Leah Remini has a new book coming out, which I’ve touched upon a little bit already (in terms of Tom Cruise). The book is called Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology, and she reveals once again that she left the church after asking about Shelly Miscavige turned into a nightmare. David Miscavige didn’t appreciate anyone expressing concern about his wife, and Leah was sent into super-intense auditing sessions after that mess. Don’t question the wee one with a Napoleon complex!
Leah will appear on 20/20 tonight to promote the book, but in the meantime, here are some more revelations. Some of this stuff is familiar because we have covered Scientology (relatively) in depth over the years, but all of this (especially the stuff about babies) is heartbreaking. How can anyone neglect babies? For shame, Miscavige:
What church officials said to Leah’s sister “You have big t*ts for such a young girl.”
Leah’s grueling work schedule: At just 13, Remini was forced to perform 12 hours of hard labor a day as a member of Scientology’s Sea Org in Clearwater, Florida. After signing a notorious billion-year contract, the actress says she spent her youth “pulling up tree roots with our bare hands, working heavy machinery [and] cleaning bathrooms and hotel rooms.” For her hard labor, Remini claims she was only paid $15 dollars a week, and fed just rice and beans or liquid eggs. She was so hungry, she says she stole food from a hotel restaurant.
More creepy stuff: To demonstrate she understood the rules stating not to have sex or any physical contact before marriage, Remini says she was told to “physically act out the sexual policy” using office supplies. “I took a paper clip and a chess piece, to stand for the girl and boy, and rubbed them together,” she writes.
Child neglect was rampant: Remini claims her infant sister, Shannon, and other small children of Sea Org members were left in a motel room “nursery” for 15 hours a day under supervision of just one young teen — and the conditions were “devastating.” The room “was filled with cribs of crying, neglected babies, flies, and the smell of dirty diapers,” she writes. “The only ventilation came from a huge fan by the window. The neglect was overwhelming.”
The aftermath of leaving After leaving the church, Remini joined Dancing With the Stars – which she claims angered Scientology leaders. Even her professional partner, Tony Dovolani, was “surveilled and followed by a car for two weeks.” Remini lost many, many friends after leaving the church— but best friend Jennifer Lopez had her back. Though Lopez’ father is a Scientologist, she said she would never abandon her. “You are my friend. I don’t want to ever talk about this bullsh*t again,” Remini claims Lopez said.
[From Radar Online]
Much of this has been claimed before, but hearing Leah’s personal observations makes everything click more. The worst part (although all of it is terrible) is the part about babies being neglected in the makeshift nursery. All of it believable. The billion-year contracts are very real, and Scientology trashed their own ex-parishioner (what church does that?) after Leah left. Then Kristie Alley mean-girled Leah in public too (again, what church does that?). This cult needs to be shut down so hard.
Photos courtesy of WENN
Do these a-holes still operate as a non-profit?
Yes, largely because of a campaign of sustained harassment against the IRS.
and briefly, for a fleeting moment, for the first time in history, people felt mild pity for the IRS
CoS must have something on the IRS or government. I wouldnt be surprised if they have tons of “spies” working for govt agencies, so that they are able to blackmail .. and IRS turns a blind eye in return.
Sadly, they did blackmail them into submission. It was explained it in the documentary “Going Clear” which I highly recommend as disturbing as it is. To make it worse, their non-profit status means they’re incredibly wealthy (and therefore powerful) even through their membership numbers are down.
They essentially threatened to flood / or did flood the IRS with mountains of lawsuits to tie up its resources and cost it thousands in legal bills if COS didn’t get non-profit status.
I wish IRS / the US govt would grow a pair and shut this cult down.
“I wish IRS / the US govt would grow a pair and shut this cult down.”
Amen.
Double amen on that.
Jenna, my daughter and I were having brunch today and she mentioned Leah R. I said I wanted to see “Going Clear” and asked her to look on her Netflix to see it if it is available in Australia. She hadn’t heard of it, and couldn’t find it it. Then we parted ways in the shopping centre, to save time getting our groceries etc. 20 minutes later, we met up again and she’d bought the GC DVD. We can’t wait to finally see it.
Why haven’t the child welfare authorities shut this neglect and cruelty of children down? Or have they? The more I read and learn about this mob, the more sickened I feel.
It’s everywhere here when you know what to look for. It’s effing weird .
JLO’s dad is a Scientologist. ..
I’m glad JLO told her I don’t want to talk about the B.S. Again!
I lost respect for Leah after finding out that all these years I was watching her on The King of Queen’s , she was under the spell of Scientology, same with Elizabeth Moss of Mad Men, I just can’t with her either, after finding out she’s a Scientologist.
John Travolta, Tom Cruise….. dear lordy….
Peace out…. 🙂
No reason to lose respect for Leah. She was just nine years old when her own mother brought their family into the church. Leah had no choice. It’s impressive to go against all you were taught as a child and rebel, especially when it means social isolation.
So gross. I wonder what’s coming from the CoS after her interview.
If you head over to Daily Mail, they’ve got the CO$ response. Creepy, gross and predictable.
