The St. Petersberg Times released a three-part article on Scientology based on the testimony of several formerly high-ranking defectors. The paper's website is also offering a variety of additional materials (available at the same URL) including Scientology objections to the articles.
It's mostly more of the same: the Church of Scientology insisting yet again that all allegations against it are completely false and the invention of mean and spiteful people. There's not a religion as squeaky clean in the entire world as this Church claims to be.
But one of their tactics was particularly notable. "The church prepared binders of indexed material that included confessions the defectors wrote during their time in Scientology," in an attempt to prove the misbehavior of the Times' sources. Confessions are a standard part of Scientology training, meant to help unburden the soul. Members are told such confessions always remain secret, yet here the Church blatantly handed them over to a publisher. Excerpts can be found at the bottom of this page of the expose.
One confession of Mike Rinder goes so far to say "I know that when you [David Miscavige, current head of the Church] say something it is true and it is what has kept me going ..." I'm kind of at a loss of how Miscavige thought that would be a good line to release to the public. That sort of unquestioning loyalty of a leader sets off all sorts of cultic red flags.
What is this incredibly boring infatuation with Scientology?
Please give it a rest, as we are really NOT interested in that subject.
Thank you. Keep up the Good Work.
I don’t know about the prior poster, but I know that many of us are very interested i what you have posted about Scientology and I urge you to continue to share with us your thoughts on the subject.