I have just finished reading Australian national journalist Steve Cannane’s book Fair Game.
I highly recommend it as a very well written and researched account of scientology’s history and a revealing expose of newly disclosed and little known information. Steve had earlier commented that I had prompted him to embark on this exercise when I had mentioned the important role Australia had played in the history of scientology — from the first government inquiry and ban to the Australian High Court decision defining religion and the precedent setting role of Australian media unintimidated by scientology’s threats. And the personalities who had had pivotal roles, from Yvonne Jentzsch and family to Jan Eastgate and Senator Nick Xenophon to James Packer and Rupert Murdoch and sons.
His book is oriented around the history of scientology in Australia — but don’t let that fool you into thinking it does not have much greater relevance in the overall narrative about scientology and its place in the world.
Steve managed to find and interview some fascinating sources for his book, uncover some heretofore unknown information and he reveals behind the scenes information that paints a broader picture of scientology.
I will not do a traditional review of the book other than to say I found it compelling reading, accurate and enlightening.
But I will describe some of the things that are contained in the book that I feel are especially important.
- The real source of the Australian Inquiry (L. Ron Hubbard refusing to provide a refund to a disgruntled customer) and the definitive recounting of this seminal event in the history of scientology that led to a great deal of the policy and approaches to dealing with critics and governments in the 1960’s
- The subsequent activities of the Guardian’s Office and the Snow White Program, including interviews with Guardian Office operatives.
- Fascinating quotes from L. Ron Hubbard – at first sweeping complements about Australia being the greatest hope for scientology and a wonderful country to the exact opposite after the Inquiry, now becoming in his eyes the home of criminals all descended from criminals.
- The key role of Rupert Murdoch from the early days of scientology in Australia when his empire was a few newspapers in Australia and how hard his papers went after scientology and the role this played in the later effort to recruit James Packer…
- A lot of detail about Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise – much of which has now been published elsewhere
- Rare, perhaps exclusive interviews with Janis, Terri and Peter Gillham — Yvonne’s 3 children who were early members of the SO and their recollections of L. Ron Hubbard and David Miscavige among other things.
- Pat and Annie Broeker and the story of the rise to power of David Miscavige
- The inside story of Chelmsford — scientology’s greatest victory against psychiatry and the real people behind it (not the “Freedom Medal Winner” Jan Eastgate).
- The beginnings of scientology’s losing battle against the internet, Julian Assange and another Australian internet activist who were seminal figures in what has become the information war scientology could not win.
There is much more. Read it and I think you will agree it is an important addition to the story of scientology.
Mary N says
There was a book published in 1990, titled, “A Piece of Blue Sky” by ex-cult member, John Atack. I think it is worth mentioning because it predates “Bare Faced Messiah”, and exposes Hubbard in great detail. I am wondering what happened to the author. I assume he was “fair gamed” like all the other critics, but I am interested to know more. Does anyone have details?
Paul says
Jon is alive and well, he has written a number of articles for Tony Ortega. You can see them here:
https://tonyortega.org/scientology-mythbusting-with-historian-jon-atack/
gtsix says
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Well written, both for the level of detail and the ease of the read. The last page… gutted. Hope it comes to pass.
And I learned a few new Aussie words. Bravo Mr. Cannane bravo.
Lost My Son (Lowie) says
I also LOVED this book. It was so well written and so well researched. I “knew” about some of the events, but they were well before my time, but I certainly did not know all the details. It is was amazing.
There was only one thing I did not agree with and that was the part about the reporter, who found LRH on the deck by himself in the middle of the night and told this reporter that he had basically “dreamed up” all this Scientology and got himself into conundrum. One thing I do know for a fact, is that LRH was never alone when he was on the ship, if he wanted to go for a walk in the middle of the night, there was always a messenger with him. So that part was very hard for me to believe. Also, no-one could “just” walk onto the ship without the QM or some such person stopping them. I understand the reporter was a reputable reporter etc, but that part was just too unbelievable for me.
