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    Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood, and the Prison of Belief
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    Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood, and the Prison of Belief
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    Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood, and the Prison of Belief
    Audiobook17 hours

    Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood, and the Prison of Belief

    Written by Lawrence Wright

    Narrated by Morton Sellers

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    National Book Award Finalist


    A clear-sighted revelation, a deep penetration into the world of Scientology by the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Looming Tower, the now-classic study of al-Qaeda's 9/11 attack. Based on more than two hundred personal interviews with current and former Scientologists-both famous and less well known-and years of archival research, Lawrence Wright uses his extraordinary investigative ability to uncover for us the inner workings of the Church of Scientology.

    At the book's center, two men whom Wright brings vividly to life, showing how they have made Scientology what it is today: The darkly brilliant science-fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard, whose restless, expansive mind invented a new religion. And his successor, David Miscavige-tough and driven, with the unenviable task of preserving the church after the death of Hubbard.

    We learn about Scientology's complicated cosmology and special language. We see the ways in which the church pursues celebrities, such as Tom Cruise and John Travolta, and how such stars are used to advance the church's goals. And we meet the young idealists who have joined the Sea Org, the church's clergy, signing up with a billion-year contract.

    In Going Clear, Wright examines what fundamentally makes a religion a religion, and whether Scientology is, in fact, deserving of this constitutional protection. Employing all his exceptional journalistic skills of observation, understanding, and shaping a story into a compelling narrative, Lawrence Wright has given us an evenhanded yet keenly incisive book that reveals the very essence of what makes Scientology the institution it is.


    From the Hardcover edition.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Random House Audio
    Release dateJan 17, 2013
    ISBN9780385393058
    Unavailable
    Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood, and the Prison of Belief
    Author

    Lawrence Wright

    Lawrence Wright is a staff writer for The New Yorker and a fellow at the Center on Law and Security at New York University School of Law. The author of six works of nonfiction, including the Pulitzer Prize-winning The Looming Tower: Al-Qaeda and the Road to 9/11, he lives in Austin, Texas.

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    Reviews for Going Clear

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    • 3/5
      Geez Louise . . .
    • 4/5
      This book proves once again that truth is so much stranger than fiction....even science fiction.
    • 4/5
      Summary: Wright’s book covers the history of Scientology from the youth of L. Ron Hubbard, to Scientology’s founding, to the current scandals.My Thoughts: Going Clear is meant to be impartial, though I found it to lean heavily in the anti-Scientology direction. For instance, it provides pages and pages of stories that make the reader cringe, followed by a short statement saying that the Church of Scientology does not verify those claims. If it were impartial, it would spend the same amount of time presenting the Church’s side as the opposing side.It is, however, clearly well researched. I had some knowledge of L. Ron Hubbard previous to reading this book – my grandpa knew him for a short time while he was still an aspiring writer, and so my dad has stories about that. I had no clue that he was so cruel, dishonest, and mentally ill. (Other than having a clear problem with believing in his own invented stories.) The only other book I’ve read on Scientology was Beyond Belief, by David Miscavige’s niece Jenna Miscavige Hill. My view of David Miscavige was colored by Ms. Hill’s rendition of him, which was much kinder than that in Going Clear. She did briefly mention that there was rumor of his violence, but not anything that would make me suspect the violence that Wright reports. I found this book to be believable, well-researched, and eye-opening. Definitely worth reading if you’re interested in learning about Scientology from the non-Scientologist’s view. It gets four stars (loses half a star due to claims of impartiality).
    • 5/5
      “In 1996, the church sent CDs to members to help them build their own websites, which would then link them to the Scientology site; included in the software was a filter that would block any sites containing material that vilified the church or revealed esoteric doctrines.”

      This book is 450 pages long, and filled with horrifying – and fascinating – things. But it wasn’t until page 386 that I actually stopped in my tracks and dog-eared the page with the above sentence. It is just so deeply fucked up to use what should be a nice, innocent gesture (‘here, let us help you build a website’) to do something so underhanded.

      I love this book. It is dense but extremely easy to read. It is laid out logically, it is exquisitely researched (his fact-checkers on the New Yorker article that preceded this book had over 900 items they verified), and it is fascinating. I took so much more away from this than just “man, that is a screwed up religion.” Because honestly, I think if we had access to any religion’s leadership within the first few years of its existence, with the investigative resources we have now, someone could write a book like this. I am pretty sure that the leadership of many (most?) organized religions have done some seriously screwed up things (e.g. covering up pedophilia, **cough** Catholicism **cough**), but I don’t think that means that the practitioners are evil, or stupid, or mentally deficient.

