I realized much too late that Leah Remini is/was a Scientologist. I liked her for years before King of Queens, so much so that I even watched those VH1 documentaries about her wedding and her pregnancy and birth. It was a few years later when I realized that when Leah’s birthing suite went silent, it wasn’t a documentary-styling choice, it was because of the Church of Scientology’s dictate that babies should not be born into the world with screams or any noise whatsoever. So, Leah has been a Scientologist for a long, long time. She doesn’t really get hit with the Xenu label that often because she doesn’t give interview after interview about CoS, and I’d be willing to bet that most of her fans didn’t even know that she’s been rolling with Xenu this whole time. Well, Page Six has a fascinating little item about Leah leaving CoS after questioning David Miscavige’s “methods”. Seriously, where’s Shelly?
“King of Queens” star Leah Remini is making a dramatic break from the Church of Scientology, a source said, after being subjected to years of “interrogations” and “thought modification” for questioning leader David Miscavige’s rule.
The source tells us Remini is quitting because of policies that don’t allow parishioners to question Miscavige’s management or the reported abuse of members of its Sea Org religious order — and for forcing followers to “disconnect” from family members branded as “suppressive persons” if they choose to leave the church.
“It all began when Leah questioned the validity of excommunication of people,” a source said of her decision. “She is stepping back from a regime she thinks is corrupt. She thinks no religion should tear apart a family or abuse someone under the umbrella of ‘religion.’ ”
Former Sea Org member Mike Rinder blogged this week that at Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes’ 2006 wedding, Remini innocently asked where Miscavige’s wife, Shelly, was. Former Scientology Celebrity Centre head Tommy Davis scolded her, “You don’t have the [bleeping] rank to ask about Shelly.” Mrs. Miscavige reportedly hasn’t been seen in public since 2007.
As a result, Remini “was put through interrogations and blacklisted within the church that she donated millions to and that her family has spent their lives in. She was put through ‘thought modification’ for five years,” our source said.
The source added that church friends Remini had for “25 to 30 years wrote internal reports” about her that “caused an investigation on her family.”
Someone close to Remini said she’s weighing going public “when she sees what the church tries to do. She has heard they use people to scare you into silence.”
The source added, “She’s from Brooklyn. The church can’t hurt her . . . they don’t have her family, that’s all that matters to her.” And, “It’s not about wanting or not wanting to do Scientology . . . The issue is that [Miscavige] is taking down this church and hurting people and families.”
A Scientology rep denied all allegations.
Well, that’s interesting, isn’t it? If it wasn’t for the actual threats and cult reprogramming, I’d kind of think it was funny that Leah’s problems began when she innocently asked about Shelly. Seriously, though, where IS Shelly?!
As for all of the reprogramming – excuse me, “behavior modification” for “suppressive persons” – I believe it. I believe it all. And as many former Scientologists have noted time and time again, it would have been much worse for Leah if she had just been a regular non-celebrity person. She probably would have had to do slave labor on Tom Cruise and David Miscavige’s Xenu-of-the-Seas sex yacht. At the very least, she would have been sent to the “Hole” for asking about Shelly.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
Woo Hoo!
I seriously cannot believe what this cult gets away with here in the States. I’m all for religious freedom & whatnot – but this is about the furthest thing from a religion ever. It’s just a pyramid scheme built to prey on those looking for answers in their lives. So disgusting!
The question still remains; WHERE’S SHELLY?
Yes! There are so many “disappeared” higher ups right now in Scientology. Even if 2% of what comes out about Scientology is true – it still is creepier than any fiction I’ve read.
Good question. By some reports, Shelly is being held prisoner in a super secret compound, which unbelievably also holds the Ron L. Hubbard writings for safekeeping from nuclear war. http://tonyortega.org/2013/04/17/love-in-the-time-of-miscavige-a-scientology-tale/
I still can’t wrap my head around the fact our government allows a religion that imprisons or allegedly murders its adherents when Belgium, Chile, Denmark, Finland, France, and Greece have outright outlawed Scientology.
Has noone reported her as a missing person? Is she even officially missing?
What does it take to file a missing persons report. Does it have to be a family member, I wonder.
Cazzie
I dont know if she has been reported as missing but I think that even f it was reported, the investigation would not reveal anything criminal,strictly speaking. Convertees have said that she is living in seclusion in a remote cottage on the property. She is not worked and her circumstances are fairly luxurious by scientology standards. Shw has two companions to hang (watch her) with in shifts. They would conclude that she isnt there against her will. She is merely fulfilling a tenet of her Faith ie penance and correction. Case closed.
Even if there was SOME grey areas, CoS is great at coercing, manipulating and intimidating law enforcers. See the Investigation into the death of Shelleys mother. The woman left the CoS and a short time later was found dead. She had FOUR gunshot wounds to her chest from a shot gun. Obviously it was ruled suspicious death until CoS worked their magic and investigators and coroners were taken off the case for a variety of reasons. The new team declared it a SUICIDE. Because middle aged women are prone to aiming shot guns to their chests when they commit suicide rather than say poison or wrist slashing. Or that this woman in her 60s will fire four times into her own chest as if she couldnt just aim for her head. Or she would use a shot gun instead of a pistol. SMDH
@Sloan, not sure where you got the info that Scientology is illegal in Denmark. I live in Copenhagen and there are two big Scientology locations downtown.
Googled it – Mette, thanks for the correction.