LRH once told me that he all he wanted to do was write the book Dianetics and then have nothing else to do with it in terms of “running” a church, but because the Gov’t got involved and tried to “license” it, he had to get involved. All my time with him, he believed it. If he did not believe it, why did he audit himself/receive auditing ALL the time and every day.
But otherwise, it is an excellent book and I highly recommend it. Especially to those who are on the fence.
marildi says
Lowie: “If he did not believe it, why did he audit himself/receive auditing ALL the time and every day.
That’s what Steve “Sarge” Pfauth said in an interview. He was with LRH for years, including the last years of his life, and he said LRH audited every day.
Brian says
And his auditing everyday slammed him into his subconscious mind filled with the imaginings of
1) psyches are from Farsec
2) Ron’s trip to heaven
3) spooky alien electric mind demons
4) the Van Allen Belt’s temperature
5) volcanoes in Hawaii that don’t exist
6) please Sarge, could you go find that BT hanging around my ranch
7) oh you did’ find him Sarge, he must be in another area.
8) I, Ron, am Lucifer
9) I, Ron, am the Prince of Darkness (says he as he giggles on some tape)
10) I, Ron, am the person Buddha predicted
11) I, Ron, am a nuclear scientists and Doctor who discovered how to kick radiation in the nuts
What brought Ron to his infamous demise is not that he was a jolly old sick man who sacrificed his body health at the alter of OT research.
What brought Ron to the state of having Visteral injected into his butt, long hair and finger nails with a face full of rotten teeth can be summed up simply.
Ron was an immoral human being who bowed to no common standard of decency.
“We are not moralists” L Ron Hubbard
“I am not interested in wog morality” L Ron Hubbard
Because he was immoral, he was ignorant of or in conscious denial of the laws of life which bring an intelligent person in alignment with karmic consequences.
If I do this or that, then this or that happens to me.
But immoral egotists deny the awareness of consequences because they want what they want without the inconvenience of our innate sense of conscience.
To L R H conscience was a theedy weedy Jesus value from tiny iddy biddy thetans.
That is why L R H could toss out his wife as all used up and bad for his PR.
That is why he could write Bolivar, knowing full well he was instructing his disciples to violence against his critics.
Next in Ron’s causative creation that manifested his end of life infamy:
AUDITING
In Scientology, the basics are the ruds. You can’t get auditing without your ruds in.
In every spiritual practice I have studies, their ruds are not ARCxs etc, the ruds are moral living. The dos and don’ts of life. If you don’t have these in, which are simply an attuning ones self to laws of universal order, you have no chance of finding truth if you cannot align your actions to truth.
Ron was a liar, a fabulist, greedy, hungry for cash, caused pain and suffering with families and an egotist.
So there you have an individual who did not align his life to truthful Dharmic living using a mechanical device to tell him what his thoughts were.
L Ron Hubbard’s insanity at the end of his life was not the result of his courageous battle with the SP demons of the whole track.
L Ron Hubbard’s insanity at the end of his life to have Sarge go searching for BTs on his ranch was self induced.
What you see as the end of his life was caused by following blips on the meter into the dark realms of the subconscious mind and labeling these imaginings as reality.
The processes that Ron created, were the very means by which he collapsed his space into the nightmares of his Sci Fi delusions.
To simplify. L Ron Hubbard’s infamous end of life issues were created by
1) an immoral life, acknowledging no higher standard of decency; Dharma
2) introverted into the subconscious regions of his mind and labeling imagination as truth and fact. Very similar if not exactly the very definition of delusional paranoia. Constantly running BTs brought Ron to disassociate himself from reality and wish for body death.
Brian says
Just look at the fruits and do not pay attention to the words of fallacious scientism that trained Scientologists parrot from their heads stuffed with Ron’s imagination.
