Wikinews interviewed author about her book Scientology - Abuse at the Top, and asked her about her experiences working as an executive within the organization. Scobee joined the organization at age 14, and worked at Scientology's international management headquarters for several years before leaving in 2005. She served as a Scientology executive in multiple high-ranking positions, working out of the international headquarters of Scientology known as "", located in Gilman Hot Springs near ,  . Scientology was founded by writer in 1952. Scobee joined Scientology at age 14, and after leaving in 2005 she began to speak out critically about the organization and her views on alleged abuse carried out by management leader  against staff members. Scientology - Abuse at the Top was published in May, and Scobee has subsequently appeared in interviews about her experiences in the Scientology organization – for media including the of Florida on June 23, and the  program hosted by , , which broadcast on on September 28. Prior to her book's publication, Scobee was threatened with legal action, in a letter from a lawyer representing influential Scientology member and celebrity, actor  . Separately, Scientology representative stated the organization was also preparing a lawsuit against her related to the publication of her book. Further news about such threatened lawsuits have not been forthcoming following these statements from Tom Cruise's lawyer and Scientology's spokesman. AS: When I left in March 2005 after being a full-time, live-in staff member for a quarter century, I had a total of $150 to my name. I had no outside job skills, never cooked and I barely knew how to drive. I had no clue what I would be doing to make a living in the "outside world". It was not unlike being dropped on another planet and having to figure out how to survive from scratch. After I became stable and saved up some money, I began writing. As I wrote, I realized how important it was to get my story out. This "religion" promotes how their purpose is to create a sane world without criminality, etc. and the more I was OUT of their grip, the more I realized just how insane and criminal they really are. I learned about the Universal Declarations for Human Rights and saw how many points I personally knew were violated by the Scientology organization with their members. I learned about laws of the land (which I had been entirely ignorant of while a staff member) and realized some of the acts that I witnessed were actual violations of the LAW. But what set me on the past to exposing the abuse within Scientology the most was when my mother was forced to disconnect from me, per Scientology's "disconnection" policy where members are to cut all ties with anyone not in good standing with their "church". This was a very emotionally traumatic situation. In my view, no religion worthy of the title should have a right to stand between loved ones. Quite early on in the book's first chapter, you recount an incident of being at age 14, by a 35-year-old married man who was your Scientology supervisor. You describe how your "Scientology Ethics Officer" found out, said you were in a "state of treason", and that the incident was kept quiet and not reported to the police by Scientology officials. How difficult was it to include this in the book? For what reason did you choose to include this? Why didn't you tell your parents about this?AS: To me, it was very important to include this information in my book because it gives the reader an idea of how Scientology operates. One of the worst crimes you can commit as a Scientologist is bringing about "bad public relations" for them. Things that happen internally are KEPT internal with the "we handle our own" doctrine. Unfortunately, this was a CRIME for which that person could have been arrested. Instead, it was "handled" by the local staff (swept under the carpet) and forgotten about. I didn't tell my parents because I was ashamed and afraid. After describing your arrival at the Scientology "Flag Land Base" in Florida at age 16, you recall how you met and became intimate with a 26-year-old man named David Paul, who later became your husband. For this act, you were subjected to a "security check" process on the Scientology device, the , and ordered to serve time performing manual labor on the controversial "" (RPF) of Scientology. Is 16 a relatively young age to be sentenced to the Rehabilitation Project Force in Scientology? Did you know other individuals on this program that were younger than you, or around the same age? AS: Yes, 16 is a young age to be sentenced to the Rehabilitation Project Force. I should have been attending school as per the agreement with my mother when she gave parental consent for me to join the Sea Organization – but I factually never saw one day of school after I joined. There were other teen-agers on the RPF at the same time, but I believe I was the youngest. Scientologists working in the organization's "" in , California During participation in the Rehabilitation Project Force, you recount how you were slapped across the face for refusing to climb into a garbage can after being ordered to do so by a leader of your group. How did this make you feel? Did you consider leaving the organization at all at this