      This book delves into so much that I could write pages and pages about it. It talks about what makes something a religion – is it spirituality, is it a belief structure, is it a group of practitioners who do similar things – as opposed to a cult. It discusses the dangers of government choosing what is and is not a religion (in the U.S., it’s basically all up to the IRS, which is just weird). It looks at whether this tax exemption designation is really fair, given the fact that it can cover up all manner of hideous human rights abuses (such as those suffered by the Sea Org members of Scientology).

      Mr. Wright also looks at the responsibility those who make themselves the face of religious movements have to those who are treated horribly by the church leadership. When I mention Scientology, you all probably picture Tom Cruise first, then John Travolta. If you think on it a bit, you might picture Jenna Elfman, or Kirstie Alley. Given what Mr. Wright so carefully and deliberately lays out as the horrible actions taken by church leadership, and the mountains of evidence available about the violent nature of its current leader, should we hold these people responsible for their willful ignorance?

      If that weren’t enough, the book also got me thinking about the nature of belief, and what people are willing to do when they think their life and salvation are on the line. If you are a deep believer yourself, but of a more established religion, some of the things church members go through might not seem so unbelievable if you replace Scientology with a fundamental version of any belief system. If you truly believe that L. Ron Hubbard had some deep connection to the realities of the universe, and the meaning of life, and that the systems he has provided are the best way to make you the best person you can be, then it makes sense that you would stay even when you are scrubbing a dumpster with a toothbrush.

      But that gets to the huckster piece of things. Was L. Ron Hubbard mentally ill? Evil? A con man? Much of the first half of the book really focuses on him, and I get the sense that he was a bit of a con man but that he was mostly a deeply troubled person who probably could have seriously benefited from the psychiatry that he built his church to fight against. It’s possible his writing has helped a lot of people. But the Church – that is, the leadership, and those who don’t speak out against and fight back – have done so much harm. And it isn’t so easy to just say ‘why don’t you leave’ – the book outlines so many horrifying ways that the church leadership manipulates people into staying. It’s complicated and an almost textbook example of how to control people with fear.

      So what I’m saying, 750 words later, is: read the book. It’s fascinating.
    • 3/5
      Scientology, the whipping boy of religion. And after having read this take by Lawrence Wright it seems deserving so. There is a lot of baggage with this self proclaimed religion that basks in its tax free universe.If there ever was a definition of cult this has got to be it. Many stories of chilling treatment and escapades that makes one wonder here how crazy things can get. Pretty crazy. Yet for the many followers and and true believers it is there guiding light.Not the first and not the last kid on the block when it comes to new found religions. And Wright sums things up at the end likening Scientology with its many predecessor religions like say Mormonism or even Christianity. Are things so different when we look at some of the claims closely. Maybe not.
    • 5/5
      My only complaint is that it doesn't go far enough. Otherwise an excellent and disturbing piece of investigative journalism. Based on a two-part story that ran in the New Yorker about actor Paul Haggis, it reminds us why we need to support long-form journalism and magazine and newspaper writing.
    • 4/5
      Lawrence Wright provides in Going Clear a clear and deep insight into one of the most controversial new religious movements of the twentieth century, Scientology. Drawing on extensive interviews, with both current and former Scientologists including former high-ranking officials such as Mark Rathbun former Inspector General of the Religious Technology Centre, and extensive archival research Wright outlines the life of L. Ron Hubbard and the inner workings of the movement.

      What Wright thus shows is how Hubbard developed the unique cosmology of Scientology, how the church pursues celebrities, how numerous young people have joined the Sea Org and signed away one billion years of existence in servitude, the trauma of disconnection - when members must cut off all contact from friends and families perceived as hostile, and troubling stories of callous and indifferent violence perpetrated by the current head, David Miscavige.

      Wright has expertly synthesised all this research into a compelling and at times disturbing narrative that traces the full history of Scientology from its curious genesis to the celebrity culture that permeates it now.

      At times, the narrative slows and its focus on Paul Haggis, while giving a personal touch to the story and providing focus, sometimes diverts too much attention. The repetition of allegations against Miscavige and the church countered by the latter's denial while highlighting a toxic mind-set in the church's hierarchy is all the more depressing because of the categorical and repetitive denials.