There is a very thin line between religion and cult. Scientology is not the ” furthest thing from a religion,” it’s just the most obvious and insidious in it’s indoctrination.
I’m a religious/spiritual person but even I admit the cultish behaviour of most widely accepted religions. Scientology just has no redeeming qualities to balance the crazy.
“There is a very thin line between religion and cult. Scientology is not the ”furthest thing from a religion,” it’s just the most obvious and insidious in it’s indoctrination.”
^^^^^^^^^^THIS
Thank you so much for saying that.
Seconded.
Religion has become such a broad term that the line between legitimacy and cult has been blurred. Even within well-known religions, there is corruption and power-mongering at some levels. CO$ is like the new guy on the scene, more outlandish than the new guy before it. The scary thing is that cults usually dissolve long before they reach CO$ proportions. Miscavige=Manson…you know?
To blend two posts, I’ll add that legitimate religions and even CO$ are richer than many corporations on the planet. I don’t think any of them should get tax exemption at all. That part isn’t in the constitution, I don’t even understand why it exists.
@Nerd Alert-exactlyexactlyexactly.
You said it all.
I second original kitten – excellent point and thought provoking. Taxation is another form of indoctrination. It seems it is becoming that sites like this is the only place people can openly discuss topics like this – because of all the indoctrination of the masses going on. Thank you for your comment.
Thirded. As a former ‘mainstream’ christian (grew up in a protestant church) and a former LDS member. I know exactly of what you speak.
Scientology quite frankly scares the sh*t out of me.
I completely agree, Dee.
“Even within well-known religions, there is corruption and power-mongering at some levels.”
Nerd Alert, I totally agree. I also COMPLETELY agree with the idea that there should be no tax exemption.
ITA, the privileging of religious groups over other groups tax-wise has got to stop. Just because a group preaches a belief in the supernatural, that doesn’t make it any better than any other group. It’s bad for society and even bad for religion to be privileged in this way, as it leads to corruption.
@I Choose Me – I too grew up in a protestant/Church Of God religion. Not a current attendee (or real ‘practicer’, just know I believe in God but otherwise think it can be way too judgemental), as I always had issues w/certain aspects. My grandparents & both aunts/uncles were all pastors, which put a bit more pressure on me to present the right image to the congregation. (Which sucks, quite frankly). I was always glad that while a believer in a lot of it, my mom just never really kept up w/going, thus we didn’t have to go. (I never enjoyed it, so it was always being forced).
While I don’t see *quite* as many (arguably) cult-like practices in the Church Of God as I do in Catholicism (NO offense intended), there are definitely some.
I totally agree w/everyone who’s commented on this. & Scientology scares the pure shit out of me, too.
F5
Regarding the IRS. I thought the IRS was going to stand their ground against Scientology, but Scientology had private investigators stalk and follow higher ups within the IRS to get dirt and black mail them into giving the tax exemption.
No. This is not the same as ”all religions havean element of corruption”. Religions do ‘t REQUIRE payment to ascend to a next level. Churches/Temples/etc ask you to tithe, but it is by NO means a requirement. Religions also don’t make you cut out all non-believers from your life. The moment a ‘religion’ asks that you sever ties (or declare them ”suppressive persons” and sever ties) RUN because that is a hallmark of a cult. Further a religion doesn’t use threats and intimidation to coerce you into staying. If your church is doing any of these things get the hell out.
I know. Scientology is scary… Slightly on topic, I read the other day that the U.S. has refused to classify the Westboro Baptist “church” as a hate group, thus taking away their tax-free privileges. I don’t understand how cults and hate groups have immunity.
I don’t understand how Westboro has followers.
Annette
There are many laws in place to protect us and our right to practice religion. WBC is a religion. It’s not a religion of love and acceptance. It’s a religion of hate in it’s purest form, but still a religion. It doesn’t help that its members are some very brilliant lawyers. I don’t want to say they’re manipulating the law, but how it’s stated now they are entitled to the tax exemption. They also don’t protest in a violent manner. It’s cruel in there methods, but all within the boundaries of the law. They’re utter scum as human beings though. Since all their members are related and some have left over the past few years with no new members their days are numbered. They also thrive on attention so it’s best not to talk about them at all. You have to starve the beast to kill it.
And i’m betting Scientology is going to be remembered on the same level as the holocaust if the truth of all the missing and tortured ever comes out. The place seems sadistic. No offense. Sometimes people get upset when anyone compares anything to the horrors of the Holocaust.
@LEM
Most of the Westboro people are from the same family… I feel like there might be some line breeding in there too, if you get my drift. Here’s the member list released by anonymous
http://static.geekbeat.tv/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/westboro-baptist-church-members-list.txt
The Anonymous war on WBC is the best!
Basically WBC is pretty much one large family but I think there are two (or three?) other small families involved and they no longer accept any newcomers into the cult. If interested you should read Banished by Lauren Drain. She was, well, banished from WBC and like Scientology cut off from her family.
As a Bostonian, I loved this:
https://twitter.com/YourAnonNews/status/323943353983053824
I despise the WBC, but to be fair, homosexuality is an abomination in the Bible. I realize that other things are too (shellfish, mixed fabrics, etc) and for some reason homosexuality is what they are fixated on. Sorry for any Christians here who support gay rights, but these are the kind of things that demonstrate how religion can be harmful. Remember the politician who a while back said the Bible didn’t say slavery was wrong? Everyone was up in arms but the saddest thing was that he was RIGHT. I never knew about these things when I was a practicing Christian and I can’t see myself ever going back knowing what I know now.
