Paul Haggis, ex scientologist

[Kitchen Princess]

He's being interviewed on Rock Center on NBC right now (central time). Fascinating story about how he left and how he has been treated.

[SamuraiKatz]

Ah...thanks! Off to turn on the TV...Hope I haven't missed this interview.

[lilwriter85]

It just finished in my area. It was interesting and the interview with the ex Scieno family was sad.

[Mary C Doates]

Just started reading Lawrence Wright's new book about Scientology (Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood, and the Prison of Belief). Paul Haggis was extensively interviewed early in the book--the book was just released 1/17, so I'm only a few chapters in. It's been very interesting reading so far.

[mirele]

Just started reading Lawrence Wright's new book about Scientology (Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood, and the Prison of Belief). Paul Haggis was extensively interviewed early in the book--the book was just released 1/17, so I'm only a few chapters in. It's been very interesting reading so far.

The videos are going up here: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/rock-center/ ... /#50502451

ETA: The book is hard going for me because I've met so many of the people mentioned in it. It's hard to read what people have been through in the past at the hands of Scientology. (I've never been a Scientologist, I just got incensed when Scientology came on the Internet back in 1994 and started harassing ex-members for talking about the sooper sekrit sakrid skripchers.)

Scientology is making statements that the book is just a rehash of stuff said before. Well, that's crap. Lawrence Wright came to a house party I went to last July and he spent the entire weekend in a corner of the back yard with his video camera, just interviewing people (no partying for him!). His assistant, Lauren Wolf, spent her weekend chatting people up and looking for more people to interview. These people are not just rehashing old stories.

[NeonJungle]

I recently ordered, "My Billion Year Contract: Memoir of a Former Scientologist," and think it is going to be good.

http://www.amazon.com/My-Billion-Year-Contract-Scientologist/dp/0578039222/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1358547929&sr=8-1&keywords=my+billion+year+contract

I remember when Rick Ross ran the Cult Awareness Network, and there was a section for former Scientologists. (Disclaimers, and all that) -- Allegedly this was discovered by them and they allegedly sued Ross, and allegedly won. Part of the alleged win was control of the Cult Awareness Network. And shortly thereafter allegedly all negative mentions of Scientology were allegedly scrubbed from the site.

[greek_chorus]

Ooh thanks for the book recommendations. Scientology is like watching a train wreck. I'll have to check these out.

[Anne Tudor]

If you haven't read the New Yorker article The Apostate it's good reading. Long, but worth it, and lays out the details of Paul Haggis vs. the Church of Scientology in an involving way:

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2011 ... ntPage=all

[Mommy22alyns]

Just started reading Lawrence Wright's new book about Scientology (Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood, and the Prison of Belief). Paul Haggis was extensively interviewed early in the book--the book was just released 1/17, so I'm only a few chapters in. It's been very interesting reading so far.

Please please please update us on it! It looks so interesting.

[manekineko]

Thanks for the links!

[acheronbeach]

If you haven't read the New Yorker article The Apostate it's good reading. Long, but worth it, and lays out the details of Paul Haggis vs. the Church of Scientology in an involving way:

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2011 ... ntPage=all

I gotta second this. It's a fascinating read (if long).

[SamuraiKatz]

While searching around for various COS terms on the interwebz, I found this:

http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~dst/Library/Shel ... u.html#toc

Public Domain. Fascinating read.

[anniebgood]

I'm reading the book as well. How any person could be so gullible as to sign a billion year contract, be treated like shit and work their fingers to the bone 60+ hours a week so some lilliputian dropout can rule them is beyond me. Miscavige is a psychotic dwarf.

[bionicmlle]

I can't wait to read this book. I live close to the Int base and would love to at least drive by. Some good friends of mine work at a local hospital and have NEVER seen a patient come in from there, despite claims that there are many, uh, "members" there.

[Shoobydoo]

I'm making my way through that article- it's very interesting so far. I need to find time to plow through a few of the things already on my reading list so I can add these Scientology books to it.

[Mary C Doates]

Please please please update us on it! It looks so interesting.

Just had FJ eat a couple of posts, so my apologies if they suddenly appear. I'd blame Scientology, but I suspect something less nefarious, like a wonky iPad connection. :P

Just finished Wright's book last night. I thought he went out of his way to present as even-handed a description of Scientology as possible, although he does get a little indignant when describing some of his personal experiences in trying to get "official" responses from people currently involved in the organization. A lot of the more sensational information is already available through articles, websites and other books (for example, Janet Reitman's Inside Scientology), but Wright did interview some different people and did considerabe fact-checking. Worth reading, IMHO.

edited for riffle