      Nevertheless, along with Hugh Urban's [b:The Church of Scientology: A History of a New Religion] Wright's book provides much-needed discussion and academic research into a secretive and controversial movement.
    • 4/5
      Scientology is a strange thing. Based on the writings of the late L. Ron Hubbard, a science fiction writer, it was achieved the dubious distinction of being, arguably, the most controversial "religion" currently practiced. Adherents like Tom Cruise claim life-changing and enriching experiences. But wrapped up in these experiences is a demand for total adherence to the philosophy's precepts mixed with continuing demands for bigger donations -- to the extent where many well-to-do people have found themselves bankrupt.On top of these demands is the oddness of the belief system, something so peculiar that I'm not sure I can relate them fairly or honestly. For me, this is extraordinary since I have spent most of my life in studying the religions of the world, looking for one that would fit my cosmology and philosophy. There are times, in fact, when Scientology almost feels like that serpent who penetrated the Garden of Eden.Lawrence Wright has done an excellent job in presenting both the positives and negatives of the religion. It is a good read even if, in the end, you have more questions than answers.
    • 4/5
      This is a history of Hubbard's development of this religion, and also of its more bizarre aspects. The religion is very vindictive toward any threats or opposition. It overwhelms opponents with lawsuits and harassment. Also, its closer adherents are part of Sea Org, and that involves a commitment of a billion years. Any shortcomings there may lead to humiliating isolation or punishment.There is mention of a prep school in Sheridan OR. Also, much time is spent on Travolta and Cruise, and how the Hollywood connection developed.
    • 4/5
      A very interesting and well written book. However, it seemed like a lot more information than I ever really needed to know about Scientology. I would have been happy to have read a book half this size.
    • 4/5
      Really enjoyed this chilling insight into the mind of a truly gifted and inquisitive, yet devious and by all accounts unscrupulous fellow who in most ways accomplished what most people on the planet strive for. To leave their mark on the world.
    • 4/5
      Fascinating and scary book. Very well researched which, given the secretive nature of the scientology organization, must have posed numerous challenges. Scary in that it demonstrates how vulnerable supposedly intelligent people can be - and what kind of abuse they'll endure in the name of a religion. Especially scary in the exploitation of children and teenagers (esp. girls) it exposes. L. Ron Hubbard is exposed as a fraud, creepy, and probably criminal. Compelling read.
    • 3/5
      My mild curiosity about the controversies that have swirled around Scientology for most of my life spurred me to search out this book.Learn from my mistake. A "mild" curiosity isn't nearly enough motivation to plow through this exhaustively-researched tome. Hence, the three-star rating isn't as much a reflection on the author's investigations as it is on my mindset that spurred me to say "okay, I've learned enough" about halfway through the work. That being said, "Going Clear" serves up some jaw-dropping relevations without seeming to be heavy-handed or sensationalized. Folks looking for the "Hollywood" connection that is touted in the book's title won't be disappointed, either. Tom Cruise, John Travolta and other Hollywood luminaries make more than cameo appearances in Wright's work. Readers who are committed to discovering more about Scientology will likely find this book fascinating. Those of us with a mild curiosity about the subject should probably wait for the Reader's Digest version.
    • 5/5
      This is a thought provoking book. While it is highly, and rightly, critical of Scientology (more on that below) it prompts one to consider the nature of all religions and why people are drawn to any of them. What are the defining characteristics and functions of a messianic leader? What are the elements of faith-based beliefs? When can it be said that a construct of spiritualty is legitimate and necessary and when and how is it misguided and harmful? Are there many wrong "ways", but just one right "way"? My sense is that if you answer these questions about Scientology you need to ask them of all other religions as well.The book's principal themes focus on L. Ron Hubbard as a personality and creator of an elaborate belief system, on the cult-like nature of Scientology, on its repressive