point in time? Why or why not, and why did you remain?AS: It was a completely nutty order and I wasn't about to comply. I ran around the block to get away as the lady who issued the order chased after me. I went to the person in charge asking for help but he was not in his office. The lady chased me into that office and then hit me across the face. I did NOT hit her back because I wanted to show that she was the crazy one. However when the Ethics Officer got there, he said I should have complied as she was my superior. I felt like it was a huge injustice because the order made no sense and had no purpose. She was just trying to exert her "authority" over me. But, I didn't want to be in more trouble, so I did my punishment for non-compliance and carried on. No, I did not think of leaving then. At that point, I just thought that lady was insane, not the entire organization. After completing your time on the Rehabilitation Project Force, you were appointed to the position of "Commanding Officer of the Flag Land Base's Communicator", where you were "responsible for all in-coming and out-going traffic from the executive and obtaining compliance to all orders issued". Did it surprise you that directly after finishing the Rehabilitation Project Force, you were given such a position of responsibility as a Scientology executive? Does this occur often in Scientology to members after they finish their sentence in the Rehabilitation Project Force? AS: In the Sea Organization, one is expected to be able to perform any duty – with or without training. It's preached that the salvation of the world is on our shoulders and everyone needs to pull up their bootstraps and make it go right. So, the appointment did not surprise me. Shortly after your promotion from Rehabilitation Project Force member to this position, you were promoted to "Flag Land Bureau Estates Management Chief", where you were "responsible for all public hotels and services", and subsequently promoted to the " (CMO)". At the end of chapter 3, you write how you were "placed under a group justice action, called a Committee of Evidence", and the committee, "recommended my removal for neglect of duty regarding the schedule". However, a few days later you were told you were assigned to Los Angeles, California, in order to recruit for members to join the CMO. Again, this appears to be a pattern of conflicting orders within the organization, where in one instance you were disciplined for perceived slights, and yet directly afterward, promoted to a higher position of authority as a Scientology executive. How do you explain this behavior within the organization?AS: The control and handling of personnel within the Sea Org was very unpredictable. There were always huge demands and needs for people on various projects or positions that had to be filled "at once". So one could expect rapid changes. It was also considered that after one messes up, they can be corrected using the "ethics technology" of Scientology and confessionals so they can carry on after their level of ethics are once again acceptable. What was the highest-ranking position you held within Scientology? Who did you report to in this position? What responsibilities did you have, and how many other people and sub-entities did you oversee? AS: I was in the Watchdog Committee (WDC) which is the highest ecclesiastical body in Scientology, with a WDC member appointed over each of the numerous "sectors" or areas of Scientology to see to their proper management. My boss as a WDC member is the WDC Chairman. This is the highest management position in the organization. I was in WDC for about a decade and held about six different sectors over the years, including the Association for Better Living and Education (ABLE) sector, which is responsible for the secular aspects of the organization – drug rehabilitation, criminal reform, Applied Scholastics study technology and The Way To Happiness Foundation – and the Celebrity Center sector. Anything that goes on inside your sector or sphere of responsibility as a WDC member, is your responsibility and you're held accountable. This could be very stressful, particularly when the current head of Scientology – David Miscavige – is so abusive. For example, Miscavige learned that the Tampa Scientology organization was not paying their rent in 2003. As I had previously been the WDC member for all Scientology churches (approx 175 of them around the world) and should have noticed and handled it then, Miscavige demanded that I personally pay the rent of $ 5,000 (which I did not have). This order was enforced by his personal staff – I had to borrow the money from several other staff members and turn it into the Finance Office, who then wrote a check to the Tampa organization to pay their back rent as a "gift" to them from management. I was awarded PERMANENT POSTING STATUS on two executive positions in Church of Scientology International (CSI – the highest management organization for Scientology). This is a status that can only be verified and authorized by the Religious Technology Center (RTC – the holder of the Scientology trademarks and service marks). I received my Permanent Posting certificate by RTC as the Watchdog Committee member for Celebrity Centres (WDC CC), which I held as a single duty