 2:22 am
Oh, btw, how is your “Global Obliteration of Psychiatry” going?
Comment by Anonymouse — February 27, 2009 @ 2:24 am
We fucking run this. Thanks Dawn for the support.
Comment by Anonymous — February 27, 2009 @ 2:32 am
A high up in $cientology escapes.
Awkward.
Comment by marcab — February 27, 2009 @ 2:43 am
Great work Dawn! But I was just wondering why you let trolls try to fill up the comments page with their B.S. and asking for blowjobs and whatnot?
Comment by Anonwins — February 27, 2009 @ 3:15 am
And I suppose right after “they kicked me out”, they thought sending three vehicles after me to make sure I left okay would be a smart idea? Hey honey, I have a Suppressive Person Declare that clearly states that I left without authorization.
You wanna hear about apostates? Stay tuned. You will hear all about them in the weeks to come. They will make me look like a Tea Party!
All the OSA trolls better stock up on batteries and water. The storm is coming and its heading your way!
Until next time…
BFG
Comment by blownforgood — February 27, 2009 @ 3:19 am
Good reporting Dawn, Marc is indeed a brave soul and its good to see him speaking up.
Jeff’s pathetic attempt at discrediting ex’s who want to get their stories out by using sci-lon generated propaganda that was designed to do exactly that, is, um, well pretty much pathetic, but also pretty typical Co$ carp imho.
At least this article’s comments haven’t been totally bombarded by inane off topic rantings and forcing closure (I refer to the arrests at Gold story, yikes that was painful). Yet.
Did someone shake their pecan tree?
XP
Comment by Mr. Ogson — February 27, 2009 @ 3:36 am
Great work, Dawn! Scilons are so afraid of you it looks they are on Glosslip Watch 24/7 to pounce on the comments lol.
Re Apostates: O RLY? you mean like Catholic apostates David Miscavige, Tom Cruise, and Greta van Susteren?
The Church of Scientology is not a church, as Cardinal Marc Ouellet said publicly in Quebec recently. The Papal Nuncio to Hungary publicly called Scientology a totalitarian business.
You can’t apostatize from something that is not a religion. Scientology is not a religion. No one believes Scientology is a religion except Scientologists and a few New Religious Movement scholars, who are as gullible and naive a group of academics as exists. None of these people has actually spoken with escapees like Marc from false imprisonment at the Gold Base Gulag .
No, you morons, Marc and others who have escaped the totalitarian corporation are not apostates. They are heroic escapees and defectors from a totalitarian business empire.
You can read my blog For Great Justice for more information on the recent amazing news of Cardinal Marc Ouellet speaking critically of Scientology and defending Anonymous’ right to free speech.
Now that the Catholic Church is speaking up it is time for the other churches to start speaking up as well. It is time for all the great human rights organizations to rise up against the worst suppressor of free speech and human rights abuser in our society.
The Sea Org is forcing women to have abortions. Where is the moral outrage from the churches at that?
It is falsely imprisoning people. Where is Amnesty International’s outrage at that?
Comment by Damian DeWitt — February 27, 2009 @ 4:05 am
The scieno-nuts are out in full force here in the comments. They only make $cientology and it`s followers look worse and don`t change anyone`s opinion… except to reinforce the conviction that $cientology is an abusive criminal CULT! $cientology is almost dead…just listen for the final death rattle.
Comment by parrotnutz — February 27, 2009 @ 4:31 am
[...] Source: D [...]
Pingback by Celebrity Blog | Babelogs | Celebrity Gossip » Blog Archive » Blown For Good: The Man Poised To Bring Down The Church Of Scientology — February 27, 2009 @ 6:05 am
I for one will buy this book when it comes out. Marc Headly has drawn the line in the sand and has bravely and boldly said “No More”. Amazing how far you think you can push someone and when that person finally stands up to the bullies and says No the bullies get all flustered and disorganized and use all kinds of tactics to regain control. Tick tock Scientology the meek are standing up for themselves and their stories are being heard. Dawn you so deserve some journalistic award for telling these stories.