control of its members, on its tactics to pursue its opponents, and on its use of celebrities to advance its aims.Certainly it can be agreed that Hubbard was an amazing character. His imagination was astoundingly fecund, his works generated prolifically, and his personality extraordinarily charismatic. But, Wright portrays an arguably delusional and paranoid mentally ill person with an autocratic despotic nature toward his circle. Hubbard was a chronic liar and a philanderer, but was he a fraud? The doctrine of the religion he created has many features common to established religions (e.g.s a soul as our essence, the impending return of the messiah, a prescribed path to immortality, etc.), but it also veers into science fiction based nonsense involving ancient alien races and titanic inter-galactic struggles that have determined the nature and problems of humankind today. It's really far-out stuff, but when you think about the doctrines of traditional religions (virgin birth, resurrection, receiving golden tablets from an angel in an upstate NY field, being rewarded for killing/martyrdom with 72 virgins in paradise, etc.) are these on their face any less fantastic? It calls itself a science because it is supposedly based on scientifically sound natural laws, but that's completely off base; it's a faith-based belief system that requires faith in received (concocted) doctrine.All that said, at a fundamental and important level, Scientology must do some good for some people, as all religions can, or it wouldn't succeed. The question is does its potential for harm outweigh the good it does? Like other cults it is a vitally important consideration and I would agree with the author that this is on balance a dangerous cult. One example is the church's well-known opposition to psychiatry and psychotropic medicines. While psychiatry, like other branches of medicine, is not without troubles in its history, pressing people to forswear proven medical interventions is a harmful thing. Another feature of Scientology is its system of extracting money from its adherents. To progress to higher levels one must pay large sums to "audit" the teachings. Again, although different in magnitude, not unknown in other religions.Another aspect of Scientology that is common to other cults is its requirment for complete loyalty and the rejection of family and friends who don't share one's beliefs. This is similar to shunning seen in other religions. Even more coercive and vicious is Scientology's pursuit of apostates and others who criticize the church. It is clear that this church will go to any lengths to hound and persecute its perceived opponents with legal and illegal tactics.The book covers extensively Scientology's cultivation of Hollywood celebrities like Tom Cruise and John Travolta to gain publicity and support. This is a key strategy for the church and one seems quite successful. A major figure in exposing the dark side of Scientology is Paul Haggis, a well-known screen writer and director.The church is oppressive to the point of gross abuse of its staff, utilizing various punishments in the guise of "rehab" when it perceives shortcomings or waivering. It pays its staff next to nothing and expects a lifetime commitment. Such tactics are appalling, but, again, when you think about the historical or even current behaviors of established religions (e.g. inquisitions, fatwas, etc.) Scientology doesn't seem unique and unprededented.Is Scientology a religion or a fraud? Governments around the world have attempted to address this question. Some have restricted or banned it; others (including the US) have granted it status as a religion. In the end, I would have to conclude that Scientology is indeed a bona fide religion; it has all the aspects that one associates with religion. But, like many other sects, it is on balance a dangerous one; certainly, it has done some good for people, but also puts them in harm's way. ]
    • 5/5
      A fascinating book. I kept checking the footnotes for the sourcing, and it seems amazingly well-documented. All religions are cults to some extent, and they all have weird beliefs that, if you've grown up with them, just seem to fit with your world-view. God is up there in heaven and Mary and Joseph didn't have sex to have Jesus etc. But Scientology is really really weird, and all those people treated like slaves, living in squalor on 75 cents a day while David Miscavige feasts, are even weirder. Wright explores all aspects of this so-called church: its founding by Hubbard, who couldn't seem to succeed at anything; Miscavige's tyrannical narcissistic personality; its celebrities (what's with these people anyway?);its successful tax evasion strategies; and its litigiousness, which keeps it insulated from criticism (I wonder what they're trying to do now to Wright).Two things I would have liked to understand better: how exactly was Hubbard able to build such a powerful empire? and how did Miscavige get to be so powerful after Hubbard's death? More psychological analysis would have helped - but that would be all speculation, which Wright admirably avoids.