for four years, and as a function with other Scientology sectors for nearly a decade. Amongst the extensive list of requirements one must meet to become Permanently Posted, ones ethics and production record must be verified as excellent and you must be capable of generating on the order of a million dollars a year for the organization. In 1996, you were transferred to the executive post of Watchdog Committee member for the (WDC ABLE). ABLE is an organization operated by Scientology management which oversees groups that promote Scientology techniques. In this executive position, you were responsible for supervising Scientology-associated entities including: , , , and . Can you explain a little bit about the function and purpose of each of these groups? Are they actual-practice, separate "secular" functioning organizations, or somehow related to the Scientology organization itself? How specifically were these groups influenced and/or managed by Scientology leadership? How involved was  in the functioning of these groups? Prior to publication of Scientology - Abuse at the Top by Amy Scobee, the author was threatened with separate legal actions – by lawyer representing influential Scientology member and celebrity, actor  ; and Scientology representative on behalf of Scientology management. AS: Bertram Fields made a mistake by issuing that legal threat when he hadn't even read my book to know what I actually said about his client. He made assumptions based on hearsay. When I received the letter, I thought that it was just like Scientology – issue threats to intimidate and back someone off. I wasn't going to back off because what I wrote in my book was true. I am the one who did the project to hire Scientologists for Tom's household. I am the one Shelly Miscavige told what disqualifying drugs Tom took so he could not qualify for the Sea Organization – which he supposedly wanted to join. I didn't say anything in my book about Cruise having to decide between Nicole or the organization. So, I knew that it was an attempt to prevent me from putting out my book as "little 'ol me" could never possibly stand up to the high-powered lawyer of an A-list celebrity who has millions of dollars at his disposal. But the fact is – it didn't phase me as truth is truth and I'm willing to stand up for the truth. The book was subsequently published and made publicly available. At this point in time, has there been any follow-up from Tom Cruise, his lawyer, or representatives, to you? How do you feel about your legal standing if Cruise were to escalate the matter beyond the initial legal threat letter?
Wikinews interviewed author about her book Scientology - Abuse at the Top, and asked her about her experiences working as an executive within the organization. Scobee joined the organization at age 14, and worked at Scientology's international management headquarters for several years before leaving in 2005. She served as a Scientology executive in multiple high-ranking positions, working out of the international headquarters of Scientology known as "", located in Gilman Hot Springs near , California . Scientology was founded by writer in 1952. Scobee joined Scientology at age 14, and after leaving in 2005 she began to speak out critically about the organization and her views on alleged abuse carried out by management leader David Miscavige against staff members. Scientology - Abuse at the Top was published in May, and Scobee has subsequently appeared in interviews about her experiences in the Scientology organization – for media including the of Florida on June 23, and the BBC program hosted by , , which broadcast on on September 28. Prior to her book's publication, Scobee was threatened with legal action, in a letter from a lawyer representing influential Scientology member and celebrity, actor Tom Cruise . Separately, Scientology representative stated the organization was also preparing a lawsuit against her related to the publication of her book. Further news about such threatened lawsuits have not been forthcoming following these statements from Tom Cruise's lawyer and Scientology's spokesman. AS: When I left in March 2005 after being a full-time, live-in staff member for a quarter century, I had a total of $150 to my name. I had no outside job skills, never cooked and I barely knew how to drive. I had no clue what I would be doing to make a living in the "outside world". It was not unlike being dropped on another planet and having to figure out how to survive from scratch. After I became stable and saved up some money, I began writing. As I wrote, I realized how important it was to get my story out. This "religion" promotes how their purpose is to create a sane world without criminality, etc. and the more I was OUT of their grip, the more I realized just how insane and criminal they really are. I learned about the Universal Declarations for Human Rights and saw how many points I personally knew were violated by the Scientology organization with their members. I learned about laws of the land (which I had been entirely ignorant of while a staff member) and realized some of the acts that I witnessed were actual violations of the LAW. But what set me on the past to exposing the abuse within Scientology the most was when my mother was forced to