Comment by Mitsu Too — February 27, 2009 @ 8:15 am
“Oh, btw, how is your “Global Obliteration of Psychiatry” going?”
About has well as the completion of that SUPER POWERS!! building.
And yep, the $cilon trolls are out in full force.
Unfortnuately for them, it won’t make a bit of difference. Thr dismantling continues….
Comment by Rachel — February 27, 2009 @ 8:52 am
i am starting a communications course within days, in fact. i am surprised that there is all this animosity towards scientology. the critics here describe it in no way, shape, or form as people at the scientology place that ive come to know. strange.
Comment by jason — February 27, 2009 @ 9:11 am
Scienos are just sad, if you need support in life, go for an alternative method or an established religion, I am an atheist, so its all hogwash to me, but unlike scientology, you wont be used and abused (urmmm we shall gloss over catholic priest shall we?), you wont have to give all your money up, you wont me blackmailed into staying in this ‘cult’ for the rest of your life just because they know of a few indescretions in your past (ones that no one probably cares about anyway)
Cant you scientologist see there are nicer, easier ways to get support/acceptance or to better yourselves other than this cult…. power corrupts and there doesn’t seem to be anyone more corrupted/screwed up than Miscavige.
My dream is for Tom Cruise to come out, go against scientology and become a real hero, and save the planet – from them!
We need to shut down scientology asap, they do too much damage!
Comment by Rachel — February 27, 2009 @ 9:42 am
#37: That’s because they know that if you knew the WHOLE deal on what you’d have to give up; from your job, to your family, friends, eventually your freedom and even your VERY LIFE… you’d bolt outta there.
Did you even READ the police report? Are you calling Marc a liar? If his story is untrue, where is the evidence refuting it?
Comment by A Watcher — February 27, 2009 @ 10:01 am
Jason,
Scientology is a funny thing. Like most cults, it seems really awesome at first- I mean, you get automatic friends, lots of wins, and some of the comm stuff actually seems to work. The problem is that as you spend longer in Scientology, your courses- yes, even your comm courses- teach you a specific way of thought. The longer you spend as a Scientologist, and the more resources and time you devote to the “church”, the more you accept this mindset that allows for easy brainwashing.
Take word clearing. I’m sure you’re familiar with the concept: If you don’t understand something, you’re supposed to use an appropriate dictionary, or go and ask your instructor/an upper-level scientologist who can explain it to you in a way that you can understand. This seems quite harmless, but as you progress in it and fall deeper into the mindset, it forms a hierarchy of knowledge, and you obtain your information from one source only.
However, if you don’t join staff or become a habitual scientologist, you probably will not run into the sort of abuses that Marc Headley describes. For you, if you stick to communications courses, keep your job, and don’t invest significant time in the “church”, it probably won’t be anything too damaging for you personally… but then you see staff, who are working for 39c/hour (a right they “signed away”); you end up catching a glimpse of some RPFers (Rehabilitation Project Force: work/prison camps where sea org members who fail are sent to do hard labor and effectively beg for forgiveness); you may notice that some staff just “disappear” sometime. Or you may have the misfortune to run into an OT who still has clear mental problems and even possesses a modicum of sadism.
By this point, of course, you’re not supposed to question these things. If you have questions in your head, you’re to take them to your handlers and let them answer them for you. And if you ask those questions, you might even get subjected to sec checks or punishment.
Jason, the fundamental problem with Scientology is that it is not a self-correcting organization. Anyone within Scientology is taught to think a certain way, and anyone who still manages to question anything that comes from higher-ups is considered a potential trouble source/suppressive person. This is why policies like “fair game” (the name repealed, but not the activity), disconnection, and forced abortions go on– because if you disagree with anything that happens, you have two choices: shut up and be a good follower, or get the fuck out of scientology.
