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The Church of Scientology Faces Allegations of Abuse

 

            The Church of Scientology faces allegations of abuse once again, less than two years after their last allegations were investigated. Lawrence Wright published an article in The New Yorker magazine claiming that ex-members of the congregation revealed secrets of abuse, both physical and psychological, and how the church brought escapees back through psychological, emotional, spiritual, and physical force if need be (Lengel).
             In 2009, two of the church's top members, Marty Rathbun and Mike Rinder, went on record for the first time since leaving the group. From the inside circle, Rathbun and Rinder both saw the abuse being dealt by the church. Their first report listed several issues involving Scientology's highest leaders, particularly David Miscavige, who succeeded L. Ron Hubbard as Scientology's leader. The issues included physical abuse of staff, mental abuse and cruelty, high pressure marketing tactics, character assignation, and threats. Miscavige was reported to have taken ruthless control of the organization after Hubbard's death and assumed chairmanship of the Religious Technology Center, the highest governing body is the Church of Scientology. "He is one of the most capable, intelligent individuals I've ever met, but L. Ron Hubbard says the intelligence scale doesn't necessarily line up with the sanity scale. Adolf Hitler was brilliant. Stalin was brilliant. They were geniuses. But there were also on a certain level stark, staring mad," said Rathbun of Miscavige. Miscavige was accused of unanticipated outbursts according to four of the former Scientology executives; "If it wasn't the answer he wanted to hear, he'd lose it. If it was contrary to how he thought, he'd lose it. If he found it to be smart aleck, or it was a better answer than he had, he would lose it" (Sly). .
             FBI agent Tricia Whitehill flew to Scientology's headquarters in Clearwater, Florida to investigate the allegations in December of 2009.


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