How Scientology actually works, according to a former Scientologist
Jenna Miscavige, the niece of Scientology leader David Miscavige, discusses her experiences growing up in the Church and her subsequent departure. She details allegations of abuse and financial exploitation, while the Church dismisses her claims as profit-driven and discredited.
Why it matters
It provides a rare, critical insider perspective on a high-profile, controversial religious organization that maintains significant influence through celebrity connections.
Jenna Miscavige is the niece of David Miscavige, the leader of the Church of Scientology. She was raised as a Scientologist and left when she was 22 years old. Founded by science-fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard in 1954, Scientology developed into a global religious movement, reportedly reaching over 100,000 members at its peak in the 1990s. Even as its ranks have contracted, Scientology has retained an outsize place in popular culture due in no small part to high-profile members such as Tom Cruise and John Travolta.
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