Back in a day, literally hundreds of thousands of Scientologists sued IRS. That’s how they kept their “church” status. Mad genius whoever thought of that..
To pull an Always Sunny quote: “We’ve kept the McPoyle bloodline pure for centuries.” WBC are a bunch of inbred hate mongers, all in the same family. It’s nesting behavior, and it’s gross.
@Jackie
What you say is so true, I think of that all the time but hardly ever say it. Unfortunately, the basis for homophobia and discrimination against gays lies almost completely in mainstream religion. There’s no reason to find it offensive or “wrong” otherwise.
WBC is only a church in name for tax exempt status. They make their living by going to high profile or high emotion funerals and then try to incite violence so they can sue the people who react to their shouts and signs of hatred. Simple. They give cockroaches a bad name.
There are actually very big differences between cults and healthy religious traditions. Religion should promote justice, compassion, connection, community-building, openness, freedom of thought and maintaining family connections, none of which are done in cults.
Liberal Christianity and fundamentalist Christianity are also very different from each other. People who read the Bible literally & cherry pick verses to condemn LGBT rights ignore all the contradictions in a literal interpretation. These stories need to be read in their historical context to understand their purpose.
Throwing all religion into the same category and tossing it out as cultish does a disservice to congregations who are a source of healing & support for diverse families and communities around the world.
I hold a master’s degree in theology from a liberal Protestant seminary and although I’m among the first to point out ways the Church has fucked up and sometimes done more harm than good, I’d also say liberals can help heal those wounds by transforming the way religion is portrayed by conservatives. Religious communities can & do provide a safe place for existential questions, give meaningful reflection in our search for purpose and surround us with compassion in our efforts to support each other on the human journey, through birth, life, illness and death.
Wow. I had the privilege of never even hearing of Westboro until now… The idea that this ‘family’ has been procreating, then teaching their innocent children that hate is God’s will. Not to make excuses for anyone, but we are *so* affected by what we see & experience during childhood (even the smallest thing could have far-reaching consequences on our psyche).
It’s just that these poor kids, raised in this so-called ‘church’ of hate-mongers almost never had much of a chance, being taught a totally distorted view of ‘right & wrong’ from the very start. What a mangled mess their personalities & world perception must be.
@Sarah – I agree w/you. =) There are so many different types of ‘christianity’, many of which are very humanitarian. While my Church Of God I grew up in could be judgmental about some things, they were basically all genuinely *good* people, who cared about & wanted to help others, regardless of whether they believed what they did.
Agreed.
Good for her for getting out! She should not be afraid of losing the public’s support; in fact, she would only gain from this.
Also, the important thing is that she has her family with her: that’s more than what other people came away from that cult with. Go Leah!!
More and more celebrities should leave the co$.
She won’t be afraid of losing public support. But it will likely make it harder (a LOT harder) for her to find work as an actress.
Scientology in Hollywood gets you acting gigs
There are some crazy fascinating news reports and documentaries from the BBC and from France available on YouTube with even more information on the horrors of Scientology. I’ve always found Leah’s answers regarding her “religion” to be self-righteous, arrogant, condescending and hostile. People who blow the cult might want to release a statement apologizing for the malicious things they said under its watch? Or maybe the threat of blackmail is too great? Juliette Lewis & Jena Elfman have also said some pretty atrocious things. Gross.
I think she got really upset during a Howard Stern interview because he was truly making fun of COS but also saying some hard hitting things. Ex-communication is a heinous practice. They also subject member who are not stars to some of the most disgusting tasks and exploits them all financially. I guess the higher up on the chain you are the better.
Anyway I’m glad she left that cult.
The cult conditions them to be awful and totally self centered. And it takes time to break free mentally, especially for those brought up inside. In time she could become a very powerful critic. Here’s hoping!
@OutstandingWorldCitizen – I guess the way they view it is that if something happens to a celebrity (whether it’s physical violence/disappearance or something else), the whole world will notice, & want to know the details surrounding it, which is dangerous to their cult.
Where-as if it’s just a normal, everyday person w/no special connections or particular public importance, who’s really going to know if they disappear? Their families, if they even still have contact w/them, would of course say something (unless they’re also involved in the cult). But people are hurt & disappear all the time. The world won’t have any real interest, so the media has no reason to cover it. Which means it’ll probably just get swept under the rug.
(Not even taking into account the political power & influence the higher-ups in Scientology have.)
It’s really scary to think about.
Nerd Alert, I belong to a very small Presbyterian Church and since I have been the treasurer and when not the treasurer have audited the books, I can assure you that our church does not have vast amounts of funds, and after operating expenses, our money goes to our community, other charities, and overseas missions. The Christian religion consists of large churches and an incredible number of small churches like mine so no I do not agree that the tax exempt status needs to be removed from all churches especially the large amount of churches that spend their contributions on their communities and charities. Large churches post their annual budget and monthly financials on their web-sites and smaller churches usually include their annual budgets and monthly financials in their church bulletins. And any church affiliated with the Presbytery USA group is required to have an annual audit performed. I audited our church’s books only because that is my profession and my church could not afford to spend thousands on a CPA firm’s audit.
