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The Church of Fear: Inside the Weird World of Scientology
Tom Cruise and John Travolta say the Church of Scientology is a force for good. Others disagree. Award-winning journalist John Sweeney investigated the Church for more than half a decade. During that time he was intimidated, spied on and followed and the results were spectacular: Sweeney lost his temper with the Church's spokesman on camera and his infamous 'exploding tomato' clip was seen by millions around the world. In THE CHURCH OF FEAR Sweeney tells the full story of his experiences for the first time and paints a devastating picture of this strange organisation, from former Scientologists who tell heartbreaking stories of families torn apart and lives ruined to its current followers who say it is the solution to many of mankind's problems. This is the real story of the Church by the reporter who was brave enough to take it on.
336 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 7, 2013
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2276 people want to read
About the author
John Sweeney
18 books136 followersJohn Sweeney is an award-winning journalist and author, currently working as an investigative journalist for the BBC's Panorama series. Before joining the BBC in 2001, Sweeney worked for twelve years at The Observer, where he covered wars and revolutions in more than sixty countries including Romania, Algeria, Iraq, Chechnya, Burundi and Bosnia.
In 1996, He was sued for criminal defamation in France by the Barclay brothers, owners of the Daily Telegraph, but the claimants lost their case. At the time, Sweeney worked for the rival newspaper The Observer, and had given an interview on BBC Radio Guernsey alleging that they had been involved in corruption. Since the broadcast could also be heard in northern France, the claimants were able to bring their claim in the French courts. Sweeney was ordered to pay €3000 by the appeal court in Rennes, France
Sweeney spent four years investigating the cases of Sally Clark, Angela Cannings and Donna Anthony, three women who had been falsely imprisoned for killing their children. Sweeney's investigation helped to clear their names, and led to Sir Roy Meadow, the expert witness whose testimony had proved decisive in their convictions, being temporarily struck off the General Medical Council's medical register. Sweeney received the Paul Foot Award in 2005 in recognition of his work.
He has won several awards throughout his career, including:
1998: What the Papers Say Journalist of the Year prize for reports on human rights abuses in Algeria.
2000: an Emmy Award and a Royal Television Society prize for programs about the Massacre at Krusha e Madhe, Kosovo.
2001: the Amnesty International prize for "Victims of the Torture Train," about human rights abuses in Chechnya.
2003: a Sony Gold award (2003) for Best Radio News program.
2004: a Royal Television Society prize (2004) for "Angela's Hope," a BBC One documentary about a woman wrongly convicted of murdering her three babies.
2005: The Paul Foot Award.
"Scientology and Me", a Panorama investigation into Scientology written and presented by Sweeney, was aired on BBC One on Monday, 14 May 2007. Prior to its airing,video footage filmed by the Church of Scientology was released that showed Sweeney shouting at Scientology representative Tommy Davis during a visit to CCHR's "Psychiatry: An Industry of Death". The clips were sections of a documentary the Church of Scientology's Freedom Magazine TV produced about the BBC Panorama programme. Sweeney remarked that he lost his temper due to days of harassment by Davis and the Church, and a strong personal reaction to the psychiatry exhibit. He had been visited at his hotel by Davis, despite not having shared the address with the Church, and had been followed on several different occasions. Sweeney labelled the clips "attack videos" and others say they were produced to discredit himself and the documentary. The BBC in response aired its own full recording of the incident. Panorama's Editor Sandy Smith explained what happened and how the BBC dealt with the incident in a post on the BBC's Editor's Blog. An internal BBC investigation found that Sweeney's conduct at one point in the filming was clearly inappropriate, but also noted that Sweeney had apologised for his outburst and concluded that as a whole, filming of the documentary had been performed in a proper and fair manner. Later on that same year in the BBC Panorama year in review Sweeney said “..a new generation is making up its own mind, and for that I make no apology”. Only a month and a half later Project Chanology began. This time as a part of a rehearsed joke, Sweeney goes into a similar outburst in January 2009 when being interviewed on Radio 4 about the Tom Cruise film Valkyrie—clearly referring to the episode two years previously. A follow-up Panorama programme also hosted by Sweeney, which at an hour is twice the length of the original one was aired on the 28 September 2010. This documentary contained int
In 1996, He was sued for criminal defamation in France by the Barclay brothers, owners of the Daily Telegraph, but the claimants lost their case. At the time, Sweeney worked for the rival newspaper The Observer, and had given an interview on BBC Radio Guernsey alleging that they had been involved in corruption. Since the broadcast could also be heard in northern France, the claimants were able to bring their claim in the French courts. Sweeney was ordered to pay €3000 by the appeal court in Rennes, France
Sweeney spent four years investigating the cases of Sally Clark, Angela Cannings and Donna Anthony, three women who had been falsely imprisoned for killing their children. Sweeney's investigation helped to clear their names, and led to Sir Roy Meadow, the expert witness whose testimony had proved decisive in their convictions, being temporarily struck off the General Medical Council's medical register. Sweeney received the Paul Foot Award in 2005 in recognition of his work.
He has won several awards throughout his career, including:
1998: What the Papers Say Journalist of the Year prize for reports on human rights abuses in Algeria.
2000: an Emmy Award and a Royal Television Society prize for programs about the Massacre at Krusha e Madhe, Kosovo.
2001: the Amnesty International prize for "Victims of the Torture Train," about human rights abuses in Chechnya.
2003: a Sony Gold award (2003) for Best Radio News program.
2004: a Royal Television Society prize (2004) for "Angela's Hope," a BBC One documentary about a woman wrongly convicted of murdering her three babies.
2005: The Paul Foot Award.
"Scientology and Me", a Panorama investigation into Scientology written and presented by Sweeney, was aired on BBC One on Monday, 14 May 2007. Prior to its airing,video footage filmed by the Church of Scientology was released that showed Sweeney shouting at Scientology representative Tommy Davis during a visit to CCHR's "Psychiatry: An Industry of Death". The clips were sections of a documentary the Church of Scientology's Freedom Magazine TV produced about the BBC Panorama programme. Sweeney remarked that he lost his temper due to days of harassment by Davis and the Church, and a strong personal reaction to the psychiatry exhibit. He had been visited at his hotel by Davis, despite not having shared the address with the Church, and had been followed on several different occasions. Sweeney labelled the clips "attack videos" and others say they were produced to discredit himself and the documentary. The BBC in response aired its own full recording of the incident. Panorama's Editor Sandy Smith explained what happened and how the BBC dealt with the incident in a post on the BBC's Editor's Blog. An internal BBC investigation found that Sweeney's conduct at one point in the filming was clearly inappropriate, but also noted that Sweeney had apologised for his outburst and concluded that as a whole, filming of the documentary had been performed in a proper and fair manner. Later on that same year in the BBC Panorama year in review Sweeney said “..a new generation is making up its own mind, and for that I make no apology”. Only a month and a half later Project Chanology began. This time as a part of a rehearsed joke, Sweeney goes into a similar outburst in January 2009 when being interviewed on Radio 4 about the Tom Cruise film Valkyrie—clearly referring to the episode two years previously. A follow-up Panorama programme also hosted by Sweeney, which at an hour is twice the length of the original one was aired on the 28 September 2010. This documentary contained int
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January 7, 2013I just read the author's rather interesting piece from today's Independent:
The Church of Scientology is a cult whose core aim is to fight a space alien Satan that's brainwashed the rest of us. The Church fights the world's insanity, its celebrity followers argue, and people who tell you differently are bigots. So who's right?
Lawrence Wright is a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter who has written what promises to be a great book on Scientology. Going Clear is due to be published everywhere on 17 January – except Britain. Just before Christmas, Transworld, Wright's British publishers, pulled it, leading to questions about whether it had fallen to the Church's reputation for going after its detractors and Britain's libel laws.
Wright had a huge advance negotiated by über-agent Andrew Wylie, publishers around the world primed to publish on the same day, a reported print run of 150,000 in the US and a team of researchers checking every fact. He will have things to say in his book that readers – especially young people, the audience the Church seeks to recruit – may think they have a right to know. American readers will learn all, while Wright's potential British readers will have no book to buy.