So happy she is out of that sh*t I hope she can help others that want to leave as well.
Me too! full support for her escape! give that girl a movie STAT!!!
Leah is a bad bitch!! I mean that in the best possible way. She’s so brave and I hope she has the best security money can buy. These people are crazy and their threats are real. This cult is beyond scary. I don’t know how they’re still running. It’s criminal.
I think her natural strong-willed temperament really saved her. And her husband is much the same, so she has a partner who is her equal in mental and emotional willpower. Having that support is so, so vital to leaving any kind of cult and/or abusive situation.
I think her whole extended family left Co$ when she did, so she had a lot of support, plus a family who were grounded enough to choose each other over the cult.
Isolation is the cult strategy. I’m so relieved she has family and a supportive network. I’m hoping this is the era of cult extrication. Co$$ believes that babies are really adults just in small bodies, so he suffering the the innocent is inconsequential. The child abuse is indoctrinated. Horrible.
I love her and JLo’s friendship! It’s awesome that Jennifer supported her so much after Leah left the cult. Sometimes all you need is one person on your side.
True! Especially when JLO’s dad is a part of the cult!
Speaking of which, why has Jlos dad not been commanded to disconnect from his daughter? She is after all hanging out with the most destructive “Suppressive Person” to come out in decades. Its not like there’s any hope left that she would ever officially join.
Is she close with her dad though? I’ve only seen her with her mother or sister.
I have never seen JLo’s dad with her or her kids
That part stuck out to me. Diva and co-dependent girlfriend she may be, but she seems to have her friends’ backs.
I agree. This is almost enough to make me a JLo fan.
Her dancing partner, Tony, was followed? Eeekkkkkkk
Yes. And Tony’s best friend Maks was friends with Kirstie Alley, but Kirstie dropped Maks as a friend when Leah and Tony became friends.
These CoS members sound like the most vindictive, brainwashed, evil group. Sad.
Poor Tony. I feel like he always gets put through a lot of trouble because of his DoS partners.
Scientology sounds more like the Mob than a Church. I am really looking forward to her book.
I just finished “Going Clear” and the author interviewed Paul Haggis and his family at length about the church. And one of the most bizarre things Haggis and his kids point out about it is that it’s unlike almost any other religion on Earth. Primarily because it has no God or higher powers. Haggis’ daughter said that you can read God into it if you want, but that’s about it. Paul Haggis himself has always identified as an atheist, but he was deep into Co$. The author actually points out that until they tried to pursue tax-exempt status, there was almost nothing “religious” about the church. They purposefully developed a “theology” solely to try to push the tax status issue with the IRS. That is so weird me – how do you get religion out of something that doesn’t really address the issue of powers beyond man? It’s quite a bizarre system indeed. I struggle to think of anything similar to you anywhere.
I thought they worshipped Hubbard as their god. It definitely seems that way when watching “Going Clear” and seeing the video footage. They might think that what they’re doing is unlike religion, but it is very much like it in reality. They give praise and thanks to Hubbard, they have a giant picture of him erected that they talk to and acknowledge, they discuss what he wrote and “preached.” I mean, if one considers the fact that some Catholics and Christians praise the bible as the word of god, the same could be argued about Hubbard and all of this science fiction crap they follow as gospel.
I think the difference is that Hubbard is not viewed as divine in their eyes. It’s similar to Buddhism – many people think Buddhists worship the Buddha as a god, but that’s simply wrong. They view him as a human who achieved enlightenment, which is a great thing, but he was a man. Hubbard, as best as I can gather, is viewed as a human who achieved some kind of “special knowledge” – from where, who can say. That’s part of the problem with Co$ – they keep such tight control of it, it’s nearly impossible to get a handle on what they actually believe or think.
How has there never been any kind of investigation into this church? I always read stories about people being “disappeared” and child labor issues.
Lots of entities have tried to investigate or criticize them. The Cult Awareness Network (CAN) was one, there were many others. They are all uniformly harassed and terrorized and, in some cases, bankrupted. CAN was eventually bankrupted (although co$ did not cause that, a Pentecostal boy they had kidnapped did) – and Co$ purchased the CAN assets and now actually runs it from their own perspective. But anybody who tried to investigate or expose them gets put through absolute hell.
Good question! “Going Clear” made it sound like because they have so much money, they get away with things. It’s just like the way that celebrities never do serious jail time in California. It’s like La La land over there. Reality doesn’t seem to be a factor for any of the rich and famous.
Creepiest of all to me is that they actually have prison camps. They call one “The Hole” and ex-members have likened it to North Korean death camps.
Here is a picture of the fence that surrounds “The Hole”:
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i68/sadhu77/GoldBaseFence.png
What is most disturbing to me is that members of this church haven’t been shunned. Like why does anyone go see a Tom Cruz movie knowing that he believes the completely f-cked up, crazy bullsh-t that Scientology teaches? All that jazz life being created by an alien creature named Xenu who dropped nuclear bombs and chained people to volcanos?! WTF!!! They have birthday celebrations for L. Ron Hubbard where they sing happy birthday to his picture. They praise “LRH” as they call him. Tom Cruz is literally the pope of Scientology.