And I’m sure you’re beginning to know how hard the second one is: scientology for you has probably delivered a number of wins, and you’ve made so many new wonderful friends. You’re already learning that you have the secret to solving any of your problems and that you are a very powerful being who can learn to do good on a mass scale.
Could you leave that idea behind at the drop of a hat?
If you disagree with something that comes from CoB, is it really a good existence to either shut up and hope nobody finds out, or leave what has become your life?
That’s unjust by nature.
Cheers,
DCAnonymous.
tl;dr: Scientology can deliver a number of perceived wins, but there is no mechanism in it to correct abuses. This probably won’t effect you unless you become a hardcore scientologist; remaining public, you are merely complicit in the denial of wages, forced abortions, and false imprisonment of individuals.
Comment by DCAnonymous — February 27, 2009 @ 10:16 am
Well I can’t wait to read this book!! Thanks Marc for being so brave and starting your life over.
Scientology always blames whomever left their cult on whomever left their cult. In other words….they sat peopleleave because they are disgruntled and have an axe to grind with Scientology. So they write a book ful of lies. I have heard it over and over again. That is Scientology’s only defense. And it is a sad one.
With all the people leaving and speaking out, it is going to get tougher and tougher for Scientology to keep using the same old excuses and defenses. They are coming less and less credible daily and people are finally starting to realize that they are a litgious ruthless bunch of lost people trying to “clear the planet” , and the higher ups are the only ones making money and using their members.
Scientology’s days are numbered, and I commend Marc for bringing that realazation closer to that goal with this great book. I will be sure to buy it!
And to Marc, if you are listening…. kudos Sir!
You are brave and a huge inspiration to us all.
I hope those still trapped inside a safe exit out of the cult.
Comment by Paully — February 27, 2009 @ 12:02 pm
Thanks Dawn
You helped break open the David Miscavige violence story, by allowing Jeff Hawkins and Marc Headley to tell what life was life at the top ranks of the staff bureaucracies.
When the dust settles, in a few years, when new people defect out of the top ranks of the Scientology staff hierarchies, my guess is we will hear that the violence, the staff to staff beatings STOPPED, date coincident with your radio shows with Marc and Jeff and Maureen.
You did a good public service.
Ad hominem attacks are Hubbard policy.
Scholars have their status to uphold, but they don’t serve the public either by muzzling us “ex members” (I’m one too, and you had me on one of your shows too, thankyou Dawn), and us “apostate” ex members tell it like it is.
I’ve introduced Jeff Hawkins to scholars, and Jeff’s told of the violence Jeff received.
The story is out.
Top ranks Scientology staff have engaged in pitiful disgraceful behavior with each other, and the story of WHY in that tightly controlled TOP level of the Scientology movement staff bureaucracies, WHY does violence erupt, THAT is the story scholars and outsiders somehow want handed to them on a silver platter.
Well first step, is members like Marc Headley detailing the events.
Those events happened.
Thankyou Dawn for having the guts to be the landing zone of a disgraceful hurtful period in the history of top ranks Scientology movement history.
We are all human beings, and our ideas should NOT prevent us from hearing other human beings’ stories.
Marc Headley and Jeff Hawkins and Maureen Bolstad Smith, and Gerry Armstrong are telling the truth when they detail the pitiful staff to staff abuses in their years in the semi-monastic “Sea Organization” ranks.
I myself was almost 7 years on the RPF, although due to my own whacked in the head mentality, I mostly liked the grueling work. Some people are suckers for menial grueling head deadening work.
I fight against the bad Hubbard ideas that are church of Scientology rules, that pretty much still at present result in people put into predicaments they have been led into, and are difficult to back out of, without severe repercussions, loss of friends, loss of family, loss of all status, and that penalty backlash pressure that is the result of the Hubbard Scientology worldview and rule system, I focus on Hubbard’s writings.
Hubbard’s writings cause all the hurtful predicaments ultimately.
Scholars, if they someday get around to sifting through Hubbard’s cannon of writings, fully, and scholars fully go interview hundreds and hundreds of Scientologists, THEN they will get this also.