You’re pointing out another important distinction. All human enterprise has the capacity for corruption. Government, education, corporations, religious institutions. I don’t think religion is inherently any more corrupt than the others, unless it uses bad theology. Cults are by definition corrupt organizations, designed to entice, isolate, manipulate and harm people. Not unlike middle school, come to think of it.
Leah, it turns out, is just a dumb cult-loving loser beeeatch
Good for her.
I’ve always liked her.
I like her still. I originally really likes her but the affair with the married man that is now her hubby made me like her a little less.
Yeouch
She spent years helping that cult ensnare innocent people. She deserves no congratulations, the dumb fool
Read Jenna Miscavige Hill’s new book, “Beyond Belief: My Secret Life Inside Scientology and My Harrowing Escape.” She’s David Miscavige’s niece, and was raised in the Scientology church. The experience she describes is almost unbelievable, and probably would be were it not for all the corroborating accounts from other people who’ve left Scientology. My heart goes out to Leah Remini and anyone caught in a cult’s clutches.
I was really disappointed when I read that she was a Scientologist, but then I read the article (was it Tony something who wrote it?) good for her. She doesn’t seem like she scares easily and should be able to handle the church?
I guess the only good thing I can say about this cult is they don’t discriminate against gays or Tom and Travolta wouldn’t be members.
Uh, yeah – NO.
http://blogs.villagevoice.com/runninscared/2012/09/scientology_keith_relkin.php
They highly discriminate against gays! Tommy Gurl and the Dancing Queen aren’t gay. Gay doesn’t exist, like say depression or Autism, or Shelly.
They do actually. But as with most of the ‘religion’, there are different rules for the celebrities.
Great tongue in cheek comment!
They love it when closeted gay people join because they already have their leverage for keeping them in the cult, threatening they’ll release their secrets.
Im sure the cult is fully aware of Tom and John’s sexual preferrences but they are still members. If they don’t acknowledge homosexuality along with depression and autism than people fitting any of those descriptions can join bc to the cult those things do not exist. Maybe there are gays and I’m sure depressed people in Scientology but they just don’t acknowledge it. So yeah, they can still join as long as they are quiet about it.
Err,no. Unlike the Christians, who are taught the “hate the sin, love the sinner,” creedo, Co$ers merely use the gay celebs by blackmailing them with their hundreds of hours of sin confessions. Why do you think Katie and Nicole don’t blast off at them? They know their most intimate secrets and sins. So, lip buttoned.
Tony Ortega. http://tonyortega.org/2013/07/08/scientology-celebrity-rebellion-leah-remini-dared-to-ask-wheres-shelly/
YAY LEAH!
I really like her. I always hated that she’d gotten sucked in to this cult. Hopefully she’s really left, and can work on exposing this shitshow some more.
This^^^
I liked her ever since Living Dolls.
She always seemed too grounded to be into Scientology. I’m glad if she’s finally recognizing how crazy it is.
I was put off by her when she went on the defense of Tom but I’m glad she saw the light.
Go Leah! And yeah, where is Shelly?
I believe it’s very hard to leave, even if you’re a celebrity, because they not only cut you off from friends and family, but videotape all your interrogations.
If you thought the catholic church was screwy, at least the confessional is still sacrosanct. Imagine the priest setting up a camera to record blackmail material should you decide to leave!
Besides, at least myself, the one or 2 times I did the confession thing, before 1st communion I think, I just some BS pecadillos, lol, and there was no machine to try and check if I was telling the truth, I kept it…. generic haha.
And yea, you can lie, and most people do, nowadays it’s more about feeling good with themselves, and some, instead, ask the priests for advice on stuff. Then there’s my mom who practices but since she hated her inlaws and didn’t want to talk about it and be serious about the whole thing, didn’t go to communion or confession. It’s all very flexible, to fit your needs. And contributions are optional. Many times mom gave me a coin to drop in collection box, sometimes I kept it as a kid. Oh I’m bad 😛
The (catholic) church’s constant meddling in secular life is the thing that irritates me to no end, I don’t give a crap about what they think but they, all churches, just won’t shut up.
I’m glad to hear that contributions have become optional.
I remember going to a catholic church with my grandparents when I was a young girl. Contributions were mandatory and they published a little bulletin listing the names of who contributed & how much they gave, to embarrass people into giving more. I thought it was disgusting. It made my grandparents uncomfortable to have that information read from stage. They had money, but they also raised 8 kids (due to the no birth control rules) and they paid to send them to Catholic school all the way through 12th grade. They have given that church SO much $$$ over the years.
What country was that in, Lemony? I’ve never heard of such a thing and I grew up with people who were churchgoers.
Hi CC:
It was in southern MN, where my dad grew up. Heavily Catholic, German area. I guess that was very common in that area.
I think those churches have relaxed their rules on those things though. I would think, especially with the current economy, that people would be really turned off by that.
I attended a cousin’s wedding in a Catholic church last summer. I was in the back of the church pinning flowers on people & saw the bulletin boards in the back. They listed some names of people who donated money or items (flowers, plant stands, etc) but not the amounts. Seemed very reasonable to me.
Wow! I’ve never heard of that and I have several Catholic friends. That definitely sounds like a regional thing. I grew up Lutheran and there was always a lot of talk about needing money and how behind budget we were but individual giving was never posted.
Her parents are both long time members of COS, (as is her husband) so it’s interesting if this is true. The whole article that this bit is pulled from does say that when asked, her husband they’re still members and don’t have a problem with the church-so who knows.