Can a person learn about the basics of spiritual realities from Ron’s fallacious scientism? Absolutely!
But the are the cheese. And once that tasty cheese has been digested, you are ready for the madness of the OT levels.
And there is where the trained Scientologist divorces him or herself from reality. Now, Ron’s wish for suicide BT electroshock becomes a brave messiahs last effort to save this sector of the universe.
They deserve of pity.
Brian says
Deserve “our” pity
Chee Chalker says
Hi Lowie,
You make some valid points (re: finding LRH alone).
I am wondering if LRH offered any proof that the government tried to ‘license’ Dianetics? My understanding was that the government stepped in when LRH starting making medical claims (Dianetics would cure ailments, improve IQ, etc)
That statement just doesn’t make any sense. Not that a whole lot of what LRH said made much sense ?
Lost My Son (Lowie) says
Hi Chee, I believe it was when they (gov’t ) was trying to make it so someone delivering auditing had to be licensed by the gov’t, this was obviously in the early 50’s and yes would fit in with the medical claims too. The point being that Dianetics was “healing” the mind and the only people able to do that were the psych’s, so therefore it needed to be licensed in some way……
Alanzo says
The person I’m waiting to write a book about Scientology is YOU, Mike.
You are a very intelligent and clear writer. You were intimately involved in the day to day running of some very interesting areas of Scientology.
It is your book that I believe would be one of the most definitive on Scientology of anyone’s in the decades to come.
And just think about it: you already write a blog post almost every day. What if you just write that much on the book every day? You’d have it done in about a year.
You don’t think your book would be a great seller and help lots of people connect the dots on, and come to terms with, lots of things about Scientology?
I do.
Alanzo
statpush says
I’ll treat this as an informal petition. You got my vote.
Lost My Son (Lowie) says
My vote too!
koki says
Yeah!!!!
Big hello from LRHs Bulgravia , we are waiting Mike’s book.
marildi says
It will be interesting to compare Steve Cannane’s data with Marty Rathbun’s in his book *Memoirs of a Scientology Warrior*.
Harpoona Frittata says
I completely agree, it’s a very well written and extensively researched history of $cn’s early development that utilizes the history of $cn in Australia as an organizing lens and narrative thread to provide detailed insight into the genesis of some of the very dark turns that $cn took then, which set it on the evil course it continues to follow to this day.
For anyone who might continue to harbor the romantic notion that the genesis of the Sea Orgy and Elron’s mini faux navy fleet were just the natural extension of his love of adventure, exploration and the sea, Cannane’s book should be particularly eye opening! Instead of a grand voyage of research and discovery into the secret history of our ultimate nature as spiritual beings, and the pre-Big Bang origin of the entire Cosmos, Elron’s taking to the sea in ships is revealed to have been much more of an escape into international waters to flee the threat of prosecution that was nipping at his heels on several different continents at that time.
Instead of sailing the Mediterranean in search of proof to validate Elron’s whole track recall of heroic past lives and discovering buried treasures, Cannane’s book frames the whole ordeal, from start to finish, as more of a “Mission into Crime”. First, Elron and his motley crew of fawning sycophants were chased into international waters by process servers and law enforcement personnel from a variety of countries who were attempting to bring him to justice. Then he was denied access to most of the ports of call that had gotten wind of his faux navy’s earlier antics, And finally, Elron and crew were forced back ashore and washed up on the beaches of Florida where the Commodore almost immediately went into hiding that would just get deeper and deeper until the day he died.
I knew quite a bit about all of the legal difficulties that Elron experienced throughout his life, but Cannane’s book provided me with the narrative thread needed to see his entire life, from the first publication of DSMH to his dying days, as just one long and continuous series of flights and escapes from the crimes and havoc that he wreaked wherever he went.
I Yawnalot says
Well written review, & welcomed your recommendations too Mike. You’ve convinced me to read this one soon and draw my own conclusions, being Aussie and a prior, now ex-Scientologist and all.
