Inside Scientology, Janet Reitman
I saw this book in the Kindle library and it sparked my interest because of my complete ignorance about this religious group. All I knew was that it is a mysterious and secretive movement that Tom Cruise is somehow connected with. Apparently this book is the only comprehensive expose that attempts to remain objective. While many defectors from Scientology have written about their own experiences, this author tries to report from a more balanced perspective and ensure that all claims are backed up with several sources.
In terms of style, this was a very enjoyable read. The narrative flowed very well and on several occasions I found myself compelled to start the next chapter just to see what would happen. My only complaint is that it could be hard to follow due to the byzantine organizational structure of the church. It was impossible for me to keep track of all the different acronyms, councils, departments, companies, and boards that made up the church of Scientology. Eventually, I decided it was not crucial to keep these straight and I could still follow the narrative for the most part. And this is not really a complaint about the author, but more against Scientology, for creating such a labyrinth.
The Use of Language
One thing that stood out to me was how L. Ron Hubbard created a unique system of language. He gave ordinary words a completely different meaning and sometimes created brand-new words to convey a particular sense. For example, “No one spoke of love in Scientology; they had affinity. The word auditing no longer referred to a task that accountants performed but instead meant ‘to listen and compute….'” And in this way, Hubbard subtly shifted the way that his followers thought. It was fortunate timing that I also happened to read George Orwell’s “Principle of Newspeak” while working through this book. His is a more extreme example of how language can be used to manipulate and control thought. But eventually, the terminology of the church came to bear some uncanny resemblances to Newspeak. Speaking of a follower who had not revealed their transgressions, the church would say that they had “unconfessed overts.”
In the words of a young man who fell under the influence of L. Ron Hubbard,
“It’s very, very subtle stuff, changing words and giving them a whole different meaning—it creates an artificial reality. What happens is this new linguisitic system undermines your ability to even monitor your own thoughts because nothing means what it used to mean. I couldn’t believe that I could get taken over like that. I was the most independent-minded idiot that ever walked the planet. But that’s what happened.”
The Pattern of Power
The early followers of Scientology all had a similar story. Once they were introduced to the church and believed it had the power to help solve their problems, they would slowly become distanced from everyone else outside the church. They would stop talking to family members, they would lose touch with former friends. They would break off romantic relationships with those outside the church. Many of them would work their way up into the church or become employed by some company associated with Scientology. Their entire world would be bound up with the church, not unlike the pattern seen in abusive relationships.
Once surrounded entirely by the church, members were in constant jeopardy. The slightest comment or erring action would be cause for investigation. Members had to be on their best behavior at all times, lest there be reason to question their loyalty. Corydon, a former member of the Church commented in his book,
“When somebody can look into your thoughts, giving you no option for privacy of consideration and opinion, some devastating things occur,” Corydon stated. “This is especially so if you are (or consider that you are) dependent upon the approval of that somebody or group for your continued well-being and very survival as a spiritual being.”
For those who truly believed the tenets of Scientology, their eternal life was at stake. Even if they might suffer in this life, it was better than rejecting their chance for salvation. Combined with their utter dependence on the church, this created a very unhealthy and often dangerous situation. There was no room for individualism or a divergence of thought. All members of the group had to be completely aligned in their thinking.
One woman, who had risen to the upper echelons of Scientology, found her entire life destroyed when her husband sought to save their marriage, even if it meant disagreeing with the leaders of Scientology. For her loyalty to her husband, the woman lost her enviable position and became essentially a prisoner. She was finally persuaded to divorce her husband because the church said he had become a subversive person—someone actively trying to undermine the future of Scientology. She became so exhausted and overwhelmed by the constant barrage that she gave in to their pressure to divorce her husband. Commenting later on this experience, she said,
“‘Once the group has agreed that something is a certain way, one person can’t change it on her own.'”
The Politics of Money
Scientology also maintained its members through financial influence. To maintain your membership and move up in the church, members had to pay. Nothing was given away for free (except for a 6-month membership for newcomers). This is something like charging churchgoers to hear a sermon. There was no way to be part of Scientology without paying for more and more auditing sessions and lessons.
“During his thirty-four years as a member of the Church of Scientology, Mike, who once ran a profitable contracting business, estimated he ‘donated’ roughly $600,000.”
The act of investing money into the church made members more likely to stay involved. The money committed them to finishing a level, even if they were less than enthused. The longer they were in the church, the harder it was to walk away. Scientology operates more like a highly polished and successful business—the church is just a facade while offering them immense privileges such as tax-exempt status.
In Conclusion
While it is easy to look at the extremes of Scientology and judge those who fell into its influence, this is the same pattern of power and control used in many other situations. Scientology is not the only group that encourages their members to become isolated from the outside world. They are not the only ones who use language as a tool for manipulation of the mind. The pricing scheme was brilliant, and not unlike that you see in all sorts of companies today. Once we’ve sunk money into something, we’re less inclined to leave it. The book was sobering journey into the consequences of losing your identity in a group. There are so many ways that charismatic leaders and groups will try to take advantage of people today. Instead of looking down on those who seem so gullible, this book was a powerful reminder that we must all be on guard against these schemes.