What a shame that this organization is allowed to be called a “Religion”. It is nothing more than a cult, a very rich cult thanks to the celebrities it protects from themselves. There seems to be so much power given to just a few while the rest suffer to make their lives so much easier. I am glad she is leaving because I’ve always liked her.
I hope she spills everything she knows.
I was thinking the same thing up thread! The rest of us pay 30% tax rates and these people get free and clear profits by manipulation,coercion and greed.
You pay a 30% tax rate? In the US? Then you’re doing pretty well for yourself salary-wise!
I’ve known she was Scientologist for years but I’ve always liked her because she’s not in your face about it and I really believe in freedom of religion even when I think you’re religion is a dangerous cult.
If this really is true, I hope she goes public with everything she knows. The only ones that ever seem to spill the secrets are non-celebrity people who leave. All the celebrities ever do when they leave is make vague references. But after years of exposing all inner most thoughts and feelings they have some serious dirt on her.
The public outcry and support if she goes public, though, would negate whatever bad press she would get from Scientology leaking her secrets.
I’d wager that most of the celebrities involved with Scientology are blissfully unaware of what Scientology is really like for “normal” people.
That’s hilarious, you replied to me at the same time that I was writing a reply to your comment. The synchronicity is amazing and hilarious.
The Celebitches are one this morning, lol!
Hey, it worked for Paul Haggis. He’s still standing and they are not touching him or suing him like they do with other former members who are “nobodies.” You can say Paul really paved the way for people to jump ship because ever since he did, Lisa Marie left and now Leah.
I think John would have left but OMG all of the sudden there were these massive lawsuits that he got handsies with the massage staff. Notice those lawsuits aren’t mentioned anymore and he gave a positive comment about the COS? I don’t think it’s a coincidence those lawsuits happened when he was wavering in his faith.
SEVEN years ago she wondered what happened to the (still missing?) woman, and she is only now leaving the cult—maybe? That is some crazy-powerful organization right there.
She did grow up in COS, and her mom is pretty high up in it-so there is that.
I didn’t know that. Supposedly Lisa Presley left too, but isn’t saying so in a dramatic public way because her mother is still in.
Wow this is going to be very interesting if she does go public but if I were her I would fear for my life and my family’s life! CoS sounds crazy!
I too was surprised she was CO$. She must not have been that much into it as it seems she has retained her freedom to think for herself.
I like her drawing the line at family and I have no doubt she’d unleash all Hell on anyone who messed with her family. Religion starts destroying family it’s time for a change.
The Sea Org, the reprogramming at different bases all over the nation and the shunning/breaking up of families is all 100% true. For our newer commenters it happened to part of my family. We still never see them, but after many years of slavery two of my family members made it out while two remain. The two that left had to move across the country to get away, but they did it.
This is a sick cult, not a religion. Hi to the family in the big, blue building in LA. I’m sure you will monitor this article later!
Also one of the reasons it is hard to leave is because when you try to run away, they track you down, show up and stuff you into a car and take you back. Truth.
Scary, isn’t it?
how in the world does this kind of thing happen? isn’t that kidnapping?
Because they are recognized as a church in the US, they say that the Sea Org is their religious order – they want you to think it akin to being nuns, monks, priests, etc. But really these people have signed away their lives, are stripped of outside connections, work endless hours for $50/week. They have no chances of getting out even if they broke through the constant brainwashing. They are forced to become indebted to the “church” by taking expensive courses. If they do manage to leave, they are presented with a “freeloader bill” which is an invoice for any and all expenses incurred by them while in SeaOrg – it is usually hundreds of thousands of dollars and people do pay it! Once couple went to court over it and the court decided they had to pay the freeloader debt. Crazy, crazy, crazy.
Yep, my well off family faction is very poor these days.
I guess it is better than scrubbing toilets with a toothbrush for pennies an hour.
The horror and brainwashing are truly mind-blowing.
Tiffany, that is soooo scary! I’m sorry that your family got wrapped up in their clutches.
I support freedom of religion, but my definition of religion is a belief system that brings fulfillment & happiness to a person’s life, put simply.
I have not read or heard anything about CO$ that indicates their noncelebrity, nonmegamillionare members experience a fulfilling life due to their beliefs.
I feel the same way. People should do what they feel in their heart. Having others do all your thinking and rulemaking for you leads to trouble.
@Lemony, me too. It is a long story. My grandfather had an affair with a much younger woman, left my grandmother and had two kids with his new wife.
So, we were already kind of estranged from him a bit. We still saw them and visited, but there were some weird feelings left over from that. We all moved on as best we could. He and the new wife and the kids became COS and that is who was/is in the cult. He left finally and was put through hell, never saw his wife or kids again. Lives in the South now and never talks to anyone really. These people are just damaged forever, he was really worked over by them. The daughter and son were made to marry several times over starting at a very young age and were billion year contract types. She made several runs to my mom’s for freedom after many years, but finally, finally freed herself and moved as far from the blue building in CA as you can get.
I was working next door at CHLA during much of this and could see some of it myself. This is just the tippy top of the iceberg. If I told you everything it would fill a book, but suffice it to say the horrors detailed in books like Inside Scientology are the TRUTH! In all, I and my family do not talk to any of them anymore.
OTiff – I remember reading on past Scientology articles that you had family members in the CoS, but I had no idea it was your grandfather. Wow. Your story is absolutely chilling. Thanks for sharing the details. The part where you said they were made to marry young really stood out to me.