Foolproof says
Where did the idea that LRH founded the Sea Org because of ” just the natural extension of his love of adventure, exploration and the sea”? Of course you can criticize LRH all you want if that is your thing but at least try not to embellish your particular shore stories with made-up nonsense. I know of no one, the many Scientologists I know included, who has had this “romantic notion”. As to your idea of LRH “wreaking crimes and havoc” wherever he went, your attempt to juxtapose LRH with Pol Pot or Mao Tse-Tung is also rather exaggerated is it not? Now I am no friend of the Sea Org as such, as in my opinion they completely wrecked the Class IV and V Org network along with IAS and Ideal org nonsense, but I don’t feel the need to embellish any stories I relate by bending and exaggerating facts like you are doing.
Gimpy says
I think the love of the sea/adventure idea has been put out in some promotional video or possibly the ‘Ron’ series of magazines – there was one called ‘Master Mariner’ which I seem to recall promoted this idea. As to criminal actions I have no idea, though I expect that a few rumours take on a life of their own and suddenly scientology were seen as an enemy of the state in one or two places, which goes to show how effective their PR tech is.
Jens TINGLEFF says
I can recommend Jon MacLean’s talk from the Toronto Getting Clear conference. Sec-checking traitors in Marocco (I think it was) – whee!
Chee Chalker says
Does anyone know if James Packer has been ensnared once again?
I’m not sure how he managed to get out the first time as Miscavige does not loosen his grip on billionaires.
Look at Bob Duggan….Miscavige had Grant Cardone’s lips superglued to Duggan’s rear end.
You know he wouldn’t let Packer go without a fight
I Yawnalot says
I had the same auditor occasionally as Packer did when he was involved way back in the late 80s or 90s. Janice was her name. She also audited Fiona Coote, the youngest successful heart transplant patient in Australia, had the operation when she was just 14 I think. Lots of media on Fiona back in the day. The Scientology connection fizzled out as far as I could tell and Fiona sort of disappeared from any church PR as far as I recall. Never saw Fiona on lines anywhere, just heard she had assists from Janice. Janice is long gone too (along with anyone else who could audit from ASHO ANZO). I doubt very much if Packer would touch Scientology today, even with a very long stick. If James is anything like his father Kerry, he’d be a tough SOB when he decides something though. Kerry Packer gave the world, World Series Cricket against the opposition from one of the more snobby and outright asshole bureaucracies to ever govern any sport. They ripped the players off something terrible and used very harsh discipline for any breaches of their rules. Packer changed the way players and the sport in general is treated for the better, he made lots of $ too but that’s what the Packers do.
I hope James keeps away from Scientology. He’s smart and must know the PR value of a Scientology connection, it’s poison, Cruise or no Cruise.
Chewkacca says
“And the truth will set you free”. The hits just keep on coming. Death of a thousand cuts (books). “Books make booms”, You inflow what you outflow”. AAAROOUGH!
i-Betty says
I found myself sneaking off at work to read a few pages on my Kindle. I couldn’t put it down. Mike’s right: don’t assume that “Fair Game” is only relevant to an Australian readership; you will be shocked at just how significantly Australia – and the events which took place there – shaped the Scientology of today. Absolutely brilliant.
The anecdotes from Janis, Terri and Peter Gillham are, at times, bloodcurdling. And who will ever be able to get the image of Jose Navarro being forced to eat grass to survive out of their head?
KatherineINCali says
Just ordered my copy. Looking forward to it! Every new book/documentary/series, etc. sheds more light on this destructive cult masquerading as a benign religion. Thanks for this post, Mike. And thanks for always exposing the truth about the CO$.
katsmidlifecrisis says
I am waiting for my copy to arrive too. I am getting impatient! I keep reading it is a good read.