disconnect from me, per Scientology's "disconnection" policy where members are to cut all ties with anyone not in good standing with their "church". This was a very emotionally traumatic situation. In my view, no religion worthy of the title should have a right to stand between loved ones. Quite early on in the book's first chapter, you recount an incident of being at age 14, by a 35-year-old married man who was your Scientology supervisor. You describe how your "Scientology Ethics Officer" found out, said you were in a "state of treason", and that the incident was kept quiet and not reported to the police by Scientology officials. How difficult was it to include this in the book? For what reason did you choose to include this? Why didn't you tell your parents about this?AS: To me, it was very important to include this information in my book because it gives the reader an idea of how Scientology operates. One of the worst crimes you can commit as a Scientologist is bringing about "bad public relations" for them. Things that happen internally are KEPT internal with the "we handle our own" doctrine. Unfortunately, this was a CRIME for which that person could have been arrested. Instead, it was "handled" by the local staff (swept under the carpet) and forgotten about. I didn't tell my parents because I was ashamed and afraid. After describing your arrival at the Scientology "Flag Land Base" in Florida at age 16, you recall how you met and became intimate with a 26-year-old man named David Paul, who later became your husband. For this act, you were subjected to a "security check" process on the Scientology device, the , and ordered to serve time performing manual labor on the controversial "" (RPF) of Scientology. Is 16 a relatively young age to be sentenced to the Rehabilitation Project Force in Scientology? Did you know other individuals on this program that were younger than you, or around the same age? AS: Yes, 16 is a young age to be sentenced to the Rehabilitation Project Force. I should have been attending school as per the agreement with my mother when she gave parental consent for me to join the Sea Organization – but I factually never saw one day of school after I joined. There were other teen-agers on the RPF at the same time, but I believe I was the youngest. Scientologists working in the organization's "" in Los Angeles, California During participation in the Rehabilitation Project Force, you recount how you were slapped across the face for refusing to climb into a garbage can after being ordered to do so by a leader of your group. How did this make you feel? Did you consider leaving the organization at all at this point in time? Why or why not, and why did you remain?AS: It was a completely nutty order and I wasn't about to comply. I ran around the block to get away as the lady who issued the order chased after me. I went to the person in charge asking for help but he was not in his office. The lady chased me into that office and then hit me across the face. I did NOT hit her back because I wanted to show that she was the crazy one. However when the Ethics Officer got there, he said I should have complied as she was my superior. I felt like it was a huge injustice because the order made no sense and had no purpose. She was just trying to exert her "authority" over me. But, I didn't want to be in more trouble, so I did my punishment for non-compliance and carried on. No, I did not think of leaving then. At that point, I just thought that lady was insane, not the entire organization. After completing your time on the Rehabilitation Project Force, you were appointed to the position of "Commanding Officer of the Flag Land Base's Communicator", where you were "responsible for all in-coming and out-going traffic from the executive and obtaining compliance to all orders issued". Did it surprise you that directly after finishing the Rehabilitation Project Force, you were given such a position of responsibility as a Scientology executive? Does this occur often in Scientology to members after they finish their sentence in the Rehabilitation Project Force? AS: In the Sea Organization, one is expected to be able to perform any duty – with or without training. It's preached that the salvation of the world is on our shoulders and everyone needs to pull up their bootstraps and make it go right. So, the appointment did not surprise me. Shortly after your promotion from Rehabilitation Project Force member to this position, you were promoted to "Flag Land Bureau Estates Management Chief", where you were "responsible for all public hotels and services", and subsequently promoted to the " (CMO)". At the end of chapter 3, you write how you were "placed under a group justice action, called a Committee of Evidence", and the committee, "recommended my removal for neglect of duty regarding the schedule". However, a few days later you were told you were assigned to Los Angeles, California, in order to recruit for members to join the CMO. Again, this appears to be a pattern of conflicting orders within the organization, where in one instance you were disciplined for perceived slights, and yet directly afterward, promoted to a higher position of authority as a Scientology executive. How do you explain this behavior within the organization?AS: The control and handling of personnel within the Sea Org was very unpredictable. There were always huge demands and needs for people on various projects or positions that had to be filled "at once". So one could expect rapid changes. It was also considered that after one messes up, they can be corrected using the "ethics technology" of Scientology and confessionals so they can carry on after their level of ethics are once again acceptable. What was the highest-ranking position you held within Scientology? Who did you report to in this position? What responsibilities did you have, and how many other people and sub-entities did you oversee? AS: I was in the Watchdog Committee (WDC) which is the highest ecclesiastical body in Scientology, with a WDC member appointed over each of the numerous "sectors" or areas of Scientology to see to their proper management. My boss as a WDC member is the WDC Chairman. This is the highest management position in the organization. I was in WDC for about a decade and held about six different sectors over the years, including the Association for Better Living and Education (ABLE) sector, which is responsible for the secular aspects of the organization – drug rehabilitation, criminal reform, Applied Scholastics study technology and The Way To Happiness Foundation – and the Celebrity Center sector. Anything that goes on inside your sector or sphere of responsibility as a WDC member, is your responsibility and you're held accountable. This could be very stressful, particularly when the current head of Scientology – David Miscavige – is so abusive. For example, Miscavige learned that the Tampa Scientology organization was not paying their rent in 2003. As I had previously been the WDC member for all Scientology churches (approx 175 of them around the world) and should have noticed and handled it then, Miscavige demanded that I personally pay the rent of $ 5,000 (which I did not have). This order was enforced by his personal staff – I had to borrow the money from several other staff members and turn it into the Finance Office, who then wrote a check to the Tampa organization to pay their back rent as a "gift" to them from management. I was awarded PERMANENT POSTING STATUS on two executive positions in Church of Scientology International (CSI – the highest management organization for Scientology). This is a status that can only be verified and authorized by the Religious Technology Center (RTC – the holder of the Scientology trademarks and service marks). I received my Permanent Posting certificate by RTC as the Watchdog Committee member for Celebrity Centres (WDC CC), which I held as a single duty for four years, and as a function with other Scientology sectors for nearly a decade. Amongst the extensive list of requirements one must meet to become Permanently Posted, ones ethics and production record must be verified as excellent and you must be capable of generating on the order of a million dollars a year for the organization. In 1996, you were transferred to the executive post of Watchdog Committee member for the (WDC ABLE). ABLE is an organization operated by Scientology management which oversees groups that promote Scientology techniques. In this executive position, you were responsible for supervising Scientology-associated entities including: , , , and . Can you explain a little bit about the function and purpose of each of these groups? Are they actual-practice, separate "secular" functioning organizations, or somehow related to the Scientology organization itself? How specifically were these groups influenced and/or managed by Scientology leadership? How involved was David Miscavige in the functioning of these groups? Prior to publication of Scientology - Abuse at the Top by Amy Scobee, the author was threatened with separate legal actions – by lawyer representing influential Scientology member and celebrity, actor Tom Cruise ; and Scientology representative on behalf of Scientology management. AS: Bertram Fields made a mistake by issuing that legal threat when he hadn't even read my book to know what I actually said about his client. He made assumptions based on hearsay. When I received the letter, I thought that it was just like Scientology – issue threats to intimidate and back someone off. I wasn't going to back off because what I wrote in my book was true. I am the one who did the project to hire Scientologists for Tom's household. I am the one Shelly Miscavige told what disqualifying drugs Tom took so he could not qualify for the Sea Organization – which he supposedly wanted to join. I didn't say anything in my book about Cruise having to decide between Nicole or the organization. So, I knew that it was an attempt to prevent me from putting out my book as "little 'ol me" could never possibly stand up to the high-powered lawyer of an A-list celebrity who has millions of dollars at his disposal. But the fact is – it didn't phase me as truth is truth and I'm willing to stand up for the truth. The book was subsequently published and made publicly available. At this point in time, has there been any follow-up from Tom Cruise, his lawyer, or representatives, to you? How do you feel about your legal standing if Cruise were to escalate the matter beyond the initial legal threat letter?