I’ve mentioned before on here that when I was a kid, my immediate family was friends with another family who became Scientologists. We were very close with them for several years, but then they suddenly moved away and had very little contact with us anymore. A few years later we found out their oldest daughter (who is the same age as me) got married at SIXTEEN YEARS OLD, living across the country in Toronto! None of us could believe it, all we could think was why the F would her parents ever allow it. Then when I was an adult and read more about Scientology, I found out that letting young Scientologists marry when they are still teenagers is very common. Anyway, she ended up getting divorced a few years later (shocker!), and as far as I know, it doesn’t look like she’s actually a Scientologist anymore (became friends with her on Facebook several years ago, seems like she leads a happy normal life). However, I think her parents are now divorced – her dad was a hard-core Scientologist and wouldn’t be surprised if he still is.
I really hope that women isn’t locked in a dunegon somewhere! For godsakes, how frightening!
Not seen in public since 2007, disturbing to say the least. Has anyone seen her at all in six years, and if not why aren’t the authorities involved?
Shelly had been ‘missing’ for a few years when enough rucus was caused that “they” produced her. Shelly was in the dreaded Cali compound. She reportedly told police she was there by choice. That was years ago.
cb co$ stories have had some great links in the past. The more you learn- the scarier it is.
As far as Mrs. Miscavage herself, I’m torn in my concern.
Well, that was ballsy, but she waited until she had no gigs to lose. I still give her a 9 out of 10 for ballsiness.
She should talk to Vanity Fair maybe they could do a big exposé on the cult. I remember that interview in UsWeekly or some magazine like that and she talked about how her 3 or 4 year old daughter had no discipline and no rules and I remember the gi was a raging brat. Hope they got that under control.
Not to mention that her daughter was still in diapers at that time and drank everything in a baby bottle. I remember her telling Access Hollywood that the girl slept with her and the hubby and she would wet the bed bed because she drank 6 bottles of water at night. It even soaked through all the towels they lined on top of the bed. That says a lot about SCI childrearing right there.
Glad Suri is out.
I don’t understand why people still join this group when it is clearly a crazy cult.
good for her, I hope she can make a clean break!
I’ve always loved her, esp. on King of Queens.
Wasn’t Leah the reason JLo dabbled in CoS? They’re old friends from way back, and I read somewhere awhile ago that Leah introduced JLo to the cult.
Jlo’s dad has been in COS for over twenty years
That actually makes A LOT of sense.
ok I think I am not supposed to say anything religious on here, and if so, I am so sorry, but truly, I am gonna be praying for the health and welfare of Shelly Miscavige. scary
Don’t let them scare you here. They bark but don’t bite. 😉
I’m praying for her too.
The separation of Church and state is very very important. But terrible abuses are allowed to occur under it, and that’s just wrong. I’m thinking CO$ has members high up in government. That’s the only reason I can think of that they have been allowed to get away with what they have gotten away with.
Duplicate post. 🙂
Saying intelligent things about religion is fine. Blasting people for their personal beliefs is not. Since you expressed concern at not wanting to offend anyone, I’m sure your posts on religion would be just fine. 🙂
I don’t think there’s anything wrong with what you said. Those are your beliefs, and I might not agree with them, but you have every right to practice them. It’s not like you’re demanding everyone else pray with you.
“Mrs. Miscavige reportedly hasn’t been seen in public since 2007.”
Well that’s disturbing.
Yeah, why isn’t there a missing person investigation?
That is the million dollar question, isn’t it? Apparently David Miscavige has some good CO$ lawyers. Bastard.
http://blogs.villagevoice.com/runninscared/2012/07/scientology_shelly_miscavige_disappeared.php
Have a feeling that more and more people, celebs and civilians, are disenchanted with ‘orthodox’ Scientology because of Miscaviage and are flocking to independent or ‘reform’ scientology. See Rathbun et al.
There’s always been something insidious about scientology. I used to live near their apartment complexes (Clearwater, FL) when I was in middle school and they’d hand us little “Dianetics for Kids” pamphlets and stuff. The kids went to different school, were told they couldn’t interact with us and if they did, we wouldn’t see them for months. It was creepy then. It’s creepy now.
That sounds like a Stephen King novel, only worse, because it’s real.
Good for her! I always thought she seemed too tough to be involved with Scientology. How can people really look at what happens there and continue to support it?
“Rolling With Xenu” would be an AWESOME book title!
I’m glad Leah is out. Now we have to get Elisabeth Moss out. I love Mad Men and Peggy Olson but whenever I remember that EM is a Scientologist I cringe. And then I worry that she is going to try to recruit Jon Hamm. That would crush me!
Oh no, I LOVE Elizabeth Moss! I am watching Top Of the Lake right now, and she is electrifying in it. Truly.
Elizabeth is another one of those people who”s family are involved and so has she since she was little. She never talks about it and gives great, responsive interviews so I have a lot of hope for her.
Jesus, Scientologists! (Heh). Just saythat only OT-Whatever level Scientologists can see Shelly. I mean. Duh.
(Sorry. This woman is probably being treated HORRIBLY. I shouldn’t joke but this organisation is so shady that I feel like joking and taking the piss at them is one of the few things I can do.)
I hope she goes all “Brooklyn” on their ass! Ha! Don’t they know not to push a girl from Brooklyn!? Guess they’re gonna learn the hard way… Giddy Up!
