Are you watching "Scientology: The Aftermath" on A&E?
December 29, 2016
If not, you should be. It's an amazing in-depth look at psychology and how brilliant people can be taken down by social pressure and perhaps, sociopaths. What I've loved about this show, compared to Anderson Cooper's look into Scientology or HBO's "Going Clear" is that it puts all the puzzle pieces together. If you've read any of the books by former scientologists, they all have their own perspective, their own damage. STA, puts the puzzle pieces together and completes the view of a destructive lifestyle, that is difficult to escape.
Now, they have many people together who have experienced (allegedly) being beat-up by David Miscavige, forced abortions, being kept against their will and forced separation from family members. Hearing the stories individually is hard enough, but seeing them tacked on one after one, and hearing the real emotion and pain in the victim's voices, it's clear that Scientology changed after David Miscavige took over. Not that it wasn't always a cult -- but it seemed they wanted to change the world for the better, so I can understand people's motives for getting sucked into it. They were good people. Now, it sounds more like a David Koresh horror story.
One of the things I find most interesting is how the church deals with criticism is the personal attacks. That is Narcissism 101 right there. Never deal in facts. Redirect. Attack the accuser. Make someone defend themselves and avoid the argument.
The creepiest thing is how they hire people and private investigators to go after former members, to spy on them and follow them. How is that legal? This week the guy following Leah Remini and Mike Rinder said he was from "TMZ" -- without a camera. And when they looked up the license plate, it was indeed registered to a private investigator. Seriously, when I left my church, no one even called me. I mean, that's pathetic too, but still much healthier and less psychologically-damaging.
It doesn't surprise me that the church of Scientology is so anti-psychology and medical intervention. That gives their members access to assistance. I suppose they can't have that.
While watching, one of my young relatives over Christmas came into the room. Referring to Miscavige: "How is that little guy so powerful? Why do people listen to him? He's like Plankton on 'Spongebob.'" Perfectly said. Out of the mouth of babes.