A
California
A
David Miscavige
A
BBC
A
Tom Cruise
R
$150 to my name. I had no outside job skills, never cooked and I barely knew how to drive. I had no clue what I would be doing to make a living in the "outside world". It was not unlike being dropped on another planet and having to figure out how to survive from scratch. After I became stable and saved up some money, I began writing. As I wrote, I realized how important it was to get my story out. This "religion" promotes how their purpose is to create a sane world without criminality, etc. and the more I was OUT of their grip, the more I realized just how insane and criminal they really are. I learned about the Universal Declarations for Human Rights and saw how many points I personally knew were violated by the Scientology organization with their members. I learned about laws of the land (which I had been entirely ignorant of while a staff member) and realized some of the acts that I witnessed were actual violations of the LAW. But what set me on the past to exposing the abuse within Scientology the most was when my mother was forced to disconnect from me, per Scientology's "disconnection" policy where members are to cut all ties with anyone not in good standing with their "church". This was a very emotionally traumatic situation. In my view, no religion worthy of the title should have a right to stand between loved ones. Quite early on in the book's first chapter, you recount an incident of being at age 14, by a 35-year-old married man who was your Scientology supervisor. You describe how your "Scientology Ethics Officer" found out, said you were in a "state of treason", and that the incident was kept quiet and not reported to the police by Scientology officials. How difficult was it to include this in the book? For what reason did you choose to include this? Why didn't you tell your parents about this?AS: To me, it was very important to include this information in my book because it gives the reader an idea of how Scientology operates. One of the worst crimes you can commit as a Scientologist is bringing about "bad public relations" for them. Things that happen internally are KEPT internal with the "we handle our own" doctrine. Unfortunately, this was a CRIME for which that person could have been arrested. Instead, it was "handled" by the local staff (swept under the carpet) and forgotten about. I didn't tell my parents because I was ashamed and afraid. After describing your arrival at the Scientology "Flag Land Base" in Florida at age 16, you recall how you met and became intimate with a 26-year-old man named David Paul, who later became your husband. For this act, you were subjected to a "security check" process on the Scientology device, the , and ordered to serve time performing manual labor on the controversial "" (RPF) of Scientology. Is 16 a relatively young age to be sentenced to the Rehabilitation Project Force in Scientology? Did you know other individuals on this program that were younger than you, or around the same age? AS: Yes, 16 is a young age to be sentenced to the Rehabilitation Project Force. I should have been attending school as per the agreement with my mother when she gave parental consent for me to join the Sea Organization – but I factually never saw one day of school after I joined. There were other teen-agers on the RPF at the same time, but I believe I was the youngest. Scientologists working in the organization's "" in , California During participation in the Rehabilitation Project Force, you recount how you were slapped across the face for refusing to climb into a garbage can after being ordered to do so by a leader of your group. How did this make you feel? Did you consider leaving the organization at all at this point in time? Why or why not, and why did you remain?AS: It was a completely nutty order and I wasn't about to comply. I ran around the block to get away as the lady who issued the order chased after me. I went to the person in charge asking for help but he was not in his office. The lady chased me into that office and then hit me across the face. I did NOT hit her back because I wanted to show that she was the crazy one. However when the Ethics Officer got there, he said I should have complied as she was my superior. I felt like it was a huge injustice because the order made no sense and had no purpose. She was just trying to exert her "authority" over me. But, I didn't want to be in more trouble, so I did my punishment for non-compliance and carried on. No, I did not think of leaving then. At that point, I just thought that lady was insane, not the entire organization. After completing your time on the Rehabilitation Project Force, you were appointed to the position of "Commanding Officer of the Flag Land Base's Communicator", where you were "responsible for all in-coming and out-going traffic from the executive and obtaining compliance to all orders issued". Did it surprise you that directly after finishing the Rehabilitation Project Force, you were given such a position of responsibility as a Scientology executive? Does this occur often in Scientology to members after they finish their sentence in the Rehabilitation Project Force? AS: In the Sea Organization, one is expected to be able to perform any duty – with or without training. It's preached that the salvation of the world is on our shoulders and everyone needs to pull up their bootstraps and make it go right. So, the appointment did not surprise me. Shortly after your promotion from Rehabilitation Project Force