Hubbard’s dogma, his unchallenged rules and writings, are the bottom level CAUSE of these predicaments and recurring controversies.
Good for Marc Headley.
thankyou for all time Dawn Olson.
Chuck Beatty
ex Scientology staffer (1975-2003)
412-260-1170 Pittsburgh, USA (anyone call me after 9pm east coast time)
http://tinyurl.com/49g722
http://tinyurl.com/295khy
http://tinyurl.com/cgrg7
http://tinyurl.com/38ptz8
http://tinyurl.com/ywhgaf
http://tinyurl.com/5xkdl5
Comment by Chuck Beatty ex cult staffer advanced dupe 1975-2003 — February 27, 2009 @ 1:12 pm
In a democracy anyone can join any religion & then if they choose can sooner or later leave a religion.
They can agree with whatever religion they join & then may come to disagree with such religion.
Scientology doesn’t like disagreement with it (Hubbard ) as its purpose is toward enforcing agreement to it & if anyone disagrees with it or chooses to leave it then they are regarded as treacherouys or an enemy.
Scientology attempts to make itself like a military establishment or military dictatorship using words like betrayal & treachery against it & enemy of it as if people because they initially chose to join it must be compelled or are obliged to stay enlisted to it eternally.
This is of their wishful thinking within the ideals of their megalomania underlined by their paranoia.
In effect Scientology can act like a terrorist organization thru its vindictiveness & antipathy toward democracy.
The wheel is turning for Scientology.
Comment by Moneen — February 27, 2009 @ 1:13 pm
Thanks for the tip on the new book Dawn! I can’t wait to read it! It seems I have caught up with all the info out there on Scientology and have been craving more more MORE!
Comment by froose — February 27, 2009 @ 1:54 pm
“You usual repetition of [...] facts. A “Dawn Olson”, so to say.” wrote Louanne. Indeed facts! – facts are more then Hubbard ever wrote. Nice catch Lou!
Comment by tall tail — February 27, 2009 @ 2:58 pm
Thrown out? They literally chased him on his motorcycle in an SUV in the middle of a rainstorm. And that was in 2005, long after that was allegedly written. And the OP is also speaking in the broadest of generalities about apostates.
Epic fail for OSA. Again.
Comment by Red Pill on Topix — February 27, 2009 @ 3:02 pm
Boy, they sure have a high rate of “apostates” compared to real religions.
Wonder why?
Comment by marcab — February 27, 2009 @ 3:04 pm
It’s probably only because of the advent of Anonymous that BWG is willing and able to finally do something about the violent nightmare he was sub jected to at the hands of the Scientology crime syndicate.
So many victims get money rooked and swindled out of them and far too many victims get subjected to Scientology’s unworkable, dangerous quack medical fraud Scientology calls “NarCONon” and they’re unable or unwilling to speak out and try to put a stop to Scientology’s crimes and abuses.
With Anonymous and the Old Guard chopping away at the Scientology crooks, BFG may feel safe enough to finally speak out not only for himself but for all the other Scientology victims who are still too afraid to.
Comment by Fredric L. Rice — February 27, 2009 @ 3:31 pm
Dawn and BFG, thank you for your excellent work. You can always tell when you are hitting on something that the Scilons actully is alarmed by, because they try to come out in “force”. A pathetic, sad sort of “force” where they try and pretend that people cannot look up facts on their own.
Comment by Evan — February 27, 2009 @ 3:32 pm
I must take offense to people comparing $cientologists to Scilons.
Scilons are wicked cool, even if they are (in the end) far more emotionally fracked than the humans who (kind of) created them.
Third to last episode ever of Battlestar Galactica tonight people!!!!!!!
Oh, what fresh hell is a world without Starbuck and Caprica Six!
Comment by froose — February 27, 2009 @ 3:41 pm
The many attempts to try to discredit Marc in this thread just go to further prove that his story is accurate. He has the cult freaking out. If his story wasn’t true, I doubt they would waste a moment on him.
