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Counterfeit Dreams : One Man's Journey into and Out of the World of Scientology Hardcover – January 1, 2010

by Jefferson Hawkins (Author)

4.5 418 ratings

Scientology presents a glittering public façade, with smiling celebrities, polished videos, slick TV ads and impressive buildings. It is an image that Jefferson Hawkins helped to craft in his 35 years as a top marketing executive for the Church of Scientology. Yet behind that façade is a hidden world of physical and mental abuse, sleep deprivation, labor camps, family disconnection and human rights abuses. It is a nightmare world that is carefully hidden from public view. Counterfeit Dreams is a must-read for anyone who wants to know the truth about today’s most controversial cult.

Print length

336 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Hawkeye Publishing Co.
Publication date

January 1, 2010
ISBN-10

0615375642
ISBN-13

978-0615375649
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Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Hawkeye Publishing Co. (January 1, 2010)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 336 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0615375642
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0615375649
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1 pounds

Best Sellers Rank: #1,991,305 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews:
4.5 418 ratings

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Jefferson Hawkins

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Jefferson Hawkins spent 36 years inside the Church of Scientology, becoming one of its top marketing executives. He helped craft Scientology's polished public façade, which he now reveals as hiding a merciless world of physical and mental abuse, harassment, sleep deprivation, labor camps, family disconnection, and human rights violations.

Now an outspoken critic and whistleblower, Hawkins exposed the shocking abuses that go on at Scientology’s highest levels in his 2010 memoir, Counterfeit Dreams: One Man’s Journey Into and Out of the World of Scientology.

He has written two additional nonfiction books exposing Scientology's system of mind control: Leaving Scientology: A Practical Guide to Escape and Recovery, and Closing Minds: How Scientology's "Ethics Technology" is Used to Control Their Members.

Hawkins has appeared on the Emmy-winning A&E series, Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath, and was featured in Louis Theroux's My Scientology Movie. He was interviewed by the St. Petersburg Times for their groundbreaking series unveiling Scientology’s abuses, and appeared on Anderson Cooper 360 for CNN’s three-part exposé, “Scientology: A History of Violence.”

Today, Hawkins works as a graphic designer in Portland, Oregon. He continues to assist individuals and families who have been victims of Scientology abuse.

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barbara bales

One of my favorite scientology stories to date

Reviewed in the United States on September 21, 2023

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Jefferson Hawkins worked tirelessly for 30 years. He devoted his faith, brilliance, and life to this cult. He entered the cult happily, young, energetic and fully prepared to be a part of the movement to clear the planet and save humankind.

The level of abuse suffered by this man over these decades is horrific. Nothing short of horrific; it would be hard to believe if there weren’t dozens of other survivors telling their stories as well. The details vary widely and are essentially the same, because scientology never changes.

He was married three times in the cult, divorced three times in the cult. This is common in the cult. Finally, in 2005, Hawkins was “offloaded” from the INT base in Gilman Hot Springs. He was forced to sign a number of “Agreements” and “Confessions” then handed $500 and cut loose.

This is where the book gets really good. Hawkins takes us through the early days of freedom, where he has all the freedom that had been denied for so long, but doesn’t know what to do with it or how to do it. Slowly over time he figures it out, gets a place to live and a job, begins to reconnect with some of his loved ones, and learns how to really live. It is beautifully told, this opening up like a flower and learning after so long how to really live a life. This healing was painful, arduous, time consuming, but there is actual triumph, a happy ending, and I am very happy for Jefferson Hawkins and thank him for writing this book. It has undoubtedly helped many others to escape the cult and learn that life out here in the real world can be truly beautiful, purposeful, and joyful.

Reviewed in the United States on April 18, 2022

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As a clinical social worker of over 43 years, I have often been drawn to first-person stories of people drawn into various religious, political, or other thought-form systems, such as Hubbard's science fiction religion. Psychology is apparently considered an anethema to the Scientology world. And of course that belief would be considered true in that world created by delusion. In psychology we have a phrase for that: folie a plusieurs, delusions of many. It is fascinating how hypnotising (Mesmerising) some ideas can become, leading people in a Pied Piper fashion off into a way of life. Even in high school when I read the Illiead and Oddessey, there were stories of sailors turned into pigs for years, lulled or drawn by Siren's songs. Jeff was drawn into a way of being that many are still caught up in, apparently ruled by the same Big Lies that draw others to rob banks, or invade the Capitol. Same stuff, different day. I'm glad Jeff still has had some years for his family, his art, and himself.

4 people found this helpful

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Sandy

Jefferson Hawkins

Reviewed in the United States on October 12, 2023

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Started reading book as soon as I got it ---- intriguing

Reviewed in the United States on January 26, 2016

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I've read multiple books on Scientology, everything from Dianetics by the old man himself to all of the suggested reading referenced at the end of this one. I really liked this book. I find it so incredibly interesting that while Mr. Hawkins was going to car races, meetings in New York, getting bonuses and a Saturday off here and there, Jenna Hill or Marc Headley was potentially out there somewhere cleaning something with a toothbrush. Then all of a sudden, seemingly out of nowhere, poof, Mr. Hawkins is in the same boat as everyone else. My opinion is that writing this book must have dredged up a lot of emotions. I could still sense the undertones of codependency by the way that he was describing the passion and excitement of some of his many successes because of the benefits they brought to the church. My sense was that this wasn't entirely in the past tense and weren't just being presented to demonstrate the success but because it was still, somehow, a connection. Again, just one girl's, armchair psychological opinion. It took me a little while to get through the European tour, it moved a little slow, but after that it sailed along. (See what I did there?) That said; I adore this man. He's a good guy. He's a smart guy. He got sucked in anyway. And he gets that. He gets "it." I shed some tears, some happy some sad. But mostly happy. I'm proud of you Mr. Hawkins. I hope you're proud of you, too.