By way of explanation, Transworld's publicity director Patsy Irwin said: "The legal advice that we received was that some of the content of the book was not robust enough for the UK market, that an edited version would not fit with our schedule and the decision was made internally not to publish."
Five years ago I lost my cool, to say the least, during an interview with the Church's senior spokesman Tommy Davis in a BBC Panorama called "Scientology & Me". I apologised then and I apologise now for that tirade, and the footage of which went viral around the world. But in the intervening five years I have remained gravely troubled by the power of the Scientologist Church to intimidate critics and to maintain a hold over its adepts which some say is a kind of mental enslavement. The Church, for its part, says that I am a psychopath – one Scientology blog says: "John Sweeney is genuinely evil."
Five years on from my very public meltdown, I've written a book, called The Church of Fear: Inside the Weird World of Scientology, which is published today. Getting the book out has not been easy. My publisher is a bloke with a dog I met in a park. We are going ahead with our book, come hell or high water, because dog bloke and I feel passionately that this story is in the public interest and it needs to be told.
The reason I went with dog bloke is simple. It wasn't the lavishness of the advance – a pint and a packet of crisps. It was because every single major publisher in Britain said "no" to my book. The reason some gave was legal risk. The Church's lawyers in Britain, Carter-Ruck, libel specialists beloved of celebrities, politicians and major corporations, have said: "Free speech is not an unfettered right." You can say that again.
I don't necessarily blame the publishers. A combination of this expensive legal team and Britain's libel laws make publishing criticism of Scientology in this country a daunting task. In America, the legal test for libel is that the plaintiff has to prove the defendant has actual malice to win. In Britain, our laws – under which the defendant has to prove the truth of what he is saying – have prompted repeated calls for change, with many arguing that they stifle free speech. A reform Bill, which critics say is too weak, is currently crawling through the House of Lords.
Publishers might have had other reasons for not wanting my book in the first place, but it was legal concerns, at least in part, that prompted Transworld to cancel their release of Lawrence Wright's much-anticipated work, having previously agreed to do so. While the book launch will go ahead in other countries, perhaps they felt they just couldn't take on Scientology in the UK.
Dog bloke and I think we can. A word about him. His name is Humfrey Hunter, he is a literary agent turned publisher, his company is Silvertail Books and his father and grandmother were German Jewish psychiatrists. Together, his dad and granny wrote the book that set out the medical evidence that Mad King George suffered from porphyry, the basis for Alan Bennett's The Madness of King George.
I lost my temper with Tommy Davis inside the brainwashing section of the Church's exhibition on psychiatry, "The Industry of Death". Scientologists believe that psychiatry is Nazi pseudoscience. They believe that the Holocaust was planned and carried out by psychiatrists. If you are doing a book about Scientology, then you cannot do better than having the son and grandson of two German-Jewish psychiatrists as your publisher. You don't need capital to publish a book on Scientology – you need courage.
Standing shoulder to shoulder with us are a number of ex-members of the Church who possess that quality. They would, they say, be willing to give evidence in our defence were the Church to sue us: Mike Rinder, former head of the Office of Special Affairs, who quit the Church in 2007 after goading me alongside Tommy; Marc Headley, who says he was audited by Tom Cruise and came with me on my visit to the Church's Trementina Base in New Mexico, where the Church has buried Founder L Ron Hubbard's lectures on discs of gold in an H-bomb-proof vault; Amy Scobee, former head of the Church's Celebrity Centre, and more.
But perhaps the Scientologists will do no more than threaten and bluster. Carter-Ruck were first hired in 2007, Mike Rinder told me, to prepare a case against Panorama. But at the last moment, the Church's Chairman of the Board, David Miscavige (Tom Cruise's best man at his wedding to Katie Holmes and a man accused of violence by several ex-Scientologists, a charge he and the Church flatly deny) pulled out. If they go ahead this time, it should make for an incredibly interesting court case.
The Church of Scientology is a cult whose core aim is to fight a space alien Satan that's brainwashed the rest of us. The Church fights the world's insanity, its celebrity followers argue, and people who tell you differently are bigots. So who's right?
Lawrence Wright is a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter who has written what promises to be a great book on Scientology. Going Clear is due to be published everywhere on 17 January – except Britain. Just before Christmas, Transworld, Wright's British publishers, pulled it, leading to questions about whether it had fallen to the Church's reputation for going after its detractors and Britain's libel laws.
Wright had a huge advance negotiated by über-agent Andrew Wylie, publishers around the world primed to publish on the same day, a reported print run of 150,000 in the US and a team of researchers checking every fact. He will have things to say in his book that readers – especially young people, the audience the Church seeks to recruit – may think they have a right to know. American readers will learn all, while Wright's potential British readers will have no book to buy.
By way of explanation, Transworld's publicity director Patsy Irwin said: "The legal advice that we received was that some of the content of the book was not robust enough for the UK market, that an edited version would not fit with our schedule and the decision was made internally not to publish."
Five years ago I lost my cool, to say the least, during an interview with the Church's senior spokesman Tommy Davis in a BBC Panorama called "Scientology & Me". I apologised then and I apologise now for that tirade, and the footage of which went viral around the world. But in the intervening five years I have remained gravely troubled by the power of the Scientologist Church to intimidate critics and to maintain a hold over its adepts which some say is a kind of mental enslavement. The Church, for its part, says that I am a psychopath – one Scientology blog says: "John Sweeney is genuinely evil."
Five years on from my very public meltdown, I've written a book, called The Church of Fear: Inside the Weird World of Scientology, which is published today. Getting the book out has not been easy. My publisher is a bloke with a dog I met in a park. We are going ahead with our book, come hell or high water, because dog bloke and I feel passionately that this story is in the public interest and it needs to be told.
The reason I went with dog bloke is simple. It wasn't the lavishness of the advance – a pint and a packet of crisps. It was because every single major publisher in Britain said "no" to my book. The reason some gave was legal risk. The Church's lawyers in Britain, Carter-Ruck, libel specialists beloved of celebrities, politicians and major corporations, have said: "Free speech is not an unfettered right." You can say that again.
I don't necessarily blame the publishers. A combination of this expensive legal team and Britain's libel laws make publishing criticism of Scientology in this country a daunting task. In America, the legal test for libel is that the plaintiff has to prove the defendant has actual malice to win. In Britain, our laws – under which the defendant has to prove the truth of what he is saying – have prompted repeated calls for change, with many arguing that they stifle free speech. A reform Bill, which critics say is too weak, is currently crawling through the House of Lords.
Publishers might have had other reasons for not wanting my book in the first place, but it was legal concerns, at least in part, that prompted Transworld to cancel their release of Lawrence Wright's much-anticipated work, having previously agreed to do so. While the book launch will go ahead in other countries, perhaps they felt they just couldn't take on Scientology in the UK.
Dog bloke and I think we can. A word about him. His name is Humfrey Hunter, he is a literary agent turned publisher, his company is Silvertail Books and his father and grandmother were German Jewish psychiatrists. Together, his dad and granny wrote the book that set out the medical evidence that Mad King George suffered from porphyry, the basis for Alan Bennett's The Madness of King George.
I lost my temper with Tommy Davis inside the brainwashing section of the Church's exhibition on psychiatry, "The Industry of Death". Scientologists believe that psychiatry is Nazi pseudoscience. They believe that the Holocaust was planned and carried out by psychiatrists. If you are doing a book about Scientology, then you cannot do better than having the son and grandson of two German-Jewish psychiatrists as your publisher. You don't need capital to publish a book on Scientology – you need courage.
Standing shoulder to shoulder with us are a number of ex-members of the Church who possess that quality. They would, they say, be willing to give evidence in our defence were the Church to sue us: Mike Rinder, former head of the Office of Special Affairs, who quit the Church in 2007 after goading me alongside Tommy; Marc Headley, who says he was audited by Tom Cruise and came with me on my visit to the Church's Trementina Base in New Mexico, where the Church has buried Founder L Ron Hubbard's lectures on discs of gold in an H-bomb-proof vault; Amy Scobee, former head of the Church's Celebrity Centre, and more.