Comment by charlotte — February 27, 2009 @ 4:05 pm
I know what’s on my next book to buy list and I got to say congradulations to Marc Headley on escaping from Scientology. I would of never thought how much would come out against Scientology in the last year or even that Anonymous would still be protesting. Everybody that protested against this dangerous cult should be extremely proud of themselves.
Comment by Tony — February 27, 2009 @ 4:13 pm
Just adding my praise to Dawn and, especially, to Marc Headley. Can’t wait to buy the book.
Also, Dawn, how about tracking down the two cops from Riverside County Sheriff’s dept for a comment?
Comment by Heather — February 28, 2009 @ 1:10 am
I think that everytime someone says anything negative about scientology there is someone to jump up and discredit them. Well, the can’t all be lying. There are far too many people coming out of this movement (I refuse to call it a church) saying the exact same thing. You can try to discredit Mr Headley as much as you want, but he is saying the same things as others. It is not new. It is a belief system that draws people in with lies. Like you can be any religion and be a scientologist. I saw Tom Cruise say that myself on TV. You can’t edit that. That is a lie. Anyone at the Level Tom has gotten to would know. Their whole process of recruitment is filled with lies and bulling. Well done, Dawn, for letting the world know about this issue. I have appreciated it.
Comment by Cory — February 28, 2009 @ 8:04 am
Great report Dawn, keep up the good work. This may seem off topic but I had taped the oscars & just watched them last night and I was wondering If anyone saw Steve Martin on the oscars, he seems to take a swipe at $cientology when he can. Let us not forget the classic Bowfinger!
Comment by interested — February 28, 2009 @ 2:53 pm
Great stuff, keep it coming.
Let’s take a close look at that IRS agreement now.
$cientology – the cult of greed and lies…
David Miscavige is quaking in his dwarf’s lair.
Stop beating the slaves Davy…
Comment by toots — March 1, 2009 @ 6:07 pm
Hello Scienologists
You’re “church” had been exposed so well, it’s downfall is gonna come and it is not going to be pretty.
You are the ONLY ones who have not seen both sides of the story to make your own conclusions. You are not allowed.
Wow, all you scientologist adults out there, doesn’t this sound like you’re getting a biased treatment?
Start remembering who you used to be and find your way out.
In the public eye now, whenever scientology is mentioned, it is rediculed and will now never be taken seriously from the general public.
You ALL look like idiots, which is sad.
Way to GO ANONYMOUS!
Comment by tiger — March 4, 2009 @ 3:35 pm
Kudos again Dawn! I have just finished The Complex and a piece of Blue Sky. Looking forward to Marc’s book! $cientologists: some grammar and spelling courses might help you greatly. It appears the “Tech” really doesn’t work very well, nor is it a substitute for a good education! Two words: “Net Nanny”. You who seek the truth will never find it while you are still “in”.
Comment by Remonstranon — March 17, 2009 @ 3:09 pm
[...] ex Scientology members. Books like The Complex by John Duignan and Blown For Good by Marc Headley(which we recently did an article on) are just two examples of ex members shedding more light on this abusive cult. There is also a new [...]
Pingback by GlossLip » ABC’s Nightline Takes a Look Inside The Evils Of Scientology — October 23, 2009 @ 8:24 pm
Wow, how did a scientologist get the first post? It is enough to make someone paranoid.
Comment by Anonymous — October 25, 2009 @ 1:45 pm
I just got here and noticed that the 1st post is a standard scientologist reaction of “A=A=A”, that any defector has to be at fault – it’s never that the holy Church could have done anything bad.
The person identified as “Jeff” who posted that note clearly does not know Marc and didn’t bother to check up on him.
As far as I know, all statements and legal demands made by Marc are valid claims, and he and Claire can on their own cause the whole Sea Org to be outlawed (as it should).
Comment by Smeso — October 29, 2009 @ 10:13 am