I get that the same could be said about other religions with their stories of virgin births and rising from the dead, but 1) most modern Christians/Catholics don’t fully follow the doctrine and have their own modern view on things, and 2) these religions boast a positive message for the most part (I’m not going to get into the molestations). Scientology has no positive message whatsoever. It is just a bunch of absolutely crazy people, and the way they excommunicate and turn on those who leave is really crazy.
Scientology is a work of science fiction, yet it is rabidly followed by psychologically damaged people who seem to have a problem with understanding reality. Any logical human being should be able to tell that it is ridiculous, but they base their lives around it. It’s insane. There is no other word for it other than CULT.
With the exception of fundamentalist Christian religions, most Christians do not believe the bible is literally word for word true stories. A few things like the son of God and virgin birth, but most others are stories told at time points to illustrate an idea. Catholics are some of the biggest believers, speak to a Jesuit Scholar and they will tell you that the books of the bible are written many years apart and the stories were used at the time to best illustrate a point. They also comment that the bible contradicts itself from book to book if you read it literally. I remember when I first was looking at a Catholic School for my child and I asked them how they dealt with evolution, and they looked at me as if I was nuts and told me we teach it. They didn’t feel it contradicted at all with Catholicism.
Now COS I never did quite get how they can be a church for any IRS purpose. Aside from the lack of higher being involved, COS seems to abuse people and not really have a philanthropic aspect to it either. I understand in the US some religions, like the Catholic Church- with the priest scandal have harmed people, but the basic tenet and a lot of the money in the church has gone to feed the hungry and other philanthropic efforts. Does COS do any of that? Now I do remember the positives they spoused through Dyanetics that it would help a person be the best most successful they could be-Self-help think it positive stuff. That is sort of a positive message, and all that the non COS were allowed to know. I am too dumb to understand thetans and aliens etc.
@noway, I totally agree. They should not be able to designate themselves as a religion or a church. They do have a “higher being” that they believe in—L. Ron Hubbard. I believe this is partly the reason for all of the secrecy. They don’t want to outright admit that they worship this man as a god, because they know most people will view this as effing insane. After viewing the video footage that was featured in “Going Clear” I came away from that thinking that they worship Hubbard as their god. They give praise and thanks to him for things–it’s just so crazy. I cannot get my head around the fact that there is video footage of this bizarre behavior, excommunicated members who are all telling the same horrifying stories, and claims of missing people yet nothing gets done.
I am so happy to hear people talk about the multitudes of Christians who do not take the Bible literally. I never encountered this literal interpretation until my 30’s and as a lifelong Lutheran, it completely baffled me. I never saw a contradiction between evolution and Creation. Since the extremists are controlling the narrative right now, I recently began to believe that all non-Christians started to think all Christians took the Bible literally. I’m relieved to see that is not necessarily the case.
As an atheist, I’m very uncomfortable with religious people calling other religious people’s beliefs crazy, even if you personally don’t follow literal interpretations of your religion. From where I’m standing, ALL religious belief is crazy but I like to keep that opinion to myself. Frankly none of you should have tax exemption, if you want to do good works register a charity and we wont tax that. Your Church or Temple or Mosque on the other hand should “give into Caesar what is Caesars”.
The problem with CoS for me isn’t their beliefs, its the type of harm they cause people. Religion is generally malignant to humanity IMO but CoS causes very specific identifiable harm to the individual and for that reason alone it must go.
I don’t judge by beliefs, I judge by actions.
A person of absolutely any belief system can become a cultist (even though I’m not a fan of the term). Jim Jones, who led the most destructive cult in American history and was responsible for the single greatest loss of American life outside of 9/11, was an atheist. The People’s Temple, despite the name, was not a religious organization, but was based upon humanistic and socialistic ideals. But it was still a dangerous cult. A lot of cult specialists believe that their lack of religiosity was part of the reason why they were able to grow so strong without much criticism or oversight. When cults are judged by beliefs as opposed to actions, you tend to miss a lot of them.
I’ve actually worked with some very smart people who know a lot about cults and cultish behaviors. And truthfully many of them say they’ve never seen anything quite like Co$. Even shunning groups like the Amish aren’t like this. In typical religious shunning, the person is simply ignored, and that’s it (and by and large familial contact is still permitted). Co$ goes beyond that into the harassment territory. I can truly think of no other groups that behave in such a manner. That’s part of why Co$ is so highly visible – because it’s so novel. But Hubbard expressly set it up this way. It’s not like Co$ started as a decent, well-intentioned system that got away from the founder (like, ahem, Christianity has struggled with). Hubbard created Fair Game expressly to permit the harassment of critics and defectors. So that’s another problem with it.
But yes, on some level, Co$ can’t much be compared to other religions out there. It is truly, genuinely unique. I’m not even sure it can be called a “religion” in the classical sense, but that’s another debate for another time.
I personally think Hubbard’s genius in Co$ was that he crafted something that would appeal to the most ego-centric people, and he knew that places like Hollywood would be packed with them. By telling people they are immortal, all powerful beings and just dropped God from the scene, he created a belief system that is all about the ego. And by God, look at how right he got it.