    • 5/5
      Wright has given us a facinating and meticulously footnoted examination of both L. Ron Hubbard and the religion he founded, Scientology. The facts reveal that not only was L. Ron Hubbard prolific in his words and larger than life in his personality, but he was also a horrible person who physically abused his wife and was disingenuous about his past. After reading this book, I'm pretty clear on the fact that Scientology isn't just weird--it is exploitative. Those who sign on to the billion year contract of its innermost acolytes, the Sea Org, often toil fifteen hours a day, seven days a week. Regardless of the hours worked, Sea Org members do it for a mere fifty dollars each week. If members try to leave, they are sued for the money which they would have raised for the church of Scientology. Even conforming to the rules of the organization is no protection from being punished when reality fails to conform to the wishes of church leaders--high ranking members of the church of Scientology are routinely sent to isolated camps where they are subject to sleep deprivation, physical and emotional abuse. My hat goes off to Wright for tackling this challenging subject.
    • 5/5
      In Going Clear, Lawrence Wright takes an in-depth look at Scientology. One of the problems that faces anyone outside the church trying to get information is the wall of secrets and lies built up around it since its inception.With a founder like L. Ron Hubbard, a pulp writer with a penchant for tall tales, both professionally and in his personal life, it is difficult to separate fact from fiction. Wright does the best he can, getting the inside scoop from those who have left the church, and whatever information those still inside would allow him to know.Wright splits his book into three parts; the life and mind of L. Ron Hubbard and the origins of the religion, the effort to build a celebrity following to increase the popularity of the church through the power of Hollywood, and the horror stories of those who claim to have been mistreated over the years and their desperate escapes from the church (while I believe these stories, I say "claims" because the church outright denies them and vilifies anyone making such accusation).If you've ever been curious about the truth behind one of the most controversial new religious movements, this book is definitely worth a read. Wright is detailed and tries to present both sides of the story (though the church's counterpoint is often made through attorneys and not through the actual person involved, especially in the case of Tom Cruise and David Miscavige, current head of the church).
    • 4/5
      Lawrence Wright's epilogue to Going Clear sums up my feelings about this book quite succinctly. No matter how shocked or horrified or disgusted or scared or baffled you are with the underpinnings of Scientology and the ongoing behaviors of its believers, just study any other religion and you will uncover religious principles, stories and directives lacking in any fact basis; human rights abuses; disgruntled former believers who now feel duped and disillusioned; and lots of financial resources sheltered from government taxation. What makes Scientology especially disturbing to me, though, is the emphasis on self-centeredness, narcissism, and individual gain at the exclusion of all others. Wright's book focuses on the celebrity Scientologists just like the religion itself focuses on the celebrity Scientologists. There are definitely the haves and the have-nots within this church. Out of curiousity, I tried to find the nearest Scientology center to me in Birmingham, Alabama, and was not so surprised to find that there is a Scientology Celebrity Centre in Nashville, Tennessee. There apparently are not enough celebrities in Alabama to warrant any other presence by the church. That is OK with me. This book got me thinking and talking - definitely worth a read.
    • 5/5
      Mesmerizing.
    • 4/5
      This was a fascinating, in-depth look at the history of Scientology & L Ron Hubbard. Sometimes brutal, sometimes sympathetic, it seemed to be a fairly unbiased examination of the origins, history, motivations and legacy of the church and it's complicated culture.