member to this position, you were promoted to "Flag Land Bureau Estates Management Chief", where you were "responsible for all public hotels and services", and subsequently promoted to the " (CMO)". At the end of chapter 3, you write how you were "placed under a group justice action, called a Committee of Evidence", and the committee, "recommended my removal for neglect of duty regarding the schedule". However, a few days later you were told you were assigned to Los Angeles, California, in order to recruit for members to join the CMO. Again, this appears to be a pattern of conflicting orders within the organization, where in one instance you were disciplined for perceived slights, and yet directly afterward, promoted to a higher position of authority as a Scientology executive. How do you explain this behavior within the organization?AS: The control and handling of personnel within the Sea Org was very unpredictable. There were always huge demands and needs for people on various projects or positions that had to be filled "at once". So one could expect rapid changes. It was also considered that after one messes up, they can be corrected using the "ethics technology" of Scientology and confessionals so they can carry on after their level of ethics are once again acceptable. What was the highest-ranking position you held within Scientology? Who did you report to in this position? What responsibilities did you have, and how many other people and sub-entities did you oversee? AS: I was in the Watchdog Committee (WDC) which is the highest ecclesiastical body in Scientology, with a WDC member appointed over each of the numerous "sectors" or areas of Scientology to see to their proper management. My boss as a WDC member is the WDC Chairman. This is the highest management position in the organization. I was in WDC for about a decade and held about six different sectors over the years, including the Association for Better Living and Education (ABLE) sector, which is responsible for the secular aspects of the organization – drug rehabilitation, criminal reform, Applied Scholastics study technology and The Way To Happiness Foundation – and the Celebrity Center sector. Anything that goes on inside your sector or sphere of responsibility as a WDC member, is your responsibility and you're held accountable. This could be very stressful, particularly when the current head of Scientology – David Miscavige – is so abusive. For example, Miscavige learned that the Tampa Scientology organization was not paying their rent in 2003. As I had previously been the WDC member for all Scientology churches (approx 175 of them around the world) and should have noticed and handled it then, Miscavige demanded that I personally pay the rent of $
$150 to my name. I had no outside job skills, never cooked and I barely knew how to drive. I had no clue what I would be doing to make a living in the "outside world". It was not unlike being dropped on another planet and having to figure out how to survive from scratch. After I became stable and saved up some money, I began writing. As I wrote, I realized how important it was to get my story out. This "religion" promotes how their purpose is to create a sane world without criminality, etc. and the more I was OUT of their grip, the more I realized just how insane and criminal they really are. I learned about the Universal Declarations for Human Rights and saw how many points I personally knew were violated by the Scientology organization with their members. I learned about laws of the land (which I had been entirely ignorant of while a staff member) and realized some of the acts that I witnessed were actual violations of the LAW. But what set me on the past to exposing the abuse within Scientology the most was when my mother was forced to disconnect from me, per Scientology's "disconnection" policy where members are to cut all ties with anyone not in good standing with their "church". This was a very emotionally traumatic situation. In my view, no religion worthy of the title should have a right to stand between loved ones. Quite early on in the book's first chapter, you recount an incident of being at age 14, by a 35-year-old married man who was your Scientology supervisor. You describe how your "Scientology Ethics Officer" found out, said you were in a "state of treason", and that the incident was kept quiet and not reported to the police by Scientology officials. How difficult was it to include this in the book? For what reason did you choose to include this? Why didn't you tell your parents about this?AS: To me, it was very important to include this information in my book because it gives the reader an idea of how Scientology operates. One of the worst crimes you can commit as a Scientologist is bringing about "bad public relations" for them. Things that happen internally are KEPT internal with the "we handle our own" doctrine. Unfortunately, this was a CRIME for which that person could have been arrested. Instead, it was "handled" by the local staff (swept under the carpet) and forgotten about. I didn't tell my parents because I was ashamed and afraid. After describing your arrival at the Scientology "Flag Land Base" in Florida at age 16, you recall how you met and became intimate with a 26-year-old man named David Paul, who later became your husband. For this act, you were subjected to a "security check" process on the Scientology device, the , and ordered to serve time performing manual labor on the controversial "" (RPF) of Scientology. Is 16 a