Mat Pesch says
Great news. The more truthful information made available to the general public the better. It helps reduce the damage Scientology can cause to good people.
statpush says
Another thought regarding Fair Game…the bulk of this book is pre-Miscavige, which may be a real eye-opener for those laying the responsibility on his doorstep.
Kronomex says
I’m hoping that Mr. Cannane will write a follow up book on the state of Scientology in Australia since Demento backstabbed his way into control.
statpush says
I agree Mike. Thoroughly enjoyed Fair Game. A valuable contribution to understanding Scientology, and its sorted history.
chuckbeattyexSeaOrg75to02 says
Steve Cannane is such a clear good writer, just a brilliantly detailed understandable book. Pleasure to read such good writing.
I’m only on page 196, just having read of Jan Eastgate’s history.
And just now I read the part where ex Aussie Guardian’s Office man Ron Segal’s admission to Steve, confirming what many Aussie writers surmised which was that the Chelmsford psych abuses was infiltrated and Ron Segal ran Rosa Nicholson on that GO operation to expose Chelmsford’s abuses.
Steve Cannane even gives a word of credit to the overall good Scientology did exposing the abuses and deaths at Chelmsford putting a stop to those abuses.
But Steve got an old Guardian’s Office top operator to fess up! That alone makes this another Aussie first, to get such a high up old Guardian’s Office person to fess up, at least partially and on what was long suspected, regarding who ran Rosa Nicholson to do her intel work gathering the damning truth on Chelmsford’s abuses.
Massively good detailed book, absolutely the best Scientology book this year!
chuckbeattyexSeaOrg75to02 says
Steve’s Chapter 14 is just brilliant.
We are so fortunate to have such good media in the world.
chuckbeattyexSeaOrg75to02 says
Chapter 16 is all new news from Terri Gillham Gamboa, just excellent material, finally in a book, straight from Terri.
Oh boy, it’s been my hope Terri would talk. This book is now a must must read for anyone who needs final proof of Hubbard’s behaviors.
So many quotable statements by Terri, it’s the best chapter I’ve read in 10 years, so much new Hubbard firsthand info from Terri!
Thankyou so much Steve Cannane and Terri!
Oh this book is such a must read.
chuckbeattyexSeaOrg75to02 says
Chapter 16 is so far the best written chapter by an outside author on Scientology since 1986.
Truly the best new pile of fine point details
chuckbeattyexSeaOrg75to02 says
Chapter 16 contains the seeds of a budding news story of magnitude:
page 254
[the author Steve Cannane speaking, writes]
“…I first met Terri Gamboa (nee Gillham) in June 2015….”
” …It was the first time Terri had agreed to be interviewed by a jornalist since she fled the Sea Org. In 1991, legendary news anchor Ted Koppel had tracked her down and asked if she wanted to go on “Nightline” [live news TV show] and debate David Miscavige…..”
“…Up until the week before we met she was weighing up whether she would be part of a Scientology takeover bid. Former Sea Org members we urging her to go back in, use her status as a lifetime trustee and try to kick Miscavige out….”
This story of the “takeover” sub theme has gone on since when Mike Rinder was plying Gerry Armstrong with that same theme, trying get Gerry implicated in some old machinations
Truly truly, this is a big theme that needs full coverage, from all the various top of the line ex members who are out now, and get this story out,
The “takeover” story was pushed on me from John Connolly even, he was just dying to push that theme as part of Marty’s motives back years ago.
This theme has got so many Miscavige PIs salivating to run that theme onto the ex senior members’ lives, trying I guess to get out ahead of any actual plots.
The mind of Miscavige is stuck in that paranoia of being taken back over.
This Chapter 16 is truly the best chapter in all of my 12 years since leaving the Sea Org in 2003 and starting to read finally the truth from all of the ex members’ chat site postings, private talks, and the ex member books.
This book is the BEST to date, from my viewpoint, for all that is revealed in Chapter 16
Mike,
I hope you someday reconcile with Gerry Armstrong, and you detail that “takeover” operation that you were trying to invite Gerry to be part of, which is immortalized in that YouTube video of you and Gerry on the Griffith Park bench.