      I went into this book hoping to understand the plight of those who have escaped the CoS, and felt that it met my expectations wholeheartedly. I'd recommend it to anyone wanting to understand the cult mentality, symptoms associated with any kind of exodus from an organization, the mental health of survivors, or the fascinating history of a developing new religion.

      The end of the book is full of references and sources (where available).
    • 5/5
      I found this book to be a real page-turner. Scientology carries a strange fascination for me from a sociological point-of-view. It has so many characteristics of a cult, and yet unlike most cults it operates fairly out-in-the-open (although, as this book illustrates, the glittery face it presents to the world masks a lot of ugliness underneath).

      Still, Lawrence Wright, a writer for The New Yorker, pursues a question of great interest: what causes people to put their faith in an organization/religion even after they have met plenty of evidence that the reality behind it is quite contradictory to its ideals? Wright doesn't dive deeply into the psychology behind it, but it finally comes down in the end to the conclusion that the will to believe can be a much stronger force than mere human reason.

      And the verdict on Scientology itself? That's succinctly summed up in a court decision issued against the church in 1984:

      "The organization is clearly schizophrenic and paranoid, and this bizarre combination seems to be a reflection of its founder [L. Ron Hubbard]. The evidence portrays a man who has been virtually a pathological liar when it comes to his history, background, and achievement. The writings and documents in evidence additionally reflect his egoism, greed, avarice, lust for power, and vindictiveness and aggressiveness against persons perceived by him to be disloyal or hostile. At the same time it appears that he is charismatic and highly capable of motivating, organizing, controlling, manipulating, and inspiring his adherents. . . . Obviously, he is and has been a very complex person, and that complexity is further reflected in his alter ego, the Church of Scientology."
    • 4/5
      This books was very informative and comprhensive. I applaud the author for writing such an open and honest evaluation of the largest cult in operation today. My opinion of Tom Cruise as a person has diminished considerably and I hope that David Miscavige gets his just deserves.
    • 4/5
      Excellent book, terrifying report. I was frightened after I read it that I would look out the window and see a group of them standing on the sidewalk in front of my house staring at me.
    • 3/5
      An informative, but frustrating read in the sense that you just want to pound some sense into the people being exploited and abused within Scientology. Also, too, L. Ron Hubbard and his successor, David Miscavige were (Hubbard) and are (Miscavige) assbags of the first order.
    • 5/5
      Despite the fact that Lawrence Wright does an admirable job of relating the "tenets" and history of Scientology objectively, this book cannot be published in the UK because of how their libel laws are written. The IRS had to drop its lawsuits against Scientology because the vast monetary resources of the "religion" threatened to exhaust the IRS's budget. This is a powerful organization that can be ruthless against attempts to penetrate the truth of what happens inside the "church". A cautionary tale of how money equals power in America.
    • 5/5
      A fascinating and quite disturbing look at L. Ron Hubbard's Church of Scientology and its astonishing entrenchment in Hollywood. I knew Scientology was weird but I had know idea of the extent of its strangeness. I fail to see how the Church of Scientology qualifies as a religion. There's no worship rituals of God or any other diety. It's not based upon sacred scriptures of any kind unless the collected works L. Ron Hubbard counts. Hubbard is esteemed by most Scientologists as an infallible god-like figure but he's not worshipped. There's nothing scientific about it. There are thousands of devotees who give up their lives to a kind of identured servitude (and maybe psychological and physical abuse) in service to the "church." The current leader, David Miscavige, comes off as a megalomanical kook in the vein of a non-lethal Jim Jones or David Koresh. What the Church of Scientology seems to essentially be is a self-help racket that charges people for courses in all sorts of self-improvement subjects and "auditing." What particularly impresses me about Wright is the even-handedness with which he tackles the subject. He lets the absurdity and nonsense speak for itself and it comes through quite loudly.
    • 3/5
      Narrated by Morton Sellers. What an odd and scary religion: billion-year contracts, a background and beliefs straight out of a science fiction novel, abusive punishments for adherents who don't toe the line, and horrific, lying leadership. The one thing about Scientology that made sense to me was a line to the effect of "don't believe everything you're told; listen and decide what makes sense to you." (Which apparently, Scientology leadership doesn't go by!) If you're curious about what Scientology is, the controversy, and why so many celebrities like Tom Cruise are aligned with it, this is a clear-headed presentation (but obviously with a bias against it). Sellers reads in a stern tone that presents the facts and condemns them, too.
    • 5/5
      Not just revealing but makes you think about the origins of all religion- period.
    • 5/5
      GOING CLEAR is a book everyone should read. In it, Lawrence Wright examines Scientology any way he could, by interviewing Scientologists and former Scientologists and by researching texts that others had written, even in spite of harassment these writers often received from the Scientologists. Some texts came straight from documents written by the founder of Scientology, L. Ron Hubbard.This is where the book begins, with an explanation of the cult/religion and its beginnings. L. Ron Hubbard's own writings are used extensively here. I think they sound pretty silly, even unintelligible at times. But lots of people bought it and still do. Why? (There is evidence that the number of Scientologists is dwindling, which is disputed by the cult/religion.)Next Wright attempts to explain the history of Scientology and experiences by particular Scientologists and former Scientologists. Because the cult/religion prizes celebrities, many of these were/are Hollywood stars, especially Tom Cruise.My determination: This cult/religion isn't just silly. I find what Wright describes to be sickening, the physical abuse most of all.I'm glad I read it, and you will be, too. Once you get through all the explanations of Scientology's silly beginnings, the book becomes unputdownable.
    • 5/5
      LORD HELP ME! This book was outta control. I wish it was science fiction. You ever read a book and it lifts the curtain and it's like you can see clearly for the first time? That's what this was. Obviously I'm familiar with the controversy surrounding Scientology and I know that this religion was created by the Science Fiction legend, L. Ron Hubbard, but other than that... I didn't know anything. Reading this was eye opening and terrifying. All religions are unique, but this "new one" is pretty freaking scary. Lawrence Wright does an amazing job outlining L. Ron Hubbard's life, early stages of Scientology, its ties to Hollywood, and the terrifying reality for those that get sucked into it. Scientology is INSANE. I get all belief systems are a little "unique" but this one is out of the ballpark. You have to read it to believe it. After reading this I cannot wait to watch some of the documentaries and read more. It's almost unbelievable.