# David Miscavige

David Miscavige (born April 30, 1960) is the leader of the Scientology religion and its many affiliated organizations, having assumed that role shortly after the death of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard in 1986. His official title within the organization is Chairman of the Board of Religious Technology Center (RTC), a corporation that controls the trademarked names and symbols of Dianetics and Scientology.

## Quotes

* I have been advised that you have decided to move forward with your story without my interview. This, despite the fact confirmed more than three weeks ago that I would make myself available on a date certain (6 July), after you spoke to other relevant Church personnel and toured Church facilities, and that I would provide information annihilating the credibility of your sources including the fundamental crimes against the Scientology religion that were the reasons for their removal from post.
** June 2009 letter by Miscavige to journalists Thomas C. Tobin and Joe Childs, regarding investigation of accounts of abuse of Scientology staff members by Miscavige for "The Truth Rundown" series in the St. Petersburg Times —Joe Childs, Thomas C. Tobin (June 23, 2009). A letter from David Miscavige. St Petersburg Times. Retrieved on July 3, 2010..
* People keep saying, "How’d you get power?" Nobody gives you power. I'll tell you what power is. Power in my estimation is if people will listen to you. That’s it.
** On achieving the position of leader of Scientology — Tobin, Thomas C. (October 25, 1998). The Man Behind Scientology. St. Petersburg Times. Retrieved on July 3, 2010..
* If a fraction of what they said about me was true -- a fraction -- I wouldn’t be here. I’ve not only not been convicted of anything, I’ve never been indicted for anything. Now I think that’s where you finally have to look at the, quote, critics and say, "Hey. Put up or shut up. Let’s see some evidence."
** On statements made about him by critics — Tobin, Thomas C. (October 25, 1998). The Man Behind Scientology. St. Petersburg Times. Retrieved on July 3, 2010..
* Do I think that we should work with the community or the police or the medical people down there to work out what to do if there’s another Scientologist who needs care and we want to avoid psychiatric treatment? Yes I do. And why is that? No matter what the circumstance … anybody would want to do something to avoid someone dying.
** Discussing the death of Scientologist Lisa McPherson in Clearwater, Florida — Tobin, Thomas C. (October 25, 1998). The Man Behind Scientology. St. Petersburg Times. Retrieved on July 3, 2010..
* Talk about the Van Allen Belt or whatever is that, that forms no part of current Scientology, none whatsoever. Well, you know, quite frankly, this tape here, he's talking about the origins of the universe, and I think you're going to find that in any, any, any religion, and I think you can make the same mockery of it. I think it's offensive that you're doing it here, because I don't think you'd do it somewhere else.
** After being played a portion of an audiotape where L. Ron Hubbard describes the Xenu story — "Scientology Leader Gave ABC First-Ever Interview: David Miscavige, Scientology Leader and Best Man at Tom Cruise's Wedding, Spoke to ABC News' 'Nightline' in 1992". ABC News. November 18, 2006. Retrieved on July 3, 2010. .
* Scientology, the word means study of life, study of knowledge, and that's where it is. It takes up all areas of life itself, things that are integral and maxims that are related to life and very existence. Let me give you an example. It's better if I take that, because it is such a broad-ranging subject covering so many different areas, the subject of communication. This is something that major breakthroughs exist in Scientology, being able to communicate in the world around you. And I think everybody would agree that this is an important subject. Well, there's an actual formula for communication which can be understood.
** "Scientology Leader Gave ABC First-Ever Interview: David Miscavige, Scientology Leader and Best Man at Tom Cruise's Wedding, Spoke to ABC News' 'Nightline' in 1992". ABC News. November 18, 2006. Retrieved on July 3, 2010. .
* Here's what I find wrong and here's what I find the common mistake the media makes. I can give you a hundred thousand Scientologists who will say unbelievably positive things about their church to every one you add on there, and I not only am upset about those people not being interviewed, they are, too. And the funny thing about it, and why you find this not really being that one who speaks in the media, is because not just myself, any Scientologist, will open up a paper, will watch this program, they're probably laughing right now, saying, "That isn't Scientology." That's what makes media. Media is controversy. I understand that. And if you really looked at the big picture of what's happening in Scientology, it isn't really controversial, certainly to a Scientologist.
** "Scientology Leader Gave ABC First-Ever Interview: David Miscavige, Scientology Leader and Best Man at Tom Cruise's Wedding, Spoke to ABC News' 'Nightline' in 1992". ABC News. November 18, 2006. Retrieved on July 3, 2010. .
* However else the world out there regards the last 12 months, whether in terms of tumultuous times, trying times, running out of time, overdue time, a roller coaster of a time, a hell of a time, or just about time—well, we do it differently, because we know time is always on our side.
** "365 Days of Expansion: Scientology Celebrates a Year of Explosive Growth, Ringing in an Unstoppable 2025". 'Scientology Today' (Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles). December 31, 2024. Retrieved on January 27, 2025. .