Was that “takeover” ploy you tried sell Gerry from Miscavige’s brain too!!!
Mreppen says
Chuck, this in itself sold me to get the book. Terri has a lot of insightful information that many do not. Looking forward to Chapter 16
chuckbeattyexSeaOrg75to03 says
You won’t be disappointed. There are NO drag points in this book.
Steve Cannane is just non stop an excellent writer, every chapter has such great content.
So much I didn’t know in that Cannane clearly lays out in this book.
The 12 year RPF vet, former GO era Scientologist, Eric Kleitsch tells doing carpark RPF grunt work cleaning all surfaces drudgery 30 man RPF team cleaning duty so James Packer is impressed,
Marty Rathbun’s interviews, and the other people’s interviews in this book, totally the best Scientology book of 2016 hands down!
Mike Wynski says
Reason enough to get he book Chuck. I last spoke to Terry ~35 years ago. Did Fernando leave with her?
Mreppen says
Yes, still together
Mike Wynski says
Thanks Mike. Freddie is a great guy. Glad he got out.
Very sorry to hear about your mom. She was one of the nicest human beings I ever met.
Mreppen says
Thanks Mike
I Yawnalot says
I knew Jan Eastgate and her OSA sidekicks working in the same office. Be interesting indeed to compare what I saw/heard to what’s in the book. Be nice to have clearer perspective on what actually went on behind the scenes in those wacky days. Seldom is anything exactly what you think it is. Can’t wait to read it.
scientology411 says
Just finished this the other day myself. It’s an excellent and very informative read.
Wognited and Out! says
Ordering the book now – thanks for the review Mike!
Old Surfer Dude says
Right behind you…I’m downloading the e-version to my iPad
Ann B Watson says
Thank you Mike, Fair Game was & is a most wonderful and revealing read for me.A walk down memory lane when I read Janis,Terri and Peter’s names.I forget more stuff that I retrieve sometimes years later sigh!.?
Michael Crosby says
That’s some bad grammer. Can that be fixed up?
Michael Crosby says
For someone never in Scientology, Fair Game is like a spy novel that too unbelievable to be true. The first chapter about the chef’s escape had me enthralled.
And Wikileaks’ Julian Assange, the man who might be responsible for influencing the 2016 US presidential election, cut his teeth exposing Scientology.
Can’t more highly recommend Fair Game. The last chapter gave me much respect for this blog’s proprietor.
Espiando says
Don’t give Assange any credit. Wikileaks just provided an international, untraceable, distributed platform for Anons to start posting what we were able to obtain in 2008. If Wikileaks wasn’t there, Anon had other ways. For instance, we had a torrent up at The Pirate Bay with all available Scilon docs (all the OT levels, the Red Vols, the Blue Vols, the Sillydelphia Dictator Course, and everything else; I think it’s still active, in fact). All of their “confidential material” would have been distributed, one way or another.
Mike Wynski says
No, wikileaks reaches a MUCH broader audience than the torrents. By orders of magnitude. Props where due.
Espiando says
Not at the time, Mike. Wikileaks wasn’t very well known in 2008 among the general public. It had a lot more circulation among us low-lifes in the bowels of the Internet. In fact, Chanology was the first time a lot of Anon heard about Wikileaks. Eight years is an eternity in Internet time.
Besides, like I said, Wikileaks was just one way that Anon had to punch CoS in the nose by distributing whatever confidential material we had. Give Assange a bit of credit for hosting the material, but not all of the credit.
Mike Wynski says
Wikik, in ’08, had a LOT more visibility amongst the 35-60 demo than how to use torrents. So, yes younger people used torrents more at that time. But NOT older web users. Our security company closely tracked that type of usage broadly.