OMG that fence is terrifying. Chills.
I’m with Naya. I’m an atheist, so it seems a little unfair to call out Scientology as batshit crazy when (to me) all the religions have crazy elements. (And all the religious people obviously think I’m crazy for being an athiest.)
But I do understand how Scientology is classified as a religion. It’s pretty simple. The standard definition of a religion is that they acknowledge a higher OR supernatural power. Not necessarily worship it, just believe in its existence. Xenu/thetans count as supernatural/higher-power.
If they don’t count … then how would you classify Buddhism, Taosim or Confucianism? It’s really quite hard to come up with a definition where they are religions and Scientology isn’t.
All religion is superstition, we’ve just had more time to get used to other religions, which all started as “cults”.
How do they get away with it?
1) With federal bodies, intense harrassment campaigns targeting individual officers and their friends and family. Also, litigation. Endless litigation that eventually eats into budget lines and forces beaurocracies and politicians to reprioritise.
2) With local bodies, incest. The same police officers who you report your complaint to in Clear Water Florida, also serve as private security for the Church on their off days. Hello conflict of interest. Btw, the inspector who issued the statement assuring the world of Shelley’s well-being has also been a paid speaker at Church events.
She has defended Scientology profusely in the past. That level of cognitive dissonance astounds me, but I have never been in a cult. I’m glad she is out and hope Scientology dies painfully.
I agree, but she was brought into it as a child and to leave you left everyone and thing you ever knew. I think you also just might block out the bad.
When you are surrounded by people who hold a certain set of beliefs, it is very difficult to analyze those beliefs in any kind of logical way because there is no one around you to help you process that. I grew up in a faith that openly encouraged questioning and then spent time in a church that didn’t. Even though I knew what I believed, it was difficult, even as an adult, to not just adjust my belief system to those around me because it caused fewer ripples. As a child, there is no way she would have been able to question such a strong group mentality. It took a lot of strength and willpower to walk away.
I’m glad she’s speaking out and I wish that, for once, they would do something about it! It’s like the investigations just disappear and no one ever gets charged despite everyone knowing about all this abuse and harassment and even possibly, more serious crimes if anyone ever got to the bottom of the missing people like Shelley! It’s like they have some seriously higher-ups in their pocket or something because nothing ever sticks or results in prison time, which makes no sense! Plus they should have their non-profit status revoked and be declared as cult, as some other countries have done with them!
One thing that bothers me though is that Remini saw all this abuse, like that room full of crying and neglected babies and slave labour and other horribly inappropriate and sick things and yet she continued to stay for years until she whole Shelley disappearance thing. I mean, I guess you can forgive her in that she was raised in it, so maybe didn’t know for a long time how wrong it was, but once she had grown up and had her own child, how can you not look at that stuff and be okay with staying?
She said she was a child herself when she was on the SeaOrg, what was she supposed to do? And she got her child out before they started auditing or sent her to SeaOrg too.
I believe Leah is about 10 years older than Shannon so if Shannon was a baby when this happened Leah was about 11 or so
I’m always sort of amazed by Leah Remini being willing to talk so much about this stuff. Most former members just want to go about their lives unmolested and in obscurity. Leah seems really willing to talk about it. It’s also amazing that when she left, I think her whole family left together so that none of them got “disconnected” and they are largely intact. Honestly, after seeing how many of the members of that church act, they are not the type of people I would want as friends.
I did see recently that Leah tweeted her daughter’s baptism in the Catholic Church to all her followers, which I’m sure was a message to their former church. It’s almost like she’s trolling them, which is pretty hysterical and awesome.
It is hysterical and awesome…but also very dangerous! I hope she has a body guard and tight security for the foreseeable future bc these people do NOT play around. They hunt down naysayers, especially former members. I hope she doesnt go “mysteriously” missing by the time all this hits the fan.
Being extremely Visible is a brilliant tactic and means of protection for her. Every x member should follow suit.
they really shoulda known better than to eff w/ her that hard.
shes ALWAYS come across as a straight shooter w/ a brain.
I am just about finished reading “The Unbreakable Miss Lovely” about Paulette Cooper’s experience with Scientology, it is shocking and scary how far the COS will go to shut down their “enemies”. If I were Leah I would be very nervous about what is to come.
I have read a ton of material about them, many books and visit The Underground Bunker frequently, and I am shocked that they haven’t been shut down when there is so much proof now of their activities.
Scary, brainwashing and criminal cult.
How did you like the book? I have followed Ortega’s blog for years as well as Scientology. I have been debating on whether to purchase Miss Lovely or not. Thanks for any input.
I really am enjoying it. Well written and very detailed about what this poor woman went through. I am about 3/4 of the way through and can’t put it down.
It details many things the COS has done from about the late 60’s onward including raiding secret government files, what methods they use to shut down their detractors. Just brutal the amount of harassment they inflict on people in the most insidious ways. I would highly recommend it to anyone that is interested in finding more about COS and the lengths they go.
