The Ex-Factor

Last week, yet another celebrity decided to finally call the whole thing off. By the whole thing, I mean their membership in the strange, tangled, mysterious world that is "Church" of Scientology. The celebrity was Leah Remini of "King of Queens" fame, and she joined the ranks of other Scientology "defectors" like director Paul Haggis, actor Jason Beghe, and perhaps most famously Katie Holmes, who almost quite literally escaped the grip of the "church" like a refugee with her child in her arms.

                                                                                                                                                                        

That Scientology is actually a corrupt, money-hungry operation which abuses its members and is, in fact, a cult—is a no-brainer. The big head-scratcher in all this is how seemingly intelligent, interesting people manage to get sucked so deep into this operation that they will spend thousands, sometimes millions of dollars on it, often cut off family members that are not part of the "church," and wilingly divulge the most secret, personal information about themselves to be put in a file that is accessible to the cult's top members. The story of Scientology and its defectors is all about the power of mind control and brainwashing.

Similar to a woman staying in an abusive relationship despite the harm it does to her emotional and physical well-being, thousands of Scientology members choose to stay in the organization, despite the obvious harm it could do to them. "Why not just leave?" one would ask. And, "why join in the first place?"

To find the answers, we really need to dig deep into human psychology and why humans will voluntarily allow someone to put ideas into their minds and have their actions be influenced by others. Further still, what comes after freeing yourself from the grip of the mind-controller? How do you deprogram yourself from years of belief systems that were instilled in you?

From the day we are born, there is someone in our lives who imparts us with a level of mind control. Initially, it is our parents, who shape our minds in a way that generally reflects their own thinking and views, at least in the initial years of our lives. The grip of a parent's control can be so powerful, that adults often come to repeat the actions of their parents—whether by pursuing the same careers, or embarking on self-destructive paths, like alcoholism. Even as adults, many people seek their parents' approval. And why?

Because humans are validation-seekers, by nature. Whether from peers, lovers, friends, colleagues or  role models. Because we like being good, and like being told we are good at what we're doing.

Which brings us back to Scientology. Its central tenet—as founder L. Ron Hubbard had formulated all those years ago—is self-betterment. We all desire to grow and become wiser and more intuitive, intelligent and able as human beings. Scientology says, "We can help you achieve that—and more." In fact, Scientology promises: we can take your abilities beyond typical human ones. But you have to play your part. You have to work towards reaching that place of unlimited potential. You play your part by studying. Your are given access to a wealth of knowledge that is unprecedented, remarkable, life-altering—the cult claims—and, like any school, you have to pay to study. This is how you get better, this is how you grow.

So you pay. And you keep paying, because the road to reaching that pinnacle of potential can be a long one. In fact, as members who have left find out, the road is infinite. Because the promises are a sham. So, like a hamster in a wheel, you think you're moving closer to something real, an actual destination, but you are as far from it, as the day you got on the wheel.

"I was in a cult for 34 years," said Haggis, after finally leaving. "Everyone else could see it. I don't know why I couldn't."

What's fascinating about ex-Scientologists is how quickly, once out of the cult, many are able to take an objective, critical view of something they had so staunchly believed in for so long. It's as though they come out of a kind of hypnosis.

Which is no coincidence, because one of L. Ron Hubbard's real talents (he had many imaginary ones) was his ability to hypnotize people. And if one studies mind control—whether used in government or inter-personal relationships—they will learn that a kind of prolongued hypnosis is involved.

So does this mean Beck, a creative person who makes innovate music that is beloved by millions, is currently under hypnosis? Or that actress Juliette Lewis, who has delivered some truly maverick performances during her career, has been under a kind of hypnosis her entire life? (She's been a Scientologist since birth). Very possibly. But it can also mean that the consequences of leaving the church—just like the victim of an abusive relationship—are scarier than the consequences of staying. When you are that deeply entangled in a group that is so controlling, breaking away can break you.

More on that, and the man who coaches ex-cultists in deprogramming themselves, in Part 2.