relatively young age to be sentenced to the Rehabilitation Project Force in Scientology? Did you know other individuals on this program that were younger than you, or around the same age? AS: Yes, 16 is a young age to be sentenced to the Rehabilitation Project Force. I should have been attending school as per the agreement with my mother when she gave parental consent for me to join the Sea Organization – but I factually never saw one day of school after I joined. There were other teen-agers on the RPF at the same time, but I believe I was the youngest. Scientologists working in the organization's "" in Los Angeles, California During participation in the Rehabilitation Project Force, you recount how you were slapped across the face for refusing to climb into a garbage can after being ordered to do so by a leader of your group. How did this make you feel? Did you consider leaving the organization at all at this point in time? Why or why not, and why did you remain?AS: It was a completely nutty order and I wasn't about to comply. I ran around the block to get away as the lady who issued the order chased after me. I went to the person in charge asking for help but he was not in his office. The lady chased me into that office and then hit me across the face. I did NOT hit her back because I wanted to show that she was the crazy one. However when the Ethics Officer got there, he said I should have complied as she was my superior. I felt like it was a huge injustice because the order made no sense and had no purpose. She was just trying to exert her "authority" over me. But, I didn't want to be in more trouble, so I did my punishment for non-compliance and carried on. No, I did not think of leaving then. At that point, I just thought that lady was insane, not the entire organization. After completing your time on the Rehabilitation Project Force, you were appointed to the position of "Commanding Officer of the Flag Land Base's Communicator", where you were "responsible for all in-coming and out-going traffic from the executive and obtaining compliance to all orders issued". Did it surprise you that directly after finishing the Rehabilitation Project Force, you were given such a position of responsibility as a Scientology executive? Does this occur often in Scientology to members after they finish their sentence in the Rehabilitation Project Force? AS: In the Sea Organization, one is expected to be able to perform any duty – with or without training. It's preached that the salvation of the world is on our shoulders and everyone needs to pull up their bootstraps and make it go right. So, the appointment did not surprise me. Shortly after your promotion from Rehabilitation Project Force member to this position, you were promoted to "Flag Land Bureau Estates Management Chief", where you were "responsible for all public hotels and services", and subsequently promoted to the " (CMO)". At the end of chapter 3, you write how you were "placed under a group justice action, called a Committee of Evidence", and the committee, "recommended my removal for neglect of duty regarding the schedule". However, a few days later you were told you were assigned to Los Angeles, California, in order to recruit for members to join the CMO. Again, this appears to be a pattern of conflicting orders within the organization, where in one instance you were disciplined for perceived slights, and yet directly afterward, promoted to a higher position of authority as a Scientology executive. How do you explain this behavior within the organization?AS: The control and handling of personnel within the Sea Org was very unpredictable. There were always huge demands and needs for people on various projects or positions that had to be filled "at once". So one could expect rapid changes. It was also considered that after one messes up, they can be corrected using the "ethics technology" of Scientology and confessionals so they can carry on after their level of ethics are once again acceptable. What was the highest-ranking position you held within Scientology? Who did you report to in this position? What responsibilities did you have, and how many other people and sub-entities did you oversee? AS: I was in the Watchdog Committee (WDC) which is the highest ecclesiastical body in Scientology, with a WDC member appointed over each of the numerous "sectors" or areas of Scientology to see to their proper management. My boss as a WDC member is the WDC Chairman. This is the highest management position in the organization. I was in WDC for about a decade and held about six different sectors over the years, including the Association for Better Living and Education (ABLE) sector, which is responsible for the secular aspects of the organization – drug rehabilitation, criminal reform, Applied Scholastics study technology and The Way To Happiness Foundation – and the Celebrity Center sector. Anything that goes on inside your sector or sphere of responsibility as a WDC member, is your responsibility and you're held accountable. This could be very stressful, particularly when the current head of Scientology – David Miscavige – is so abusive. For example, Miscavige learned that the Tampa Scientology organization was not paying their rent in 2003. As I had previously been the WDC member for all Scientology churches (approx 175 of them around the world) and should have noticed and handled it then, Miscavige demanded that I personally pay the rent of $
A
David Miscavige
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Tom Cruise