I read Tony Ortega’s blog regularly too. Have you seen the new video there called “Troublemaker”? Great song and great video. Proud to be a troublemaker!!
I have also read Under the banner of heaven, another good read for anyone interested in this cult.
Nope, I had a dumb moment. Under the banner in heaven is about polygamy and Warren Jeffs, sorry.
what strikes me is what a spitfire she is after decades of inflicted supression.
can you imagine the spirit in this woman?
given the obvious criminality of scientologly and so many affluent famous people involved or affected by it e.g. jennifer lopez, how is it that no matter how often or how many of those who have left that “church” attention on it continues to get cast aside?
some badass celebrity has to step up and call it out for what it is – an illegal cult…
Quick observation but wouldn’t “leaving infant under the care of teens in a poorly ventilated room” onus fall on HER parents? i mean no shade and I hate scientoloholes and all but… IJS
Yeah, Where is the line between poor parenting and being brainwashed? I guess I just don’t understand cults, they are like a shared mental illness.
For the ones born into it it’s called brainwashing if you are raised and taught that neglected babies, being taken care of by a teen is ok and the norm you don’t know any better. You and I know it wrong because we were taught that child neglect is wrong at a young age. I mean these people live in a bobble where everything they see and hear is controlled by the puppet master.
The parents who raised her in a cult?
My sentiments exactly. Bad move, mom.
For them is a nursery for the workers, a free, slave-run nursery. Loathe.
I am ashamed that in my country there are people that dare to believe in this cult. They probably do it to belong or to feel cool, like the artists or celebs they see visiting as ambassadors, like Cruise, their biggest asset.
I hope the end is nigh for this evil cult. The fastest way for that to happen is for the IRS to review their status as a religion. If the money does not come in, their power will be cut off at the root, and this travesty will die. Illuminating their dreadful practices will also serve to undermine their recruitment numbers. I bet Tiny Tom is being geared up at this very minute to repudiate Leah’s veracity, with his flashing smile, and boyish charm (NOT). The thing I find most difficult to swallow is that the loon LRH, a failed science fiction writer, and know schizophrenic, started this whole catastrophe as a cynical way to simply make money. He was the most debauched and unprincipled of characters, certainly not the sort of person who should be revered by others.
And I echo Leah, where is Shelly?
Nope. IRS is grossly underfunded. They barely have enough budget regular tax operations.
They are not going to take on see guys because they will just start the lawsuit harassment campaign again.
Unfortunately I think they will have to run out of money the natural way – several generations down the line. The more they get exposed, the harder it will be to recruit.
The only other option is for someone high up (I.e. Tommy or Johnny) to come out and tell their story, but they will not make themselves the sacrificial lamb. So I think we are stuck waiting.
Maybe Shelly is with Tom Cruise’s mother. Where is she?
Never liked her, don’t like the sound of her voice or her look. But the chick has balls. She’s out there trying to expose Tom’s creepy cult. Hope she has a lot of security because she is spilling the magic beans all over the carpet. How long before her mental illness is exposed, or her scandalous affair, something will come creeping out of the woodwork…..sure there is a herd of disciples busy chipping away at what amo will be used to put her back into obscurity.
She’s going the be all “Gone Girl”. POOF. Just like Shelly Miscavige.
No, she isn’t. She’s out of the cult and she has a large support group. She’ll be fine. Brave woman. Thank God for her. May more and more and more have the courage to come forward. Tyranny loses its power when people aren’t terrified anymore.
I think the more she talks about the horrors of this cult, the safer she and her family will be. She’s been in the news a lot. Her face and story are out there. If something happens to her it will be big news and the finger will be pointed right at Scientology.
I hope. She is one brave woman. I too hope this helps other Scientologists to break away and speak up as well.
I agree Jan – I used to say the same about Travolta, if he just went REALLY public with everything and said now if something happens to me, investigate them, he’d be relatively safe thanks to celebrity. It’s the people with no money and power they can really go after. Leah is high profile enough that they probably can’t do much to her directly, but others in her life will probably continue to be harassed and followed.
And Nancy, I’ve never liked her either, but I admired the hell out of her for getting out and fighting back.
Karen Silkwood…..died in a “mysterious” car wreck. At the time they said she probably fell asleep at the wheel and a bit of booze and tranquilizers were found in her blood. But an investigation showed she was run off the road, there was a bump on her fender. Not trying to suggest they will harm her physically, but it’s relatively simple to ruin a person’s character, especially from a cult like this.
People really under estimate the CoS. They are not so dumb as to disappear defectors. They like to run long term harassment campaigns. She’ll get the standard smear campaign in the next few months and then they’ll have their lawyers hire PIs (so that they can’t be traced back to the Church) to follow her and her family and friends for the next twenty years. Every so often she’ll have a feeling she is being watched, she’ll know it must be them but will have no power to stop it or even prove it. They’ll rent a house on her street or plant a Scientologist on her next movies or “accidentally” bump into her on her overseas vacations. The idea is that she must never be allowed to forget. She is physically safe but they’ll spend the rest of her life trying to wear her (or loved ones) down psychologically. CoS never forgets.