Brian says
Is it in a downloadable file?
chuckbeattyexSeaOrg75to03 says
https://www.amazon.com/Fair-Game-incredible-Scientology-Australia-ebook/dp/B01LWD6HOA/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
What I do, if I want to have a searchable “file” of a book, is get the Kindle version, and then within your Kindle edition of the book, you have the ability to search the entire text with the Kindle “search” within the book.
Brian says
Thanks Chuck 😉
Lawrence says
More people are Fair Game to the Church of Scientology than was ever really suspected by most people.
I remember when I was working in the GO in New York (before I ever even heard of Paulette Cooper) the GO staff were joking about Paulette right in front of me with the body double they used on her standing right next to me. Never feel sorry for the Church of Scientology. If anyone ever did to them even ONE of the thousands of overts they have perpetrated on others, the church would be the FIRST to pick up a phone and have a person UNJUSTLY accused and/or charged with a crime. Isn’t Clear and OT supposed to be the church’s stats? 🙂
Mike Wynski says
The real source of the Australian Inquiry (L. Ron Hubbard refusing to provide a refund to a disgruntled customer)
That’s karma. El Con’s avarice, criminality and plain meanness towards his followers was what started scamologies problems Down Under.
Sounds like a good read.
I Yawnalot says
Ist I’ve heard of the disgruntled customer angle too. Didn’t that blow up in his face, and then all the way to High Court – it’s not cheap going there.
Mike Wynski says
I had heard something YEARS ago about a refund cycle. But, I didn’t know it was central to the resulting gov situation down there. This was before the internet though when I first was told.
I cannot imagine what it would be like without the interwebtubes to get info around to all. Even though I lived it for decades.
Victoria Pandora says
I wish I could remember where I read a full account of this refund cycle.
IIRC, the guy was himself a bit of an “entrepreneur” and a fraud. Really the perfect prospect to take on the cherch. The whole story was a wild ride.
I was considering waiting for the audiobook on this, but Mike has gotten the better of my curiosity, gonna order it today.
xenu's son says
This is what the top rated Amazon review said:
said:5.0 out of 5 starsHonest, thorough review of Scientology from Australian perspective
ByAmazon Customeron September 24, 2016
Format: Kindle Edition|Verified Purchase
Fair Game is very well researched. It belongs on the same bookshelf as “A Piece of Blue Sky” by Jon Atack Let’s sell these people A Piece of Blue Sky and Russell Miller’s “Bare Faced Messiah”. Bare-Faced Messiah: The True Story of L. Ron Hubbard
Covering the entire history of Scientology and its controversial founder L Ron Hubbard, it gives a good overview. But at the same time it is based firmly in the Australian part of the story.
In this book you will find revealed for the first time many details about the Chelmsford “Deep Sleep Therapy” story, the people behind the investigation into and banning of Scientology in Australia, the bizarre story of Hubbard’s death and the struggle for his succession and Scientology’s attempts to infiltrate the sport of Rugby.
New details are unearthed in the author’s in depth research about the Scientology leaders and board members that escaped, only to be harassed and persecuted. Some heretofore untold stories were brought to light. Billionaires, slaves and high rollers are all covered with journalistic rigor with thorough references and verifiable facts.
The Scientology of today is a mere shadow of its former glory. The few old and tired celebrity members are not being replaced by well known names, and its membership is dwindling. But it is still able to tear apart families. It is still violating immigration laws, luring young idealists into lives of penury and forced labor.
It is worth a hard look, but not because of Scientology’s strange beliefs. Scientologists are as free as any to believe what they believe. No, we need to take a close look at Scientologists because of their violations of the law of the land, which seem to be baked into the very nature of Scientology. Because of the parents who cannot contact their sons and daughters, even when they are dying. Because of the children who are subjected to massive vitamin overdoses and excessive heat in saunas, the so-called “Purification Rundown”. Because of those held against their will. Because of the needless deaths and damaged lives.
The facts need to be known, and Steve Cannane has presented them very well.
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