28 people found this helpful

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Laurie M.

Must read Scientology horror story

Reviewed in the United States on March 3, 2016

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Great insight into a horrible, abusive cult. It's scary what they get away with. Whether they are legally considered a "religion" or not, I don't understand how they are not held accountable for the many crimes that are committed by this organization on a regular basis. Child abuse, fraud, human trafficking, kidnapping, the list goes on and on. They ruin so many lives and make millions (that they don't have to pay taxes on) while they're doing it! I've read a number of books on what really goes on in Scientology and the thought that constantly comes to mind is "How dare they"! So many horrors, one of the worst being their "disconnection" policy that separates mothers from children, husbands from wives, etc. At the very least the U.S. Government has to take away their tax exempt status since Scientology is all about money. I'm always happy to read about someone who got out of this cult and I admire Mr. Hawkins for writing his story and trying to help current Scientologists leave the organization.

22 people found this helpful

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Jack

Good, unique, but not the best ex-Scientology book.

Reviewed in the United States on October 22, 2013

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I have read most of the books written by ex-Scientologists. In my opinion this was a good book, but it's not my favorite 'ex' book.

The best part about this book is the time frame in which it takes place. Most of the 'ex' books take place in the last ten or fifteen years. This book starts back in the 60's and comes up to recent times. There is a lot of great information and descriptions about how things were 'back in the day' that I have not heard from any other source besides Mr. Hawkins. I wouldn't call it a 'page-turner' but I did enjoy the book very much. The descriptions were great, I had a clear view of everything the author described, well written.

I recommend this book! My favorite 'ex' book is Blown For Good, I read it in two sittings, a total page-turner. Also Abuse at the Top was a great read as well.

Some of the very old LRH biographies are a bit dry, like Barefaced Messiah, however great data all the same.

15 people found this helpful

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L. Jones

The sordid story is the same as all other escapees from Scientology

Reviewed in the United States on August 22, 2022

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Should serve as a warning to anyone thinking about joining any cult, but especially Scientology. I prey for every escapee and everyone still ensnared.

One person found this helpful

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Richard Schouten-de Jong

Great read!

Reviewed in Germany on March 10, 2019

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Like any other book on this matter , it still gets me in so many ways.
People holding on to a belief that really falls apart around them.
And when they do get out of it it, the reality that sets in is enormous.
I applaud this writer en those like him for telling these stories.

cjsa

could only read it via Kindle Cloud Reader which is fine if you don't feel like reading when no wifi ...

Reviewed in Canada on February 23, 2017

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The book I give 5 stars, it was a book you couldn't put down. I have no idea how the CoS (Cult of Scientology) is still going because it's not because the command structure have any idea what they are doing. I put it up there with Going Clear.

My next buy is going to be Fair Game but it won't be from Amazon. When I purchased this book I couldn't get a copy on my Surface Pro 3, could only read it via Kindle Cloud Reader which is fine if you don't feel like reading when no wifi connection is available.

I purchased the book so I damn well should be able to download it to my Surface & add it to my library, for that I give Amazon 2 *.

One person found this helpful

Tracesprite

Beware losing your freedom to a time-wasting fool.

Reviewed in Australia on November 26, 2017

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I’m reading 3 books on mind control cults – Counterfeit Dreams by Jefferson Hawkins; Destructive and Terrorist Cults: A New Kind of Slavery by Masoud Banisadr; and Combating Cult Mind Control by Steven Hassan.
Banisadr makes the interesting point that a cult can start off being fairly benign and gradually develop into a mind control cult. This seems to involve an interesting interaction between the leader and the followers. As a cult follower, Banisadr said he changed from “a liberal, middle-class semi-intellectual into a dogmatic cultic zealot, ready to die for the leader,” (though in his case not ready to kill.)
The cult leader may not at first be a mini-dictator but, having followers who don’t question him and thus lacking the normal feedback that modifies the behavior of most of us, his or her behaviour deteriorates. Banisadr says s/he usually has “a childish, narcissistic ego and is unable to realize his gigantic ambitions in the real world. Hence he creates his toy-like miniworld…” His main characteristics are “charisma and charm, his sense of utter superiority, his totalitarian behaviour, his need for worshippers and his loneliness.”
Most people with such a personality profile live lonely lives in a fantasy world but a few find themselves with followers and can create cults which enable them to express their weird qualities. Why do people submit to such things? Many – even most – people are followers, not leaders or challengers. They cooperate with those around them. However if such people are unlucky enough to wander into a cult, they may find themselves in a living hell without the courage or initiative to escape.
Those few who do escape, write books such as the ones I’m reading. Those books are a warning about how easy it is to slide into a habit of obedience to a foolish, manic individual, to commit crimes that you have to carry on your conscience for the rest of your life and to cut yourself off from all your most important support people and end up without any money or a roof over your head. Be careful not to waste your precious years on this planet in a cult. Freedom can be a burden at time but it is vital to keep your freedom.

Tim Burgess

A compelling read written by an incredible man.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 10, 2015

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A mind blowing read of one man's life in a cult. Fantastically written and a real eye opener. Well done for speaking out Jeff. To go through everything that you did, and still retain your sanity shows an incredible strength of character. Thank you for sharing your experiences with us.

4 people found this helpful

Oliver82

but that is to be expected as this sounds like it was his style in his career

Reviewed in Canada on November 28, 2017

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Bit long winded and technical, but that is to be expected as this sounds like it was his style in his career. Interesting insights in to the organization if you can look past the odd writing style.

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Counterfeit Dreams : One Man's Journey into and Out of the World of Scientology Hardcover – January 1, 2010

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