When she was with the Cult she was so arrogant about it.
Ironically, the incident that was the catalyst for her leaving was when she showed up at Tom Cruise’s wedding late and DEMANDED they change the seating arrangement so that she and Jennifer Lopez could sit with each other. She was reported to the powers that be by none other than Katie Holmes (and others). She also asked question about Shelly Miscavige and was written up for that as well. Getting written up for these “offenses” (challenging/attacking David Miscavige and disturbing Tom Cruise’s wedding) were serious offenses that cost her $300,000 over several months of brainwashing exercises to get her to repent and retract.
Please, her offence was questioning why Miscavige was playing hand-on-butt games with his younger female PA at the wedding and wondering where his wife Shelley was. Of course that would be difficult to write up, so they went in search of “offences”. Other Scientologyists were encouraged to reveal any other infractions however small and that’s how you end up with “she was late to the wedding of the century and it reflected badly on all of us” and “she wanted to sit with the friend WE ASKED HER TO INVITE but our other Mega super stars (will and jada) were possibly offended.” Petty accusations obviously covering up for her real crime – questioning the boss.
Were you there? Did you witness her “so-called” diva behaviour? Why wouldn’t she want to be seated with her good friend? A couple of last minute seating changes are nothing at a wedding. Her mistake was you NEVER, EVER question anything Miscavige or Cruise (and shame on Katie Holmes for behaving that way too) are involved with or you will be crushed.
Um, you guys should calm down. I’m on HER side.
God, it’s amazing how easily some people can read negativity into where there is none.
Why has this not been investigated by the Division of Youth and Family Services or whatever the equivalent would be in FLA or CA or whatever state is involved? These are not just allegations of abuse/neglect,; these are documented facts. I don’t understand.
I might be wrong, but I largely blame our government for the fact that this cult is still going strong.
Priests who molested children should’ve been prosecuted, not turned into a situation where the Vatican or Archdiocese were allowed to handle it themselves, and consequently cover it all up and lie. A CULT where people go missing and prison camps exist should be majorly investigated. Weren’t there stories told by former members of having people try to force them off the road?! Nothing can be done? Give me a break.
We’re really blessed to have things like religious freedom, but this is one of many rights in the United States that has gone a little too far. The government acts like nothing can be done because it’s got the designation of a church. Would the government and law enforcement also turn a blind eye if they were sacrificing people on an alter? What does it take?
Yes, I agree – how bad does it need to get before something is done? Why aren’t the authorities looking into what is happening to these children (and adults) who are abused/disappear?
In fairness I think there are investigation now. I just think same as the Catholic Church priest scandal, you need members to say what is really going on with some proof. Then hopefully, just as we now have some pedophile priests in jail, we will get some crazy COS members in jail too. Originally though, same as most scandals the victims don’t feel comfortable coming forward. Hopefully with all this publicity we will get more, and some with criminal complaints that can be pursued.
I read the memoirs of Miscavige’s niece, Jenna Miscavige Hill, and it’s truly horrifying what this cult gets away with. Her years at Sea Org were dreadful and should be considered child slavery. Her audits were horrible and she was basically abandoned by her parents and family while she was still a member, and after she left.
(The book’s titled “Beyond Belief: My Secret Life Inside Scientology and My Harrowing Escape”)
I just don’t get how this hasn’t been looked into by authorities. They have someone who tells what she was subjected to as a kid. There are child labor laws. How is there not an investigation all these years?
I honestly dont know and you raise a very good question.
I believe they pull off pantomimes just like the Nazis did (I am NOT comparing both acts as being equal): when the authorities come to check it out, everything is rosy and lovely, and the authorities are convinced nothing wrong is going on. And then the pantomime falls and it’s back to business as usual.
Im not american and I only have a basic understanding of american laws and procedures, but I suppose the first step would be stripping them off their fiscal privilege and making them open their books.
The Scientology centers need to be raided Waco-Style! I’m all for freedom of religion, but this is blatant abuse and breaking the law.
Go Leah!!! She is awesome.
Oh my God, the children’s conditions are just shocking. I’ve read so much, but hearing the details of her labor as a kid and the little ones crammed in a motel, and how hungry Leah was. This is so disgusting.
I read an excerpt that after questions Shelly’s whereabouts the church ordered her to undergo intense clearing sessions or something like that and was billed $300,000. A so-called church bills a parishioner $300,000? What a scam.
What kind of church or religious institution does this? it’s insane they are tax exempt.
I’ve been following stuff on $cientology for years and years now. I don’t do it consistently, but every time something new pops up in current events I jump back on the train. It is endlessly fascinating — and terrifying. This evil cult really has its claws in every aspect of society. It has bought judges, law enforcement, and persons in government. It is oppressive, abusive, all-consuming. Terrifying and real.
It’s a travesty beyond comprehension that with all the horrific details coming out about how Co$ treats its members and children, there hasn’t been a federal investigation into its barbaric practices. Miscavige, Cruise, Travolta, Ally, Elfman, ALL OF THEM have blood on their hands. It’s run by a cadre of fascists whose only aim is to live a life of limitless power and money from the toil of thousands of brain-washed, willing minions. Honestly, in this day and age it simply boggles my mind that it hasn’t been shut down.