## About Miscavige

    In alphabetical order by author or source.
* Marty Rathbun, who served on the church's board and was a top lieutenant of Miscavige's, said he was often ordered by Miscavige to attack others.
** "Scientology Smackdown: Report Claims Abuse - Leader Of Church Accused Of Hitting Subordinates, Ex-Officials Tell Newspaper". CBS News. Associated Press. June 22, 2009. Retrieved on July 3, 2010. .
* Scientology is now run by David Miscavige, 31, a high school dropout and second-generation church member. Defectors describe him as cunning, ruthless and so paranoid about perceived enemies that he kept plastic wrap over his glass of water.
** Behar, Richard (May 6, 1991). "The Thriving Cult of Greed and Power". Time. Retrieved on July 3, 2010. .
* In 1980 Hubbard ceased making public appearances, and the management of the Church of Scientology was effectively taken over by David Miscavige.
** Chryssides, George D. (2006). The A to Z of New Religious Movements. The Scarecrow Press, Inc.. p. 163. ISBN 0810855887. .
* During his address to the 2003 International Association of Scientologists gala aboard the MV Freewinds, David Miscavige, the chair of the board of the Religious Technology Center, told the assembled glitterati about the "new civilization that only we can bring, the likes of which has never been before". That these claims may appear hyperbolic and hubristic to outsiders, has not been lost on Scientologists.
** Douglas E. Cowan, "Researching Scientology: Perceptions, Premises, Promises and Problematics", in – Lewis, James R. (2009). Scientology. New York, NY: Oxford University Press. p. 55. ISBN 978-0-19-533149-3. .
* Fifty-six years after its founding by the science fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard, who died in 1986, the church is fighting off calls by former members for a Reformation. The defectors say Sea Org members were repeatedly beaten by the church’s chairman, David Miscavige, often during planning meetings; pressured to have abortions; forced to work without sleep on little pay; and held incommunicado if they wanted to leave. The church says the defectors are lying.
** Goodstein, Laurie (March 6, 2010). "Defectors Say Church of Scientology Hides Abuse". The New York Times (The New York Times Company): p. A1. Retrieved on July 3, 2010. .
* Dave would punch or slap people in the face repeatedly when they delivered bad news, or when people talked back with anything other than what he wanted to hear. I would say over a period of five years between 2000 and 2005 I saw him do this maybe 30 to 40 times. I saw him hit Jeff on at least one or two occasions.
** Marc Headley referring to incidents involving former Scientology executive, Jeff Hawkins, interviewed in — Davis, Matt (August 7, 2008). "Selling Scientology: A Former Scientologist Marketing Guru Turns Against the Church". The Portland Mercury (Portland, Oregon). Retrieved on July 3, 2010. .
* Scientologists are at war with a member of their own family - the outspoken niece of the church's powerful leader, David Miscavige. Jenna Hill Miscavige, 24, the daughter of David's older brother Ron, recently came out in support of Andrew Morton's "Tom Cruise: An Unauthorized Biography," and slammed the star for "supporting a religion that tears apart families, both in the media and monetarily." Since then, Jenna claims she's been subjected to harassment.
** "Family Feud In Tom's Church". New York Post (NYP Holdings, Inc). February 6, 2008. Retrieved on July 3, 2010. .
* The chairman of the board of RTC is David Miscavige. His position might be considered to be the most important and most powerful in Scientology.
** Lewis, James R.; Jesper Aagaard Petersen (2004). Controversial New Religions. Oxford University Press. p. 247. ISBN 019515682X. .
* The texts, as encountered by readers, emanate from the diffuse body of Scientology departments. They have no real sender. The way ordinary Scientologists experience it, the texts are generated by the vast apparatus that is routinizing Hubbard's legacy. Furthermore, careful measures are taken to emphasize that the only visible individual, David Miscavige, is a servant of Hubbard's message, not an agent in his own right. Moreover, Miscavige as a person is clouded in mystery. He is the de facto leader of Scientology, yet remains utterly remote. Hubbard, who died in 1986, is alone in embodying the organization.
** Mikael Rothstein, "Scientology, scripture, and sacred tradition" in – Lewis, James R. Lewis; Olav Hammer (2007). The Invention of Sacred Tradition. Cambridge University Press. p. 36. ISBN 0521864798. .
* You cannot call yourself a religious leader as you beat people, as you confine people, as you rip apart families. If I was trying to destroy Scientology, I would leave David Miscavige right where he is because he's doing a fantastic job of it.
** Former Scientology executive Amy Scobee, in interview as part of June 2009 series, "The Truth Rundown" in the St. Petersburg Times — Joe Childs, Thomas C. Tobin (June 23, 2009). Scientology: The Truth Rundown, Part 1 of 3 in a special report on the Church of Scientology. St Petersburg Times. Retrieved on July 3, 2010..
* The leader of the controversial Church of Scientology routinely physically attacked members of his management team, according to former executives, a Florida newspaper has reported. Defectors from the controversial organisation who spoke to the St Petersburg Times told the paper that David Miscavige was "constantly denigrating and beating on people". Mike Rinder, the church's spokesman for decades, said he was attacked by Miscavige some 50 times.
** Siddique, Haroon (June 22, 2009). "Scientology leader David Miscavige 'physically attacked staff'". The Guardian (Guardian News and Media Limited). .
* His viciousness and his cruelty to staff was unlike anything that I had ever experienced in my life … He just loved to degrade the staff. He got a kick out of it. He thought it was funny. Anybody who didn't think it was funny, like I didn't, was very suspect.
** Stacy Young, former secretary to Miscavige, interviewed in — "Inside the Cult". The Big Story (ITV). 1995. .
* The most famous Scientology wedding was between Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes on November 18, 2006, in Italy. Although it may seem frivolous to focus on such an event when considering an extraordinary group, this wedding for much of the world brought Scientology to the front page. … The significance of Scientology to Cruise was underscored by his selection of David Miscavige, head of the Church of Scientology since the death of L. Ron Hubbard, as his best man.
** Zellner, William W.; Richard T. Schaefer (2007). "Church of Scientology: Social Positions". Extraordinary Groups: An Examination of Unconventional Lifestyles. Worth Publishers. p. 304. ISBN 0716770342. .

## See also

* Andreas Heldal-Lund
* L. Ron Hubbard
* Scientology
* Tom Cruise
* Xenu

## External links

* Official website
* Official biography of Miscavige from Scientology.org
* Official biography of Miscavige from the Religious Technology Center