But perhaps the Scientologists will do no more than threaten and bluster. Carter-Ruck were first hired in 2007, Mike Rinder told me, to prepare a case against Panorama. But at the last moment, the Church's Chairman of the Board, David Miscavige (Tom Cruise's best man at his wedding to Katie Holmes and a man accused of violence by several ex-Scientologists, a charge he and the Church flatly deny) pulled out. If they go ahead this time, it should make for an incredibly interesting court case.
March 6, 2014
Opening: Imagine two groups of people, one lot on the outside, one on the inside. The insiders believe they are defending their religion to the utmost from bigots; the outsiders believe the ‘religion’, if religion it be, is bad science fiction. The insiders believe the outsiders are brainwashed into thinking they are free when in fact they are slaves to a space alien Satan. The outsiders see a confidence trick inside a space alien cult masquerading as a religion; they believe the insiders live inside an invisible box, walled with mirrors, marked: religion. The outsiders believe the insiders are brainwashed, full stop.
That is the best short-hand description of the Church of Scientology I can come up with in one hundred and one words exactly. The alternative is to go see it for yourself. I did, but I would not recommend it.
Saint Hill Manor, East Grinstead, Sussex. The estate once belonged to the Maharajah of Jaipur.•The Saint Hill Special Briefing Course will set you back £20,300
[image error]
•aka Church of the Rondroids
•Scientology: BBC reporter losing it!
•Indian philosopher Radhakrishnan: ‘When religion becomes organised, man ceases to be free. It is not God that is worshipped but the group or authority that claims to speak in His name. Sin becomes disobedience to authority and not violation of integrity.'
•South Park Proved Right About Scientology XENU Story
•Faith-based morality gets Hitchslapped. (Christopher Hitchens)
Clearwater Florida - the spiritual centre of scientology
Mr Sweeney is not exactly objective; I wonder why he is just so angry - it is like Scientology is a personal enemy to him.
January 11, 2013
The Church of Fear - Inside the Weird World of Scientology, by John Sweeney (@johnsweeneyroar) - is a stunning read.
This book is an in-depth analysis of an investigation into the Scientologists (I cannot give them the title of "Church" because I do not believe an organisation so focussed on money should be given that honour) by John Sweeney and the Panorama team from the BBC. Sweeney conducted his researches originally in 2007 for a programme.
Scientology describes Sweeney as "a bigot and a liar ... psychotic" which, I would reckon, coming from the cult would rank as a pretty good reference for anyone. However, Sweeney has been a reporter for many years, working with the UK's better newspapers and latterly as a reporter for the TV. He has worked in war zones from A to Z: Algeria, Bosnia and Chechnya to Zimbabwe. His writing is sympathetic and even-handed. And yet he touched some very hot buttons with his subjects here.
The Scientologists have been attempting to win "church" or religious status in the UK because that would give them many financial (and legal) benefits. However, British High Court Judge Mr Justice Latey said in 1984: "Scientology is both immoral and socially obnoxious ... It is corrupt, sinister and dangerous. It is corrupt because it is based on lies and deceit and has its real objective money and power for Mr Hubbard ... It is sinister because it indulges in infamous practices both to its adherents who do not toe the line unquestionably and to those who criticise it or oppose it. It is dangerous because it is out to capture people and to indoctrinate and brainwash them so they become the unquestioning captives and tools of the cult, withdrawn from ordinary thought, living, and relationships with others." I think that the quotation is worth repeating in full, because it does give a strong flavour of the judge's view. He did not consider that they deserved religious or charitable status.
The BBC has a long record with the Scientologists. In the 1980s they investigated and produced a Panorama programme that was scathing in its conclusions. The Sweeney programme was to be a follow-up, largely as a result of many interviews with ex-Scientologists, and with the parents and families of those who had joined the cult and cut themselves off from their relations.
Sweeney sets out how the programme came to life, how he went about his researches, and then the seven day ordeal in America, when he found himself being followed by Scientologists, brow-beaten, insulted, slandered, and brain-washed highly effectively by a team of Scientologists at several meetings. It led, eventually, to his explosion after a great deal of intimidation ( a rather amusing scene that can be seen on youtube - look for "exploding tomato"!). However, as he details the events that led to his outburst, it is perfectly obvious how the tactics of the Scientologists were specifically designed to create just such an outcome so that they could use it to denigrate Sweeney and the BBC.
I saw the original Panorama, but also the follow-up. And in that, Sweeney tracked down two of the most abusive and, I would say, terrifying of the Scientologist agents. Both had since left the organisation, and as a result Sweeney was able to gain more background to the incidents in that first programme.
In this book the reader learns how a cult operates. A leader who can, apparently, do no wrong and who demands unquestioning obedience, while remaining answerable to no authority whatever, nor control; beneath him, a dedicated body of men and women who are enslaved to his will. Rational or independent thought is impossible in such an environment, especially when access to books, media and the internet are reason for punishment.
But the clearest proof to me that this is a cult is the fact that, in order to learn anything about the "truth", one must pay. And keep on paying. No matter what the religion, the facts and truths of it are freely available to believers and non-believers alike. Religions want to persuade people to join them. Not so with the Scientologists: they want people to pay to learn more. There are levels of "Operating Thetan", and the secrets of each level must be purchased.
But I can let you into a little secret. Apparently the Scientologists believe in Xenu. Look him up on the web (they can't of course, sadly) and you may find the truth according to L Ron Hubbard. If it weren't so sad what happens to Scientologists, it would be pitiful.
This book, by describing the research and setting Sweeney's efforts and discoveries in context, gives a wonderful history of L Ron Hubbard and Scientology. I cannot recommend it highly enough to anyone who is interested in cults, who has lost a friend of family member to a cult, or who fears losing them. Please buy it, read it, and recommend it to your own friends.
This book is an in-depth analysis of an investigation into the Scientologists (I cannot give them the title of "Church" because I do not believe an organisation so focussed on money should be given that honour) by John Sweeney and the Panorama team from the BBC. Sweeney conducted his researches originally in 2007 for a programme.
Scientology describes Sweeney as "a bigot and a liar ... psychotic" which, I would reckon, coming from the cult would rank as a pretty good reference for anyone. However, Sweeney has been a reporter for many years, working with the UK's better newspapers and latterly as a reporter for the TV. He has worked in war zones from A to Z: Algeria, Bosnia and Chechnya to Zimbabwe. His writing is sympathetic and even-handed. And yet he touched some very hot buttons with his subjects here.
The Scientologists have been attempting to win "church" or religious status in the UK because that would give them many financial (and legal) benefits. However, British High Court Judge Mr Justice Latey said in 1984: "Scientology is both immoral and socially obnoxious ... It is corrupt, sinister and dangerous. It is corrupt because it is based on lies and deceit and has its real objective money and power for Mr Hubbard ... It is sinister because it indulges in infamous practices both to its adherents who do not toe the line unquestionably and to those who criticise it or oppose it. It is dangerous because it is out to capture people and to indoctrinate and brainwash them so they become the unquestioning captives and tools of the cult, withdrawn from ordinary thought, living, and relationships with others." I think that the quotation is worth repeating in full, because it does give a strong flavour of the judge's view. He did not consider that they deserved religious or charitable status.
The BBC has a long record with the Scientologists. In the 1980s they investigated and produced a Panorama programme that was scathing in its conclusions. The Sweeney programme was to be a follow-up, largely as a result of many interviews with ex-Scientologists, and with the parents and families of those who had joined the cult and cut themselves off from their relations.
Sweeney sets out how the programme came to life, how he went about his researches, and then the seven day ordeal in America, when he found himself being followed by Scientologists, brow-beaten, insulted, slandered, and brain-washed highly effectively by a team of Scientologists at several meetings. It led, eventually, to his explosion after a great deal of intimidation ( a rather amusing scene that can be seen on youtube - look for "exploding tomato"!). However, as he details the events that led to his outburst, it is perfectly obvious how the tactics of the Scientologists were specifically designed to create just such an outcome so that they could use it to denigrate Sweeney and the BBC.
