The Weight of Glory

This is an ominous interview from ex-Scientologist Marc Headley, former member of SeaOrg and Golden Air Productions. He entered the Church in 1989 and left in 2005. He speaks of his own experience being physically abused by David Miscavige, the human rights violations, the no-child policy in SeaOrg, the hundreds of forced abortions in the organization, Tom Cruise's departure from Scientology and sudden return, Lisa McPherson, and a number of other topics. A PDF transcript of the 90 minute interview is available here. The audio link is below.



Frankly, I've decided this will be my last post on this blog by way of expose of the Church. I have heard enough from diverse sources -- about the litigious nature of the Church, the fear, deception, intimidation, and human rights violations perpetrated by David Miscavige, etc -- to believe that there is something diabolical going on in this organization.

I mean, consider this speech by Miscavige:

Contained in the body of Dianetics and Scientology are answers to those age-old questions — Who am I? What’s the purpose of all this? And, What happens when I die?

The direct answers are: You are a spiritual being, distinct and separate from a body. You have lived lifetime after lifetime and will live again. You are seeking to survive for yourself, your family, group, mankind, the physical universe, and to survive as a spirit. And only when you have fully achieved that level of enlightenment can you truly understand the Creator.

And while that may sound familiar to many of you in the tradition of the ancient Eastern religions — you are certainly correct. What is different, and what is new about Scientology, are the means and ways of achieving it. For Scientology is a modern religion, born in the technical age of the 20th century. And if you were to ask any Scientologist, they would tell you it is a practical religion, with practical answers — tools that can be applied to achieve that greater awareness and purpose in the here and now. Or, as we say it, when you have the answers to life’s questions — there is virtually no part of existence it cannot be applied to for the betterment of life itself.

As for what it means in the greater scope of things — well, I return to that “greater drama” I referenced at the outset. It is summed up in the cycle of religion and science, and the question of which one held the answer to man himself. That has been the battle, and it’s been a continuous cycle. And while, through the ages, each has pointed to the “failures” of the other to support their position, we believe neither was correct. Instead, they both awaited a mutual meeting ground. That, to us, is Scientology.

And with that in mind, I won’t try to tell you that as a religion we are “just like everybody else.” Certainly we share those same goals of peace, compassion, the belief in a higher purpose — that life transcends this mere existence of the “clay” that is our bodies. Beyond that, we seek evolution to a better state for man in the here and now.

And then read paragraph 676 in the Catechism of the Catholic Church:

The Antichrist's deception already begins to take shape in the world every time the claim is made to realize within history that messianic hope which can only be realized beyond history through the eschatological judgment. The Church has rejected even modified forms of this falsification of the kingdom to come under the name of millenarianism, especially the "intrinsically perverse" political form of a secular messianism.

It seems wise to remember what Jesus said about the need for prayer and fasting (Mark 9:14-29). I think Anonymous has done, and continues to do, great work in exposing the evils committed by Miscavige and others in the Church. But at a certain point, I no longer need to be convinced of the magnitude of the evils involved.

Learning more about the abuses will likely only serve to make me angrier about them. I recall what Saint John of the Cross has to say about spiritual anger:

Through a certain indiscreet zeal they become angry over the sins of others, reprove these others, and sometimes even feel the impulse to do so angrily, which in fact they occasionally do, setting themselves up as lords of virtue. All such conduct is contrary to spiritual meekness.

Also, regarding spiritual peace and the will of God:

Strive to preserve your heart in peace; let no event of this world disturb it; reflect that all must come to an end.... Take neither great nor little notice of who is with you or against you, and try always to please God. Ask him that his will be done in you. Love him intensely, as he deserves to be loved.

Prayer and fasting are the best things I can offer in this situation.