I don’t think our government has had too much success with Cult interventions. Think of Waco and before that Jones Town, etc. Maybe law enforcement doesn’t know the best approach, and then you run into the freedom of religion people which you know they want to stay away from. I think it is just really complicated.
How their shady fuckery is allowed to continue baffles the mind. Someone needs to bring that shit down, and I hope she and Paul Haggis aren’t the only big names to help bring about the downfall of $cientology. I saw the BBC documentary from years ago and how they treated the reporter was disturbing and insane. It made them look so fucking rediculous. Going Clear just shows again that, yup, they are just beyond crazy. They don’t see just how insane they are – which is scary.
Too bad Tom will never leave. Imagine the stuff they have on him?!?! I bet half the stuff makes him look bad, but I bet everything they have on him just makes the church look bad (and they probably don’t see how bad they would look as well). I bet a lot of it is instigated by $cientology itself. I would probably overlook a fair bit if he would leave the Cult of $cientology and lay waste to them (providing – just one example off the top of my head – it doesn’t involve anything remotely sexual with kids, animals or any other unwilling or unknowing participants).
Anyway, sorry about the rant – this cult and their tactics disgusts me.
The conditions the babies were kept in is what broke me when watching Going Clear. I remember they were all sick and malnourished, and just kept in a big room away from their families. That was what caused one of the people in that doc to make a run for it. It’s criminal, and Child Services needs to somehow get in there.
I watched it. It was a great documentary. I hear the book is way more in depth at 448 pages. I need to get it.
The description Spanky described in GC was very similar, wasn’t it? And it let her to finally make a break. That was the part of the documentary that stayed with me as well.
The babies thing was in Going Clear. John Travoltas old PR lady? Agent? Said her daughter was in one of those nurseries and when she kidnapped her she was covered in filth, her eyes were closed shut, some other nasty stuff. I’m surprised CPS can’t interject. I mean that some child abuse, these are babies, completely helpless little beings. It’s weird that that would be acceptable in an organization, much less that the government gdoesnt intervene.
That said now knowing that she was in the cult from a young age, I don’t dislike her anymkre. If you’re forced into it is one thing, if you willingly, as an adult, join I judge.
Is it considered kidnapping if you are the parent and getting your own child out of a bad “nursery” situation? I guess the Co$ would consider it kidnapping since it sounds like the parents dont have the right of caring for their own children. What a messed up cult!
I think we’re getting too caught up in is it a religion or a cult? Although one of the true markers of a cult is what happens when a person tries to leave. When I stopped going to church nobody cared. I think the focus should be on whether its a for profit or not for profit? Is all the money for the classes and the sessions and the donations going towards programs or in the pocket of Miscavige? I think we all know the answer and therefore the tax exempt status is bullshit.
If a C-Lister like Leah Remini is causing such a kerfuffle with her revelations about the CoS, can you imagine the nuclear destruction someone like Katie Holmes (A-List by marriage) could cause? I’ve wondered how Katie was able to disconnect from the church unscathed. She still got her divorce payout, and she’s soooo lucky that Tommy doesn’t really want anything to do with Suri. Katie can raise her in a normal environment away from all of that scary shadiness. Katie is damn lucky that her lawyer father not only insisted on her prenup, but helped draft it. Imagine if she went into that lion’s den without anyone having her back.
They say Katie gives a statement in response to something Leah says in the interview.
“In a preview of her interview, she revealed that she was once reprimanded by church officials for joking with Cruise and Holmes.
Remini says the incident happened when she was invited over to Cruise’s home to teach him and Holmes how to salsa dance, along with two other high-ranking church officials.
‘He was like, forcibly kissing Katie, And I said, “Hey, get a freaking room.” And uh, well, I was written up for that,’ Remini said.
These so-called ‘knowledge reports’ are common in the church and when a member receives one, they are required to speak about the issue during an auditing session – a pseudo-psychotherapy that Scientologists regularly participate in.
Remini says members write knowledge reports each other all the time and admits to having written her husband up ‘all the time’.”
“Katie refused to be interviewed for the 20/20 special, but her rep tells us she did provide the following statement: “I regret having upset Leah in the past and wish her only the best in the future.”
Katie’s statement doesn’t say much, but her participation in Leah’s interview and acknowledgement of Leah’s hurt is tacit agreement with Leah.
C0$ may not fear Leah, but I think they fear Katie’s ability to damage their no 1 asset.
I’m sure someone will bitch about Katie not spilling tea in her statement but I think its pretty smart. She’s acknowledging that Leah’s account is accurate. She’s apologizing for it and not giving one of those self serving sorrys. And she’s signaling her support with that final line. For somebody who is no doubt gagged by way of water tight NDA and also has to remember that her childs father is directly involved, she’s done VERY well with that statement.
I have no doubt that legally, KH is not allowed to breathe a word about Scientology. They have probably threatened to do something to her and/or Suri if she opens her mouth, similar to Nicole Kidman.