I saw the original Panorama, but also the follow-up. And in that, Sweeney tracked down two of the most abusive and, I would say, terrifying of the Scientologist agents. Both had since left the organisation, and as a result Sweeney was able to gain more background to the incidents in that first programme.
In this book the reader learns how a cult operates. A leader who can, apparently, do no wrong and who demands unquestioning obedience, while remaining answerable to no authority whatever, nor control; beneath him, a dedicated body of men and women who are enslaved to his will. Rational or independent thought is impossible in such an environment, especially when access to books, media and the internet are reason for punishment.
But the clearest proof to me that this is a cult is the fact that, in order to learn anything about the "truth", one must pay. And keep on paying. No matter what the religion, the facts and truths of it are freely available to believers and non-believers alike. Religions want to persuade people to join them. Not so with the Scientologists: they want people to pay to learn more. There are levels of "Operating Thetan", and the secrets of each level must be purchased.
But I can let you into a little secret. Apparently the Scientologists believe in Xenu. Look him up on the web (they can't of course, sadly) and you may find the truth according to L Ron Hubbard. If it weren't so sad what happens to Scientologists, it would be pitiful.
This book, by describing the research and setting Sweeney's efforts and discoveries in context, gives a wonderful history of L Ron Hubbard and Scientology. I cannot recommend it highly enough to anyone who is interested in cults, who has lost a friend of family member to a cult, or who fears losing them. Please buy it, read it, and recommend it to your own friends.
February 26, 2019
Scientologists must really hate George Lucas. After all, there are far more people who mark their official religion as Jedi than there are Scientologist. Some could argue that in the battle of the sci-fi hack writing, Lucas won a race he didn't even know he was competing in. But that wouldn't be fair on scientology and its extremely litiguous nature would mean that they'd have sued him if they had the chance. I mean, both have made an extremely profitable, aggressive business model rattle along with some spiritualist mumbo-jumbo - only spending some time reading about Xenu and I'm about ready to forgive Jar Jar fucking Binks.
And no wonder they hate psychiatrists. Can't help but thinking if I was paying tens if not hundreds of thousands of dollars to attain spiritual enlightenment (and I doff my cap to Elron here for making that a viable thing enough to keep him floating on dollars all the way round the world) - I'd end up on the couch if I'd pissed my life savings to get a told a third rate hack Sci Fi story was what it was all about - at least the other religions give you it all for free!
So, as someone who thinks all religions are fine, if that's your sort of thing (even the really obviously made up ones), but who has a problem if you try to make your religion into my sort of thing (seriously guys, remember the "do unto others as you would have them do to you bit"). Which usually makes me the grumpy one apparently.
Anyway, John Sweeney became an internet thing, when filming for the prestigious BBC Panorama investigation into Scientology, when he completely lost it with his Scientologist media minder. This is his book about Scientology, which is less about Scientology, and more about the making of that show, and his infamous rant.
He's quite fair that he shouldn't have gone off like that, and uses many chapters (with a bit of overkill) to show the level of intrusion, following and general intimidation the Scientologists used to try to stop or dissuade him from filming (using Private Investigators, generally just having someone follow them around, and then claim that he was the bad guy throughout. Nasty stuff, and it clearly worked in getting him wound up.
That's an interesting story. But this isn't a good book. Why? Because Sweeney tries to write it more as a serious investigation into the conditions in Scientology, with the intimidation they used for him (knocking around his neighbours, tracking him and his crew etc) as almost secondary - even if that's what takes up most of the narrative. He has some interesting interviews with ex-Scientologists who make depressing allegations. He raises this with his Scientologist PR minding team, and their interviewees. Guess what, the Scientologists deny being nasty crazy cult members. I'd have thought a serious investigative journalist would have made more subtle inroads. Instead, Sweeney's conversations take a pantomime turn - "Are you a cult" "No." "Look you're a cult" "Nope." "No, you're a cult" "er, nope. still not agreeing with you". After a few chapters, I was ready to slap him. What exactly did he think he was going to get?
Anyway, it leads up to his infamous meltdown, and has a more interesting post-script, with some revelations from one of his minders, who left Scientology as a result of bullying and lying to Sweeney.
I don't doubt Sweeney's version of events is too different from what actually happened, or what ex-Scientologists tell him (there's more than enough corroborative stories come out since), it's just, well not nearly as interesting as it should be. The billion year contracts, breaking up families and generally blackmailing people for cash with promises of enlightenment or actually blackmailing to release their personal details is nasty stuff, but somehow reduced to call and response "did" "didn't" between Sweeney and Scientology.
And no wonder they hate psychiatrists. Can't help but thinking if I was paying tens if not hundreds of thousands of dollars to attain spiritual enlightenment (and I doff my cap to Elron here for making that a viable thing enough to keep him floating on dollars all the way round the world) - I'd end up on the couch if I'd pissed my life savings to get a told a third rate hack Sci Fi story was what it was all about - at least the other religions give you it all for free!
So, as someone who thinks all religions are fine, if that's your sort of thing (even the really obviously made up ones), but who has a problem if you try to make your religion into my sort of thing (seriously guys, remember the "do unto others as you would have them do to you bit"). Which usually makes me the grumpy one apparently.
Anyway, John Sweeney became an internet thing, when filming for the prestigious BBC Panorama investigation into Scientology, when he completely lost it with his Scientologist media minder. This is his book about Scientology, which is less about Scientology, and more about the making of that show, and his infamous rant.
He's quite fair that he shouldn't have gone off like that, and uses many chapters (with a bit of overkill) to show the level of intrusion, following and general intimidation the Scientologists used to try to stop or dissuade him from filming (using Private Investigators, generally just having someone follow them around, and then claim that he was the bad guy throughout. Nasty stuff, and it clearly worked in getting him wound up.
That's an interesting story. But this isn't a good book. Why? Because Sweeney tries to write it more as a serious investigation into the conditions in Scientology, with the intimidation they used for him (knocking around his neighbours, tracking him and his crew etc) as almost secondary - even if that's what takes up most of the narrative. He has some interesting interviews with ex-Scientologists who make depressing allegations. He raises this with his Scientologist PR minding team, and their interviewees. Guess what, the Scientologists deny being nasty crazy cult members. I'd have thought a serious investigative journalist would have made more subtle inroads. Instead, Sweeney's conversations take a pantomime turn - "Are you a cult" "No." "Look you're a cult" "Nope." "No, you're a cult" "er, nope. still not agreeing with you". After a few chapters, I was ready to slap him. What exactly did he think he was going to get?
Anyway, it leads up to his infamous meltdown, and has a more interesting post-script, with some revelations from one of his minders, who left Scientology as a result of bullying and lying to Sweeney.
I don't doubt Sweeney's version of events is too different from what actually happened, or what ex-Scientologists tell him (there's more than enough corroborative stories come out since), it's just, well not nearly as interesting as it should be. The billion year contracts, breaking up families and generally blackmailing people for cash with promises of enlightenment or actually blackmailing to release their personal details is nasty stuff, but somehow reduced to call and response "did" "didn't" between Sweeney and Scientology.
January 26, 2016
Before getting into my (fairly negative) review of this book, I want to write a little about my opinion of Scientology and religion in general. Firstly, the tenets of Scientology seem no more or less ridiculous to me than those of any other religion. Space aliens, loaves and fishes, virgins for martyrs, fighting giants, cutting off Medusa's head, trekking to Mt. Doom: I'd be hard pressed to tell you what the difference is in the credibility of these things save for age and the lengths that adherents will go to in the defence of these mythologies. However, I firmly believe that a basic human right is freedom to practise religion. That freedom is limited to YOU as an individual making choices about the religion YOU practice. I reject utterly the idea that religion is worthy of any privilege or position in modern society. Freedom to practice does not equal freedom from criticism, freedom from criminal investigation, and most certainly not freedom from mockery (nor should it include freedom from taxation). So Scientologists, congratulations! You can go into the same box as Catholicism, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, and all the others. Bad news: That is not a box I have much respect for, time for, or interest in.
