Ah, Scientology. The mysterious Cult of Personality that is most often associated with the antics of Tom Cruise. A "religion" started by eccentric author L. Ron Hubbard, most people look at Scientology with, at minimum, an air of skepticism. At most, a foll-blown cult, the likes of which make Rasputin look sane.
While searching for books on North Korea, I somehow stumbled into a section of books written by Scientology defectors. Now, prior to that moment, I was only casually interested in the stories from defectors. I remembered news reports about Scientology elite harassing people who had "blown" (defected) from Scientology; the insane stories about their beliefs regarding extraterrestrial beings and an overlord named Xanu. I had even read a story about a young woman who mysteriously died while on a cruise within the infamous Sea Org division of Scientology, and the horrible way her family was treated when they tried to find out the truth.
Since both North Korea and Scientology have cults of personality running the respective "operations", the natural leap to reading stories from those who escaped from Scientology was easy. Now, I am not saying that Scientology is worse than North Korea in re: the treatment of followers. I am saying, however, that Marc Headley has written a memoir about his life within the "religion", one that details his interactions with some pretty high-ranking officers within the church.
Story
When I first started to read "Blown for Good", I took the information with a grain of salt. Stories about 100-hour workweeks and the near-enslavement of followers of Scientology border on the ridiculous. That being said, as I read through the manuscript Mr. Headley wrote out, I gradually started to believe that the autobiography was true.
Mr. Headley was "indoctrinated" into Scientology from a young age. His parents decided to leave Kansas City and their blue-collar life and head to Los Angeles when he was about six years old. The transition from the more affordable midwest to the fast-paced life of LA meant that his family struggled financially. This ultimately results in his parents separating. As his mother was brought into the fold of Scientology by her new boyfriends, this resulted in her children being placed within Scientology-run schools, called Delphis. These schools were expensive, but they were the starting point to bringing up an ideal Scientologist: students were required to learn everything that they could about the writings and lessons of both the church and L. Ron Hubbard. The book also details how everything in Scientology is set up to prepare you for the next level of devotion, and the expectation of financial contributions.
And then the story gets weird.
Mr. Headley's writing style is very casual, written as though he was sharing a dinner with you over a glass of beer. The book is peppered with personal insights as well as his interpretation of the "religion" as he moved upwards through the ranks. This relaxed tone permeates the book and is far from detrimental to his story. In fact, it makes it more believable. Rather than writing a college thesis Marc opted to write in a manner that makes me feel like we are conversing in person. His writing style is probably comparable to a sixth-grade reading level, but the story will draw you in.
I never expected to get past the Kindle Sample text that I requested for this book. I figured that it would slowly devolve into a harsh analysis of Scientology with claims of abuse and horror stories of his life being embellished for sales. Boy, was I wrong. You will find yourself continuing to read with a zeal that will surprise you. I downloaded this book late last night (the entire book, as I blew through the sample very quickly) and I have read it nearly non-stop. I have not yet finished the text, but I have a feeling that I will by the end of the day. Marc's story is just that engrossing.
Summary
If you would like to find out more about Scientology, especially about someone who "escaped" (and I use that term very seriously) from the infamous Hemet, California compound, this book is for you. While also describing his personal life (albeit in a minor way; it does not permeate the text), Marc's wry commentary about the subject matter will keep you engaged for quite a while. While Marc does describe his personal life, eventually that life is irrevocably tied in with Scientology. He describes how the church becomes all-consuming, how every aspect of your day is planned and how you are restricted to following the church and being held in a near prison-like state. The fact that Mr. Headley "blew" (as he was certainly pretty far along in the church hierarchy) becomes a pivotal point in his life. He has to make the choice to leave everything he has ever known behind - including his family, which remains in Scientology. His details about being harassed and having the big wigs pursue him suddenly doesn't seem ludicrous once you read his story.
Overall, this is a must-read book about defectors from the "cult' known as Scientology. I do not get the impression that Marc is making up aspects of his life with the church; as a matter of fact the further along and more ridiculous his stories may seem at first glance, you look back and realize that what you have read is the TRUTH. This book should be a cornerstone not just for people who want to learn about the insanity of Scientology, but is also a great study of a cult of personality.
While Kim Jung-Un may run a dictatorship in a "socialist" country, he has the blind following of a people whose lives are dominated by everything "Kim". Scientology is dominated by everything L. Ron Hubbard... or in the case after his death, David Miscavige. A great read, this book is much more informative than it may first appear. I heartily recommend this title, and hope that it will educate you about the life some people never meant to sign on for.
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Extremely good book about the inner workings of the Gold Base ...
Extremely good book about the inner workings of the Gold Base in California. Marc does an excellent job telling his jaw-dropping story of the abuse he went through while indoctrinated in the cult of Scientology. His writing style ranges from hilarious to horrific as he goes through the trials and tribulations of maintaining a relationship and his sanity while overworking himself for years to stay out of the hot-seat with Captain David Miscavige.This story is a must read for anyone that is interested in how Scientology works behind the scenes through the eyes of a trapped Sea Org member. If you cant get over a self-published book by a first time author then skip this book and read Lawrence Wright or Tony Ortega. Most of the people giving bad reviews are Scientology shills.
