The Church of Scientology has, yet again, come under fire. Six former members are now publicly coming forward and alleging that they were mentally and physically abused, made to pay the church, forced to abandon their families and work around the clock, and treated like slaves. The FBI has now placed the organization under investigation for several illegal practices.
The brouhaha was sparked by the departure of Hollywood's Oscar-winning writer-director Paul Haggis who was a member for over three decades. Haggis, who is the father of two lesbian daughters, left the religious organization last August when the church's San Diego chapter endorsed Proposition 8 opposing same-sex marriages.
Recently interviewed by the New Yorker in a 26-page exposé, Haggis basically regurgitated a heap of accusations that have been flung at the ecclesiastical organization for quite a while but few were ever investigated until now. "I was in a cult for 34 years," Haggis ("Crash," "Million Dollar Baby," "Quantum of Solace") told writer Lawrence Wright in the article. "Everyone could see it. I don't know why I couldn't."
Accusations such as human trafficking and use of unpaid labor, such as when the church's most visible proponent Tom Cruise used church members to repair his vehicles and perform work on his property for little to no pay. Cruise and the church's legal team denied the allegations in the New Yorker article.
Under California law, human trafficking covers slavery and defines victims by factors such as signs of trauma or fatigue, being afraid to speak because of censorship and working in one place without freedom to travel.
Marc Headly, a Scientologist for 15 years, was part of the Sea Organization, a religious, para-military-like order that is the church's international leadership team, and whose members sometimes don naval-style uniforms. Headly claims he made a mere $1100 in the year 2000 for working 100 hours a week, 52 weeks a year. "After I escaped the Sea Organization in 2005 and started my life over, I received a bill from Scientology for over $150,000 for the courses that I did while I was there," he told reporters at a recent press conference.
Headly and his wife Claire, also a former Sea Organization member went on to lambast the church further by comparing themselves to slaves. They openly admitted to working back-to-back days, up to 20 hours daily, without ever really taking a break. Claire claims that she was even coerced into having an abortion. A judge ruled against them, however, after the church insisted religious workers were exempt from the usual rules but the couple plans to appeal.
Another Los Angeles Sea Organization member Lawrence Wollersheim, sought $25 million dollars for "infliction of emotional injury." He claimed that he had been kept for eighteen hours a day in the hold of a ship docked in Long Beach and deprived of adequate sleep and food.
Marty Rathbun, once a senior official of the Church of Scientology that reported directly to church leader David Miscavige, broke with the church in 2004 after 27 years. Last year Rathbun, who was known as the "inspector general" publicly claimed that Scientology's leadership fostered a culture of violence among its top ranks and that Miscavige "constantly pushed me to get physical with people" during his time among its top ranks. Other former members supported his accusation, telling stories about Miscavige kicking, punching and choking members of the Sea Organization.
According to published reports, Sea Organization members who have 'failed to fulfill their ecclesiastical responsibilities' may be sent to one of the church's several Rehabilitation Project Force locations. Defectors describe them as punitive reeducation camps. Reportedly, the properties were heavily guarded and anyone who tried to escape would be tracked down and subjected to further punishment.
Church spokesman Tommy Davis said it was Rathbun's physical abuse of other church officials that led to him being removed from his job.
The Los Angeles-based Church of Scientology, a body of beliefs and related practices founded in 1952 by the late science fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard teaches that folks are immortal beings who have forgotten their true nature. Over the years there have been countless unfavorable books and magazine articles written about the order. Whenever one of these media sources have hit the spotlight and spoke out against Scientology practices, the church's members rallied round like attack dogs and condemned and discounted the printed materials.
Now the New Yorker's exposé has opened itself up to this group's wrath. Although Scientology has been in trouble organizationally, morally and legally in many nations throughout the years, maybe now, since the FBI is probing all accusations, the church that has been branded a "criminal organization' by some, will finally get cleaned up by exposure to some fresh air and sunlight.
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