Having said all of that, The Church of Fear... is not a very good book. I know that John Sweeney is a respected investigative journalist and has a credible record of reporting from some of the most dangerous places in the world, but this isn't investigative journalism. Well, not GOOD investigative journalism anyway. Sweeney gets very attached to the notion that there is any merit to proving the point that Scientology is a cult rather than a religion. Hair-splitting of the highest degree. In order to pursue this point, Sweeney has two tactics. The first is to blunder into church-sanctioned meetings with high profile Scientologists and offend them as much as possible by throwing around the words cult and Xenu. This leads, predictably, nowhere. It does however, succeed in showing that vacuity and addiction to soundbites is not a solely political affliction. The suggestion, late in the book, that this has all been some kind of 'trap' feels, frankly, desperate. Sweeney's second line of investigation is to interview high profile ex-members of Scientology to learn their horror stories of abuse, manipulation, and fraud. These interviews are the most interesting part of the book, particularly when Sweeney meets one of his main antagonists after he leaves the church. The problem here is that Sweeney has spent so much time pursuing the cult versus religion story-line that it now feels like he has to argue that Scientology is uniquely abusive among religions, a fact that is patently untrue to anyone with open eyes. Sweeney continually makes reference to other books on cults and compares Scientology to a list of defining factors to see if it qualifies. Frankly, every religion I have any knowledge of seems to qualify. Surely, there are only three pertinent questions here: Has abuse occurred? What has been done about it? What is going to be done next?
Those are my problems with Sweeney's thesis. There are also problems of execution. Much of The Church of Fear... reads like a verbatim transcription of a journalist's notebook. Interviews are presented as Jackson Pollock like splatterings of quotes. Ideas are half formed without being fully stated or followed to a conclusion. There is even a little bit of casual racism, too. Yet again, here is another ebook with multiple editing issues.
Sweeney deserves credit for sticking to his task when under extreme intimidation. His mission here is an honourable one and I applaud him for daring to go after a famously litigious and nefarious target. I only wish that the resulting book had made a better fist of it.
Having said all of that, The Church of Fear... is not a very good book. I know that John Sweeney is a respected investigative journalist and has a credible record of reporting from some of the most dangerous places in the world, but this isn't investigative journalism. Well, not GOOD investigative journalism anyway. Sweeney gets very attached to the notion that there is any merit to proving the point that Scientology is a cult rather than a religion. Hair-splitting of the highest degree. In order to pursue this point, Sweeney has two tactics. The first is to blunder into church-sanctioned meetings with high profile Scientologists and offend them as much as possible by throwing around the words cult and Xenu. This leads, predictably, nowhere. It does however, succeed in showing that vacuity and addiction to soundbites is not a solely political affliction. The suggestion, late in the book, that this has all been some kind of 'trap' feels, frankly, desperate. Sweeney's second line of investigation is to interview high profile ex-members of Scientology to learn their horror stories of abuse, manipulation, and fraud. These interviews are the most interesting part of the book, particularly when Sweeney meets one of his main antagonists after he leaves the church. The problem here is that Sweeney has spent so much time pursuing the cult versus religion story-line that it now feels like he has to argue that Scientology is uniquely abusive among religions, a fact that is patently untrue to anyone with open eyes. Sweeney continually makes reference to other books on cults and compares Scientology to a list of defining factors to see if it qualifies. Frankly, every religion I have any knowledge of seems to qualify. Surely, there are only three pertinent questions here: Has abuse occurred? What has been done about it? What is going to be done next?
Those are my problems with Sweeney's thesis. There are also problems of execution. Much of The Church of Fear... reads like a verbatim transcription of a journalist's notebook. Interviews are presented as Jackson Pollock like splatterings of quotes. Ideas are half formed without being fully stated or followed to a conclusion. There is even a little bit of casual racism, too. Yet again, here is another ebook with multiple editing issues.
Sweeney deserves credit for sticking to his task when under extreme intimidation. His mission here is an honourable one and I applaud him for daring to go after a famously litigious and nefarious target. I only wish that the resulting book had made a better fist of it.
January 9, 2015
Objective this book isn't. Entertaining it is. BBC journalist John Sweeney recounts his highly personal tour around the downright weird world of Scientology, as he makes a Panorama documentary on the subject over a number of years. Much of the book is dialogue from that documentary, now famous for the "exploding tomato" bit, where the mental strain of going up against this mega (or not so mega, as the book reveals) church/cult/money-making machine caused Sweeney to erupt in a fit of rage viewed by millions on youtube.
Sweeney and his crew get followed, filmed, and spied on to a disturbing degree, as they travel around the UK and the US in search of interviews with those who are in the church and those who got out. He rejoices in descriptions of the people that he meets and the bizarre conversations he has with them. He uses the word "creepy" a lot, makes a convincing argument for the use of the 'c' word (no, not that one), and talks about Xenu and space aliens.
Sweeney says he didn't want anything going into the book that he hadn't experienced or heard first hand. As shrouded in secrecy as Scientology is, this is certainly a good stance to take. However, I would have liked a slightly clearer picture of the inner workings of the church, and a little more info on the various levels one has to climb through on the church's "Road to Total Freedom". But perhaps that is a different book.
Did I learn something? A bit. Will I ever think about joining the Church of Scientology? You've got to be kidding.
Sweeney and his crew get followed, filmed, and spied on to a disturbing degree, as they travel around the UK and the US in search of interviews with those who are in the church and those who got out. He rejoices in descriptions of the people that he meets and the bizarre conversations he has with them. He uses the word "creepy" a lot, makes a convincing argument for the use of the 'c' word (no, not that one), and talks about Xenu and space aliens.
Sweeney says he didn't want anything going into the book that he hadn't experienced or heard first hand. As shrouded in secrecy as Scientology is, this is certainly a good stance to take. However, I would have liked a slightly clearer picture of the inner workings of the church, and a little more info on the various levels one has to climb through on the church's "Road to Total Freedom". But perhaps that is a different book.
Did I learn something? A bit. Will I ever think about joining the Church of Scientology? You've got to be kidding.
December 11, 2019
John Sweeney’s memoir of his adventures making a Panorama documentary about Scientology, supposedly helped but mostly hindered by Church PR men Tommy Davis and Mike Rinder. This book came out before ‘Going Clear’, a sober documentary which chillingly presents the many evils of the Church and paints David Miscavige as a force of almost pure villainy. Here, the Church go out of their way to provoke Sweeney so that they can call him biased, a bigot, psychotic - but you know what? Here he is frothing about his treatment in repetitive episodes in a badly-edited ebook on a microlabel; as if the Church need the ammunition. When he repeats the same questions to every celeb they wheel out - Kirstie Alley, Leah Rimini and so on - asking them if their religion is a cult, asking about Xenu, you wonder if the professionally perplexed Louis Theroux’s faux-naive style would have been more successful than this supercilious approach.
Luckily for Sweeney, the fascinating subject matter carries the book. The best parts are the leaked exchanges between Davis and Rinder and Miscavige’s Communicator (essentially an amaneunsis). Here, DM comes across like an asshole boss, asking the impossible of his subordinates while screaming abuse via BlackBerry. You kind of feel sorry for the guys who have to work under this.
Luckily for Sweeney, the fascinating subject matter carries the book. The best parts are the leaked exchanges between Davis and Rinder and Miscavige’s Communicator (essentially an amaneunsis). Here, DM comes across like an asshole boss, asking the impossible of his subordinates while screaming abuse via BlackBerry. You kind of feel sorry for the guys who have to work under this.
September 11, 2017
If, like me, you consider Scientology to be a sinister cult then you will find plenty here to bolster your opinion. If, however, you're teetering on the brink of signing your life away to David Miscavige and his merry band of scamsters, then Sweeney probably hasn't marshalled the coherence to persuade you otherwise.