Good for her! BTW, she is in a newish ABC show. After I rolled my eyes and actually watched it, I really started to like it.
Now I can watch it without thinking ‘eeeeew xenu’.
Where’s Tommy Davis? He disappeared around the time Katie made her escape, and then there is still the question, is Tommy Davis, Suri’s genetic father? The older Suri gets, the more she looks like him.
I’m pretty sure Tommy Davis blew. He was also “missing” for awhile and then there were unofficial reports that he’d gotten out.
I think he officially “routed out” – and was “released” without strings (yeah, right!) I’m sure he’s signed a nondisclosure agreement and that he’s being watched. His wife (Katie Holmes’s “best friend” when she started with Tom Cruise) went with him.
Whoa-I didn’t know that Jesa. Who’s been saying that? I thought I knew all the gossip, lol.
And I agree – I’ve always thought Suri looks *very* like Tommy Davis. There are facial expressions they make that are strikingly similar. I put nothing past COS.
Nah she’s not Tommy Davis’s kid(although she looks more like him than Tom) Suri’s nose is to thick to be Tommy Davis’s kid.
Regardless she’s not connected to anyone in Scientology by blood if she were Katie wouldn’t have gotten custody of her.
I think Suri is a Cruise (or a Mapother if you will). Look at Tom’s cousin who was on Lost – you can see a lot of family similarity with Suri.
It says at the end that they don’t have her family? Aren’t her entire family scientologists?
Yes, which is why I have my doubts that this story is actually true. I think a lot of these people are feeling abused by Miscavige, but not actually disenchanted with COS. Her family is still involved, and her husband commented for the above story that they’re still members of the “church” so I don’t think she’s actually left.
You have to disconnect from family members unless of course you are famous like say, Tom Cruise. Different rules (and parishioner buildings) for celebs.
Could you imagine being invited to a church, but the church had it’s own “Catholic Celebrity Centre”? If that wouldn’t que me to the crazy, nothing would!
Celebrities get the watered down (less cult like) version of $cientology. But I guess they still get milked fro their money by this pyramid scheme.
I wonder if a lot of celebs just see it like a business contract. They have to follow the (less strict) version of Scieno but they also get work in return.
I have known for a long time she was a CO$. I always looked at her differently because of it. I like her acting tho, and this will change my attitude for the better about her. I’m sure um not alone. ,-)
Me too.
Same here. It was years ago I read a list of celebrities that were Scientologists and I remember I was shocked by her inclusion. She just didn’t seem like someone who would be involved in that. Maybe I was confusing her character with the real her.
The other person that really shocked me was Beck!
Can’t stand Leah! She’s a loud mouth whiner!!!
Wow! She has been reprogrammed for asking the most basic and typical question one asks a married person when they show up to an event alone. Yeah Shelly was buried alive in the desert no question about it now!
I have always liked her as an actress so the xenu thing always bugged me but I hope she does come forward and I’m glad she is having these issues, it shows her level of character. Although admitadly it is a tad late.
I do think though if a celebrity came forward about this it would have more of an impact. Oh and lol about the she is from Brooklyn so they can’t hurt her.
The source added, “She’s from Brooklyn. The church can’t hurt her . . . ”
Seriously, she’s one tough cookie. I wouldn’t want to mess with her. I hope she goes public about Scientology!
Why doesn’t someone file a police report or look for her or SOMETHING??
Because Xenu is involved in our government. Seriously, they’ve infiltrated some of the highest branches of it before and I doubt they ever left
FYI, the $cis who “know” about Xenu hate him – he’s a bad guy in L. Ron Hubbard’s mythology.
I’ve never liked her, something about her always seemed abrasive to me. But, I give her a lot of credit for breaking away and speaking about it. I just hope all these news stories and people leaving keep others from joining.
I can’t imagine why it took so long though – if I innocently asked where someone’s spouse was at a WEDDING, and was given an answer regarding rank and then sent for interrogation…it wouldn’t take years of that to get me to bolt. Maybe I don’t get the hold they have over people, but sheesh!
Seh’s such a mouthy, strong-willed person, no BS, I really find it hard to believe how she was weak enough to follow this BS for so long and be mind-controlled. Others I get. I never got her in it for so long, when there’s been so much info out there about this organization. And I don’t want any loser auditing me all the time.
Scientology is a cult and is sooo messed up!
This mskes me happy. I’ve always liked her and was super bummed when I found she she was with Xenu. I’m surprised it took her 5 years of reprogramming to leave but I love her stance on this. It sounds like she likes the basic tenets of Scieno but doesnt like David or how they manipulate people and ruin families which are the same reasons a lot of people have left recently. I’d love for her to go public with this. It’d be cool if she went back on The Talk to talk to the girls about it.
Nice to see a cult member break away. Travolta and Cruise either don’t have the intelligence or wisdom to do the same.
She’s second generation, and her Mum is really high up in the Co$. But, yes, I’ve always liked her, and glad she’s getting out. Apparently her mum has said she will stand by her, although I don’t know if that will mean she also leaves the church. The same with Lisa Marie Presley – she got out a couple of years ago.
It’s all the nameless, faceless ‘little’ people I worry about – the ones who no one misses. At least Tom Cruise, Travolta, Remini, Presley are all high profile enough to be missed if something happened to them. Truly scary.
Here’s an interesting article:
http://tonyortega.org/2013/04/17/love-in-the-time-of-miscavige-a-scientology-tale/
Kudos to Leah… now if she drops J.Lo I can go back to liking her again.