Edit. Newer info came out. This is what Katie was apologizing for. At her wedding with Tom, Leah was asking people about Shelly missing, why wasn’t she at the wedding with David,. Katy submitted a knowledge report on her.
“‘I was dismayed at the behavior of Leah Remini during the events leading up to our wedding,’ Holmes allegedly wrote in a knowledge report that Remini read during the interview.
‘At the wedding, the behavior as a guest, a friend … was very upsetting.'”
@LAK and Naya, I agree with you both.
@CooCoo – I’m still convinced that Katie has something HUGE on Tom, so big that if he didn’t acquiesce to her divorce quietly and immediately, the whole world would know. And I still maintain that the something huge has to do with Suri’s parentage – I think Katie allowed herself to be artificially inseminated with what she thought was Tom’s sperm for whatever reason Co$ trumped up, but it was actually Tommy Davis’s. The resemblance between him and Suri is remarkable. Nicole Kidman had a couple of miscarriages when she was married to Tom and it may be due to a genetic condition he’s rumoured to have which can cause a fetus to miscarry if it inherits the gene.
That may also explain why Davis and his wife were allowed to (or paid to) quietly leave Co$ and start new lives. What a tangled web that organization weaves….
That’s so silly in my opinion. Katie got knocked up right in the beginning of the relationship. It was so fast she barely knew his kids. She barely knew him. It was reckless of him so new with someone and having other kids to think about needing to get to know her before before he brought a child into the mix, but he was in luuuvvv and dove headfirst in the relationship knocking her up. It happens. You can say the kid resembles Tommy Davis because he resembles Tom Cruise. Anyone else can say the kid resembles Tom, her father, which Suri does.
Tom didn’t just start dating an actress and within the first month tell her he wanted to knock her up with someone else’s sperm. LOL That’s as ridiculous as the other side saying she had just broken up with Chris Klein and hooked up with Tom and that the baby was Klein’s.
Sure.
Davis had become a liailiity to the church, spouting off in interviews, becoming argumentative, walking out in interviews. He was the spokesperson and had made many missteps. He was in disfavor with Miscaviage. But he had too much dirt, so he came out with money to set him up in a new life and so that he would do no harm to the church with so many other defectors.
If it was deeper in the relationship and they were trying to have a baby and couldn’t, it might be credible other avenues were taken. But she was knocked up in the throes of new love right off the bat. Tom is too arrogant to want to see a man under him in hierchy in the church all the time knowing he was his child’s biological father. His ego couldn’t take it.
And Tommy Davis has no kids. Hmmm. I wonder if he has a problem?
Is Tom Cruise’s mother still missing too?
Where is Tommy Davis? Is he with Tom Cruise’s mom and David Misgavies wife?
I wonder where he is too! He was their annoying mouthpiece/spokeswhore during the time of the BBC Panorama investigation. He’s probably in their prison camp or something!
Edit: I found this…
https://m.reddit.com/r/scientology/comments/31npv5/wheres_tommy_davis_he_was_routed_out/
Tommy Davis and his wife left CoS a few years ago. They moved States and now make their living selling real estate or something. There’s speculation on Undeground Bunker that they took a pay off deal for their silence, which helped set them up much more comfortably than other defectors when they left. Tommy is also reviled by the defector community because he was such a two-faced snitch when they were in the Church. There was a time Tommy was believed to be next in line to succeed DM (even though they’re around the same age, lmao). DM didn’t like the idea of heir in waiting since the heir could tire of waiting and decide a coup or a death were in order. Long story short, Tommy was pushed out but lucky for him didn’t leave empty handed like the others.
She’s brave, I’ll give her that…
Funny how all this is coming up NOW that she’s co hosting {filling in} for Dancing with the stars………..
Her book is coming out. It had nothing to do with DWTS. I’ve pre-ordered Remini’s book. Can’t wait to read if there is more info on that little troll, otherwise known as TC.
Formerly I liked T.C., J.T. and K.A. as actors. Since I know that they’re in this crazy cult, they are absolutely tabu for me! I loose all my respect!
In German cities such as Hamburg they creep in and buy huge buildings in a prime downtown location!
How on earth does Scientology get away with imprisoning people in ‘the hole’, toturing them with overwork, little food, sleep and a lot of emotional abuse while not allowing them leave? How do they get away with slavery of children who are not in school but forced to work 12 hours a day??????!!!!! How come the police didn’t properly check on Shelly Miscavage? They spoke to her over the phone allegedly! Could have been anyone!!!! Every abuse and potential current abuse, including slavery, kidnapping, disappeared people, possible murder is ignored by the authorities. They seem to purposely avoid investigating very serious allegations against this group that seem very credible since many escapees have similar stories. Most far worse than Leah’s. No other ‘religion’ could get away with that. What’s going on?
I commend Leah on her bravery for speaking out. There are so many vulnerable trapped in that cult with no ability to escape and we need people like her to speak out and cause enough public outcry that authorities properly investigate and if necessary, rescue anyone who is subjected to their ‘prison’ and forced labour.