Famous for his self-confessed "exploding tomato" incident while being confronted by Tommy Davis (who, incidentally, is no longer part of the Church of Scientology), Sweeney's book mostly concerns the experience of his production team as they attempt to film a documentary for the BBC's Panorama series. Sweeney and his team are mercilessly spied on, trailed and harassed at almost every turn. You have to feel for Sweeney, but his descriptions of encounters with the Scientologists lack structure to the point that you can see straight away how they were able to employ their logic-defying bullshit to tie him up in knots.
Riddled with errors and devalued by Sweeney's laboured attempts at humour, this is a very imperfect view of the Scientology movement, but it's still well worth reading, especially if you have ever felt that going Clear was a good idea. As Nancy Reagan so memorably said, just say no!
Famous for his self-confessed "exploding tomato" incident while being confronted by Tommy Davis (who, incidentally, is no longer part of the Church of Scientology), Sweeney's book mostly concerns the experience of his production team as they attempt to film a documentary for the BBC's Panorama series. Sweeney and his team are mercilessly spied on, trailed and harassed at almost every turn. You have to feel for Sweeney, but his descriptions of encounters with the Scientologists lack structure to the point that you can see straight away how they were able to employ their logic-defying bullshit to tie him up in knots.
Riddled with errors and devalued by Sweeney's laboured attempts at humour, this is a very imperfect view of the Scientology movement, but it's still well worth reading, especially if you have ever felt that going Clear was a good idea. As Nancy Reagan so memorably said, just say no!
October 13, 2018
Quite a disappointing, sorry.
I was expecting a book about Scientology and its secrets, while this was especially about this journalist's personal fight against the cult, and I learned more watching documentaries than reading this.
This book was filled of descriptions of people following other people and transcriptions of John Sweeney interviewing Scientologists and ex-Scientologists, but it was often repetitive:
"Is Scientology a cult?"
"No, it's not"
"Some people say it's a cult"
"Nope, and you repeating so it's disrespectful"
I get that Sweeney was particularly interested in proving that Scientology is indeed a cult but you see that it's pointless repeating this on and on.
If you are interested in the matter, I suggest you the documentary "Going Clear" and the series of interviews to ex-Scientologists ("Leah Remini - Scientology and the Aftermath")
I was expecting a book about Scientology and its secrets, while this was especially about this journalist's personal fight against the cult, and I learned more watching documentaries than reading this.
This book was filled of descriptions of people following other people and transcriptions of John Sweeney interviewing Scientologists and ex-Scientologists, but it was often repetitive:
"Is Scientology a cult?"
"No, it's not"
"Some people say it's a cult"
"Nope, and you repeating so it's disrespectful"
I get that Sweeney was particularly interested in proving that Scientology is indeed a cult but you see that it's pointless repeating this on and on.
If you are interested in the matter, I suggest you the documentary "Going Clear" and the series of interviews to ex-Scientologists ("Leah Remini - Scientology and the Aftermath")
September 21, 2019
I remember the incident with John (author) and Tommy (main protagonist) when it happened, which is what drew me to the book. I believe John has told the story leading up to it with truth and candour, not even trying to gloss over the moment he completely lost the plot.
When I finished it, I went to YouTube and watched the Church's rejoinder to the Panorama documentary, and it's as if you watch something completely different to the story told in John's book.
NONE of the lead up to John becoming the "exploding tomato" (his words) is shown in the church's documentary, so they make it appear it was all John having a psychotic episode.
I believe John's story of what led up to it.
When I finished it, I went to YouTube and watched the Church's rejoinder to the Panorama documentary, and it's as if you watch something completely different to the story told in John's book.
NONE of the lead up to John becoming the "exploding tomato" (his words) is shown in the church's documentary, so they make it appear it was all John having a psychotic episode.
I believe John's story of what led up to it.
May 22, 2020
This book is really good if you've never read any book on Scientology or watched Sweeney's BBC documentary.
I have read multiple books on Scientology and watched both of Sweeney's documentaries on it, so this was nothing new and kind of disappointing for me.
Sweeney basically cited everything that happened in the Panorama documentary of 2007 and the aftermath of all of that. I honestly did not see the point of writing this book if he's already done that. Why write a book and repeat everything when there's already a documentary on it? It was honestly LITERALLY 70% word to word from the documentary.
It was still entertaining, don't get me wrong, but it just felt flat. Nothing new unless you don't know anything about Scientology or John Sweeney.
I have read multiple books on Scientology and watched both of Sweeney's documentaries on it, so this was nothing new and kind of disappointing for me.
Sweeney basically cited everything that happened in the Panorama documentary of 2007 and the aftermath of all of that. I honestly did not see the point of writing this book if he's already done that. Why write a book and repeat everything when there's already a documentary on it? It was honestly LITERALLY 70% word to word from the documentary.
It was still entertaining, don't get me wrong, but it just felt flat. Nothing new unless you don't know anything about Scientology or John Sweeney.
March 15, 2022
A compelling read following the author's attempt to investigate and provide a balanced report on what seems to be the world's most secretive religion. By his account, the church appears to block any criticism, demonise anyone critical of the Church and deny all reports of wrong-doing. It reads as a cult invested in separating people from their money, in exchange for increasing access to alleged truths and isolation from the real world. One wonders how legitimate an organisation is that expends so much vicious effort to squash any hint or possibility of criticism.
January 13, 2019
Excellent book about a loony tune 'religion'. John Sweeney hits the nail on the head & does it in a way that is easy to understand.
July 25, 2021
Finished this audiobook at about 70%- not because of the writing, but due to the fact I’m so sick of Scientology nonsense now that I can’t listen anymore. Idiots.
December 12, 2020
I honestly thought about giving up with this book. I thought it was a bit ridiculous. Honestly because I didn't think Sweeney would be doing all that he was doing...
...I'm so glad that I stuck with it. There were parts that were written better than any thriller or horror novel that I have read. I thought that I knew a lot about Scientology from other books that I had read. However, I was mistaken. I learned so much more from Sweeney's account.
I don't want to give too much away, but it is definitely worth the read if you want an outsider's perspective on Scientology.
...I'm so glad that I stuck with it. There were parts that were written better than any thriller or horror novel that I have read. I thought that I knew a lot about Scientology from other books that I had read. However, I was mistaken. I learned so much more from Sweeney's account.
I don't want to give too much away, but it is definitely worth the read if you want an outsider's perspective on Scientology.
May 14, 2013
This is the second book about Scientology that I've read recently. You can check out my review of Going Clear for my earlier impression.
Unlike Going Clear, Church Fear makes almost no attempt at objectivity and for understandable reason. During the course of filming a documentary about the Church of Scientology, John Sweeney engaged in a series of escalating confrontations with church spokesman, Tommy Davis. These culminated in a screaming match between the two, in which they both end up trading accusations about the other being brainwashed. The video of this argument became something of a YouTube sensation. Sweeney is very candid about losing his cool with Davis and admits that he behaved poorly, comparing his actions to an "exploding tomato."
Church of Fear the chronicles adventures of Sweeney and his film crew as they travel around America, filming their documentary for the BBC. He describes interviews with critics and former members of the Church of Scientology. In almost all of these interviews, Davis, accompanied by a film crew, shows up to discredit the interviewee. He describes car rides in which they appear to have been followed. He also interviews celebrity members of the church, including Kirsti Alley, Anne Archer, and Leah Remini, all of whom give curiously rehearsed answers to his questions. Another highlight is Sweeney's visit to Scientology's exhibit on psychiatry, which they allege is behind many of the horrors in recent history, including the Holocaust. It was after this visit that Sweeney had his famous blow up with Davis.
As with Going Clear, Church of Fear documents numerous allegations of vicious physical and mental abuse committed by the church's leader, David Miscavige. All of which, of course, the Church denies. But as allegation after allegation piles up, it's hard not to see a pattern.
Sweeney writes in an accessible style, with British self-deprecating humor and humility over losing his temper. Which this explosion of tempers is not the highlight of his career, his willingness to frame this book around his mistake speaks highly of his character. In comparison with Going Clear, Church of Fear is much more readable. It's more of a written documentary than compilation of research, but it does give some truly disturbing insights into this bizarre religion.