I do hope Leah talks about her experience with this sick cult. Her daughter is really cute. It’s the best thing she has done getting her family away from those people.
I can like her again! Please someone doa sitcom about the Sciento’s coming to Brooklyn to get her. And the ensuing hilarity as they are dispatched by Leah’s family. Miscavage pizza anyone?
“I still can’t wrap my head around the fact our government allows a religion that imprisons or allegedly murders its adherents when Belgium, Chile, Denmark, Finland, France, and Greece have outright outlawed Scientology. ” I’ll tell you why. This culture is startstruck all the way up to the White House. Those COS folks are brilliant for recruiting all of those superstars. People are blinded by them
Good for her!
Now that God awful Earl guy, Jason Lee should leave. He looks so possessed and zoned out and I was a bit disappointed that I read a couple of months back that Jason Lee practices this bat crazy stuff since maybe the late 80’s and yes I believe he could be abusive from what I read. Kevin Smith supporting this guy makes me want to vomit. But then again, Jason Lee is added to the let’s hide he’s gay thing like Tom Cruise and Travolta LMAO.
Guess she was in really deep (brainwashed) to allow interrogation. But, don’t look back, only forward. If you read this, Leah, I want to say,”you go,girl!”
I cant believe no one has brought up the crazy Rachel Ray episode that she went on to seek help from a pediatrician for her daughter. I believe her 4 year old daughter was still on the bottle, in diapers and using the paci.
That was really weird.
Excellent. She is one who defended them to the hilt. Glad she got out.
There’s a book out by David Miscavige’s niece, Jenna. I recently read it. It details her life in the church and how/when she finally decided to leave. Her parents had left years earlier, and she’d been cut off from them. They had tried to remain in contact with her, but she was so brainwashed that for a long time she wanted nothing to do with them. In the book, she discusses her aunt’s disappearance briefly and I’m pretty sure aunt Shelley did something to piss off her husband and is now being kept alive as a laborer in one of their corrective camps. Can’t remember the name of them…
I wish the feds would use the RICO Act against this corrupt cult. Hey David, where is Shelly?
There’s something called “The Sea Org”, it’s sort of like a harsh abusive labor camp thing. What type of “Religion” would charge you all this money to get “Clear”, abuse you, is very secretive, they are against anyone who doesn’t believe in their “Xenu” Crap. Haunted with alien ghosts, please!!! Quite honestly, I’m very proud of being “SP” and a “WOG” 🙂
There was a good BBC doc a couple of weeks ago, the second they have done on COS. This one focused on a high up COS guy (think he was no.2 at one point), he left the “church” and began practicing Scientology independant of all the power trippy weirdness because he still believed in it as a way of life. He was getting too many followers so they started stalking him, drove him out of his home. He was kind of like “this is karma, I did this to people for years”, it was pretty sad they won in the end.
Also in the doc, apparently in the 80’s the COS were on the verge of losing their status in U.S. as a religion – supposedly they drove the IRS guys completely insane by using these same creepy stalker tactics until the fricking IRS gave up. It’s hard to believe because they just seeem like lunatics but they are devout, just as bad as any terrorist in their zeal and determination. The fact that the gov’t allows the missing persons to go uninvestigated is shocking, but I can see how all these people are falling through the cracks when their whole families have turned against them they probably aren’t being reported missing. I guess the only positive is reporters are starting to get serious w/their investigations, and the org. does seem to be crumbling from the top.So much scary sad crap is going to come out I fear, I really do hope high profile defectors like Leah help bring this thing down.
Well, for starters, Page 6 did NOT get the scoop on this story. This article was published 3 days ago by Tony Ortega at his blog The Underground Bunker. (I’m a daily reader at the Bunker)
http://tonyortega.org/2013/07/08/scientology-celebrity-rebellion-leah-remini-dared-to-ask-wheres-shelly/
So shame on you Page 6 for using his story and not crediting him.
According to Tony Ortega’s report, which goes into much greater detail, Leah was brought up in Scientology, but has recently questioned the leadership of the church on several occasions and has refused to disconnect from certain people who were declared ‘Suppressive Persons’. In fact, she tweeted her support to Paul Haggis when he publicly called out Tommy Davis over the whole ‘disconnection’ policy.
This story is getting huge coverage and will be a huge embarrassment to the cult.
The fact that Leah’s family have promised to stand by her and NOT disconnect from her (as is ‘church’ policy) is incredible.
I would LOVE to see her speak out, tell her story and answer some REAL questions on National TV. It could only help so many cult members who are suffering and know no other way of life.
I also read this story a couple of days ago. Shame it’s only getting play after Page 6 plagiarized it, but at least it’s out there now. I guess.
I don’t care for Leah Remini, but I hope for her sake this story is true.
If she did blow from Co$, good for her. I can’t wait for the day this House of Horrors “religion” comes crashing down.
I use to feel bad about Shelly until I remembered she watched and agreed with the disappearing/disciplining of other people.
Good for Leah! (The FBI should bust up Scientogy for human trafficking. Or slavery.)
How has no one infiltrated Scientology yet? There’s a place right by my house in Orlando and if I had the money Id totally go see what wackiness they’re up to and then write about everything. Although, if it was that easy I am sure it would have been done by now. Everyone in that cult is a g-damn circus peanut.
Good for her! I have never liked her much, but now I do! (What a beautiful family.)