Scientology’s attempt to silence dad of ‘ruthless’ David Miscavige has only made his new book more p

[MariaThinks]

Source: National Post

For an organization that so doggedly defends its reputation, Humfrey Hunter says, the Church of Scientology seems to have made a mistake.

Hunter was preparing to publish a book about the church – an expose written by the father of its leader – when, last week, he received a legal letter from the California-based group, threatening to sue if he released the work as planned this Tuesday. Yet, the church’s attempt to silence Hunter has backfired spectacularly, he says.

“My phone has been ringing off the hook,” said the former literary agent, who runs a one-man publishing house in London. “People can’t wait to see what has got the church so angry.”

The book is written by Ron Miscavige, 80, the father of Scientology leader David. Entitled Ruthless: Scientology, my son David Miscavige, and me, it promises to lift the lid on the inner workings of a religion to which he introduced his son. The son rose to the very top, while Miscavige became disillusioned, and left in 2012.


Read more: http://news.nationalpost.com/news/world/scientologys-attempt-to-silence-dad-of-ruthless-david-miscavige-has-only-made-his-new-book-more-popular

[rpannier]

1. Count me as a buyer

[shenmue]

8. Me too!

[iandhr]

2. Of course

Last edited Mon May 2, 2016, 11:34 AM - Edit history (1)

Stuff like this always drives sales.


It increases publicity. And as the old saying goes "there is no such thing as bad publicity."

[TheBlackAdder]

3. It sounds like it will be more explosive than HBO's "Going Clear!"

[apnu]

10. Actually its the same stuff. But will still have an impact.

I didn't see the HBO doc, but I did read the book, its very good. Ronald Miscavige is in the book. I don't think this book is going to reveal much of what's already out, but it will reinforce it and has power of coming from someone with intimate knowledge of David Miscavige, and that alone is explosive.

[D Gary Grady]

13. The doc is worth seeing even if you're read the book

The film can't cover the scope of the book, but since it appeared later it contains some updated material. It also has some fascinating film and video clips, including more footage of L Ron Hubbard and David Miscavage than I've seen anywhere else that's worth seeing in part for the sheer weirdness of it. (From things I've read, Hubbard was in his younger years a strange but reasonably likable guy. Later he apparently started believing some of his own scam and had something like a breakdown.)

Incidentally, as with the book mentioned in the OP, the HBO doc benefited from Scientology's reaction. For example, when it was screened in Los Angeles, the CoS bought a full-page ad in the LA Times denouncing it as biased, which was vastly bigger and more noticeable than the modest ad on the movies page.

[AlbertCat]

4. Of course it's more p

The only people not interested in the nuttiness and scariness of Scientology are those that belong to the stupid thing....and even then...

[longship]

5. As long as it brings Tom Cruise down as well.

I am all in.

Scientology is a horrible thing, not a religion as much as a mafia-like crime syndicate.

[PSPS]

6. This analysis piece doesn't belong in LBN.

[TygrBright]

7. Yep. BAD strategic miscalculation.

Had they just shrugged it off with a "eh, he got all butthurt and left, now he's trying to cash in" short statement and ongoing attitude, most people would just shrug it off as hater-bait and/or meth-addled weasels in a sack going after each other.

But this kinda thing makes all the antennae perk and the "What don't they want us to know?" questions percolate.

amusedly,
Bright

[apnu]

9. Scientologists are a wacky bunch.

You'd that by now, after a river of such things about them, they'd learn to leave it alone. That all their legal threats and actions only serve to promote these things and allow more and more people to come in contact with Scientology and say 'ew'.

[Left Coast2020]

11. Yes. Tom Cruise has to be wetting his pants about now.

[8 track mind]

16. "Dad!!!!!! Tom Cruise is in the closet and he won't come out!"

:-D

[monmouth4]

17. He has moved to London, whether on his own or Scientology moved him I don't know..n/t

[tclambert]

12. It's those darn Thetans messing things up again.

[hatrack]

14. Man, Xenu is going to be seriously pissed off!

Prepare for His wrath!

[d_legendary1]

15. I would've called that book

Religion: A hell of a business

[LyndaG]

18. Wow

Ron Miscavige accepted $100,000 from David to buy a new house, then wrote the book anyway. Ouch.

[Frank Cannon]

19. He's ripping off the rip-offers, and that's a beautiful thing!

There should be more of this kind of activity. It's kind of like Omar in the "The Wire".

[spiderpig]

23. Just finished the book.

The $100,000 was David's share of his mother's (Ron's ex-wife's) estate which he then turned over to Ron.

[greyl]

20. I'll buy 2 tomorrow!

Ruthless: Scientology, My Son David Miscavige, and Me at Amazon.

The only book to examine the origins of Scientology's current leader, RUTHLESS tells the revealing story of David Miscavige's childhood and his path to the head seat of the Church of Scientology told through the eyes of his father. Ron Miscavige's personal, heartfelt story is a riveting insider's look at life within the world of Scientology.

Ruthless: Scientology, My Son David Miscavige, and Me

Be interesting to keep track of the reviews there as they come in.

[MariaThinks]

21. yes

[madokie]

22. No churches in my world

nor religion too
No god, no devil
only good and not so good

[greyl]

24. Author is on Seth Meyers right now, NBC. nt