Unlike Going Clear, Church Fear makes almost no attempt at objectivity and for understandable reason. During the course of filming a documentary about the Church of Scientology, John Sweeney engaged in a series of escalating confrontations with church spokesman, Tommy Davis. These culminated in a screaming match between the two, in which they both end up trading accusations about the other being brainwashed. The video of this argument became something of a YouTube sensation. Sweeney is very candid about losing his cool with Davis and admits that he behaved poorly, comparing his actions to an "exploding tomato."
Church of Fear the chronicles adventures of Sweeney and his film crew as they travel around America, filming their documentary for the BBC. He describes interviews with critics and former members of the Church of Scientology. In almost all of these interviews, Davis, accompanied by a film crew, shows up to discredit the interviewee. He describes car rides in which they appear to have been followed. He also interviews celebrity members of the church, including Kirsti Alley, Anne Archer, and Leah Remini, all of whom give curiously rehearsed answers to his questions. Another highlight is Sweeney's visit to Scientology's exhibit on psychiatry, which they allege is behind many of the horrors in recent history, including the Holocaust. It was after this visit that Sweeney had his famous blow up with Davis.
As with Going Clear, Church of Fear documents numerous allegations of vicious physical and mental abuse committed by the church's leader, David Miscavige. All of which, of course, the Church denies. But as allegation after allegation piles up, it's hard not to see a pattern.
Sweeney writes in an accessible style, with British self-deprecating humor and humility over losing his temper. Which this explosion of tempers is not the highlight of his career, his willingness to frame this book around his mistake speaks highly of his character. In comparison with Going Clear, Church of Fear is much more readable. It's more of a written documentary than compilation of research, but it does give some truly disturbing insights into this bizarre religion.
February 19, 2013
This was absolutely fascinating. A terrifying story of one mans descent into paranoia and fear as he tries to make a documentary about the Church of Scientology. And it's all true.
I remember watching the 2007 documentary when it originally aired. And I very definitely remember what Sweeney calls his "exploding tomato" moment. Sweeney is completely honest about this: it was unprofessional, it should never have happened, he is completely repentant. But he reasons that he had been pushed to the psychological edge by what he had experienced in the six days running up to that moment, and he feared he was going mad. He talks about how he and his team were constantly followed by mysterious cars, filmed as they attempted to conduct interviews, were ambushed in their hotel at midnight, and allowed so little respite that they had to attempt to conduct three man editorial conferences in a single toilet cubicle. He says this was altogether worse than any experience he had as a war correspondent.
The book starts with an unusual admission: this book is lawyer end to the hilt. Every time Sweeney introduces a new person that he's interviewed, he end by telling us the accusations Scientologists make about that person (including what they say about him). Every time one of his interviewees makes an allegation, he ends the paragraph with a comment along the lines of "the Church denies this". This is entirely unusual. Unlike his documentary, which was made under BBC guidelines stating that he must show "balance", "fairness" and "impartiality", he would be perfectly entitled to only show one side of this story. But he would still be subject to the UK's stringent libel laws. And he tells us in his introduction that he is terrified of losing everything. The Church of Scientology is lawyered up and happy to sue: it would have no qualms about bankrupting someone who was critical of it. So this is the most heavily lawyered and libel-proof book I have ever read. It makes for a slightly odd reading experience.
Other than its constant libel-proofing, the only thing this book suffers from is a slightly patronising idea that the reader cannot retain too much information at once, so things are repeated that really don't need to be. I was rather frustrated by the time we got to the fifth reiteration that Ann Archer was "Tommy's" [one of his tormentor's] mother. We did not need that tit bit thrown in every time her name mp was mentioned. That aside, this was a fascinating read, and I hope to read more of Sweeney's journalism. He is a funny and engaging writer, full of self-depreciation (and the mentions of Doctor Who don't go wrong either).
I remember watching the 2007 documentary when it originally aired. And I very definitely remember what Sweeney calls his "exploding tomato" moment. Sweeney is completely honest about this: it was unprofessional, it should never have happened, he is completely repentant. But he reasons that he had been pushed to the psychological edge by what he had experienced in the six days running up to that moment, and he feared he was going mad. He talks about how he and his team were constantly followed by mysterious cars, filmed as they attempted to conduct interviews, were ambushed in their hotel at midnight, and allowed so little respite that they had to attempt to conduct three man editorial conferences in a single toilet cubicle. He says this was altogether worse than any experience he had as a war correspondent.
The book starts with an unusual admission: this book is lawyer end to the hilt. Every time Sweeney introduces a new person that he's interviewed, he end by telling us the accusations Scientologists make about that person (including what they say about him). Every time one of his interviewees makes an allegation, he ends the paragraph with a comment along the lines of "the Church denies this". This is entirely unusual. Unlike his documentary, which was made under BBC guidelines stating that he must show "balance", "fairness" and "impartiality", he would be perfectly entitled to only show one side of this story. But he would still be subject to the UK's stringent libel laws. And he tells us in his introduction that he is terrified of losing everything. The Church of Scientology is lawyered up and happy to sue: it would have no qualms about bankrupting someone who was critical of it. So this is the most heavily lawyered and libel-proof book I have ever read. It makes for a slightly odd reading experience.
Other than its constant libel-proofing, the only thing this book suffers from is a slightly patronising idea that the reader cannot retain too much information at once, so things are repeated that really don't need to be. I was rather frustrated by the time we got to the fifth reiteration that Ann Archer was "Tommy's" [one of his tormentor's] mother. We did not need that tit bit thrown in every time her name mp was mentioned. That aside, this was a fascinating read, and I hope to read more of Sweeney's journalism. He is a funny and engaging writer, full of self-depreciation (and the mentions of Doctor Who don't go wrong either).
July 10, 2016
One of my semi-random picks, the result of a very cheap used book price and my own idle curiosity. As it turns out, this sketchy so-so read didn't really go anywhere and what little curiosity I had about the subject was pretty much snuffed out by the disjointed and repetitive writing. I hear the author is an accomplished BBC reporter, and though I've never seen his programs, I get the feeling he's better on the air than on paper. The book reveals little (if anything at all) about the cult that most casual readers haven't already heard about; in fact, it's basically a behind the scenes blow-by-blow account of the making of the author's TV documentary on the subject (which is undoubtedly more interesting than this book) and as such is filled with details of the cat-and-mouse games played by both sides (I film you, you film me, etc.) as well as transcripts (from something called Sci-gy Leaks) which document e-mails and phone conversations concerning orders from cult leaders to conduct surveillance on the author and his crew during his attempts to gain access to interviews and information. So, yeah, it confirms that the cult is weird and paranoid about getting bad press, but I kind of already knew that. And, of course, there are numerous mentions (and mea culpas) about the author's public meltdown, apparently immortalized on, where else, YouTube. As I still had a bit of idle curiosity to spare, I took a peek to see what all the fuss was about, so now I know. He loses his temper and shouts. OK. Anyhoo, I didn't actually dislike this book, for all its faults, and the author is sincere in his efforts and not devoid of humor, so two stars. Oh, and the obligatory disclaimer for all those who give less than positive reviews to books exposing the seedy aspects of cults and their methods: I am not, nor have ever been, nor will I ever be, a Scientologist!
April 27, 2013
I bought this book after having watched the unrelated BBC Panorama documentary, North Korea Undercover, reported and hosted by John Sweeney, the same author of this book. My reason for buying this book is that I have had a fleeting glimpse into what Scientology was about and wanted to find out more. I do not subscribe to any religious teachings (I was raised a Roman Catholic although I have not practiced it since around 2000) so I read this book purely out of interest. Also to get a full, broader, picture of the book I watched the 2007 BBC Panorama documentary, Scientology and Me, which includes the infamous "exploding tomato" incident which is referenced numerous times in the book.
Overall I found the book to be an interesting read. I really felt for John as he was being followed and harassed by the individuals mentioned in the book. Although this book is very detailed, I would recommend it to anyone who liked the Scientology and Me Panorama documentary and want a more in-depth insight into it. I also read that there was a follow-up Panorama documentary to Scientology and Me entitled The Secrets of Scientology also hosted by John Sweeney broadcast in 2010 so I will be interested in watching that.
Overall I found the book to be an interesting read. I really felt for John as he was being followed and harassed by the individuals mentioned in the book. Although this book is very detailed, I would recommend it to anyone who liked the Scientology and Me Panorama documentary and want a more in-depth insight into it. I also read that there was a follow-up Panorama documentary to Scientology and Me entitled The Secrets of Scientology also hosted by John Sweeney broadcast in 2010 so I will be interested in watching that.
January 31, 2013
Incredibly interesting book if you want to find out what the inner workings of Scientology are.
John Sweeney is best known as the BBC reporter who became briefly famous for breaking down into a rage with a member of the "church" of Scientology, accusing them of attempting to brainwash them.
Here Sweeney uncovers exactly what lead to that breakdown, which he is apologetic for throughout the book.
Scientology is damned in this book, not really by the words and allegations of their accusers and ex-members, but instead by their bizarre, authoritarian and paranoid reactions to the accusations.
A very interesting read, well worth it to get a sense of the inner workings of Scientology. Sweeney knows the cult well, and writes quite emotively about its impact upon people. His description of being tailed and spied upon by members of Scientology are like something from a Cold War novel. At times it seems like Sweeney is too close to the material to give a proper objective view of Scientology, but given the level of scrutiny that Scientology appears to have placed on him, it would probably be impossible for Sweeney to write an unemotive, objective analysis of Scientology.
John Sweeney is best known as the BBC reporter who became briefly famous for breaking down into a rage with a member of the "church" of Scientology, accusing them of attempting to brainwash them.
Here Sweeney uncovers exactly what lead to that breakdown, which he is apologetic for throughout the book.
Scientology is damned in this book, not really by the words and allegations of their accusers and ex-members, but instead by their bizarre, authoritarian and paranoid reactions to the accusations.
A very interesting read, well worth it to get a sense of the inner workings of Scientology. Sweeney knows the cult well, and writes quite emotively about its impact upon people. His description of being tailed and spied upon by members of Scientology are like something from a Cold War novel. At times it seems like Sweeney is too close to the material to give a proper objective view of Scientology, but given the level of scrutiny that Scientology appears to have placed on him, it would probably be impossible for Sweeney to write an unemotive, objective analysis of Scientology.
August 18, 2014
If you've not seen John Sweeney's documentary, or heard him speak, there will be much of interest here; if you have seen the documentary or been to a talk, then this is essentially just a recap. A good souvenir but not much more.
The real negative with this book, however, is that it seems to be an uncorrected-proof copy. There are loads of spelling, grammatical and layout errors, which suggest the need for an editor. I'm not usually a grammar pedant but you would not normally expect a journalist to mix up their their/there/they'res for instance, or to spell the past tense of see as "scene". Often the thread of who is speaking is lost, making it difficult to follow. Indeed, you may wonder whether this book was printed by his detractors to discredit him but given that I bought it from him personally, that cannot be the case. It seem that the book was self-published, which suggests that the main publishers didn't dare publish it, which is worrying in its implications but nevertheless it should have been checked-over before publication. This sloppiness lets it down and will no doubt be twisted against him by those who wish to discredit Mr Sweeney.
The real negative with this book, however, is that it seems to be an uncorrected-proof copy. There are loads of spelling, grammatical and layout errors, which suggest the need for an editor. I'm not usually a grammar pedant but you would not normally expect a journalist to mix up their their/there/they'res for instance, or to spell the past tense of see as "scene". Often the thread of who is speaking is lost, making it difficult to follow. Indeed, you may wonder whether this book was printed by his detractors to discredit him but given that I bought it from him personally, that cannot be the case. It seem that the book was self-published, which suggests that the main publishers didn't dare publish it, which is worrying in its implications but nevertheless it should have been checked-over before publication. This sloppiness lets it down and will no doubt be twisted against him by those who wish to discredit Mr Sweeney.
February 13, 2013
Very objective, well documented book. However you could watch the BBC documentary John Sweeney made, on which this book is based, its basically thebsame. Also it is not an easy read as it is not written as prose, but mostly as transcripts. However you do get a general idea about scientology. While i believe everyone is free to believe in whatever they want, i feel sorry for the way very vulnerable, weak people are being inducted in cults around the world, not just scientology. Not to mention people who are born into this, who know nothing else.
I believe Scientology would be less atacked if it had open policies about their belief system and their faith.
I recommend this book highly if you want a good overview of scientology, because Sweeney does a great job of interviewing not only defectos and ex members but also celebrities and high ranking officers of the church.
I believe Scientology would be less atacked if it had open policies about their belief system and their faith.
I recommend this book highly if you want a good overview of scientology, because Sweeney does a great job of interviewing not only defectos and ex members but also celebrities and high ranking officers of the church.
March 3, 2013
Pretty decent as far as the "Exposé of horrible cult/institution/celebrity/murderer" genre goes, but this one is about Scientology, and thus there's even more legal trouble than usual about releasing a book like this, therein lies the hook with bait of "They could ban this" on it.
Oddly enough I've read this and enjoyed (if you could call descriptions of lives ruined and abuse enjoyable, especially if non-fiction) the book's take on how cults are structured and how they work, as well as a rundown on Scientology's beliefs and practices. Because it's written by a BBC documentary journalist it feels like a found footage horror movie in book form at times. Which is a phrase I rarely see used.
Oddly enough I've read this and enjoyed (if you could call descriptions of lives ruined and abuse enjoyable, especially if non-fiction) the book's take on how cults are structured and how they work, as well as a rundown on Scientology's beliefs and practices. Because it's written by a BBC documentary journalist it feels like a found footage horror movie in book form at times. Which is a phrase I rarely see used.
December 24, 2024
Every now and then, I come across a book that is actually dangerous to not only admit you read, but thoroughly enjoyed and agreed with. If you admit this online, or somewhere else public, bad things might start happening. Any critic of the scam called Scientology always has bad things happen. Funny that.
However, I'm now 55 and in more or less constant pain. I have no money. I see that other religious and political cults are starting to use the same destructive terrorizing tactics as outlined here in The Church of Fear. I'm tired of being scared to silence by people like Scientologists, Trumpers or followers of "Bible believing churches."
Fuck all of you.
You want to kill me now? You'd be doing me a favor.
Anyway, back to the book. John Sweeney is an incredible journalist and a very, very good writer. He's done not one, but two documentaries on Scientology for Panorama. In his first documentary, he roared furiously at then head PR for Scientology, Tommy Davis. This was after unrelenting days of harassment and double-speak from Scientologists.
This book isn't just Sweeney apologizing and skewering himself for losing his temper, but his personal account of making both documentaries. He's very clear where it is his point of view, the point of view of ex-Scientologists, the point of view on internationally known experts on the occult, or even The Church of Scientology's viewpoints.
And yet no British publisher would touch this book, due to the harassment by The Church of Scientology. It was finally published by an American publisher.
The abuses caused by Scientology makes Stephen King look like Mother Goose. Just the harassment of Sweeney and his team were enough to cause me to break into my mother's Klonopin. And I got that upset just from reading it. Imagine what it must have been to actually live through it.
The book is written for a UK audience. There's a joke about pantomimes that nearly made me spit hot tea through my nose. There's also nods to Coronation Street, Birkenhead and Songs of Praise. If you're American, don't let this put you off. Unlike Scientologists, you can go on the Internet to look all of these things up.
During the making of one documentary, Sweeney accidentally meets Louie Theroux, who I happen to be a fan of. Theroux would also become the focus of Scientologists' hatred, after he did his own Scientology documentary in 2015. However, at the time he met Sweeney, he was doing a doc on plastic surgery, Louie Theroux: Under the Knife.
Cannot recommend this book highly enough.
However, I'm now 55 and in more or less constant pain. I have no money. I see that other religious and political cults are starting to use the same destructive terrorizing tactics as outlined here in The Church of Fear. I'm tired of being scared to silence by people like Scientologists, Trumpers or followers of "Bible believing churches."
Fuck all of you.
You want to kill me now? You'd be doing me a favor.
Anyway, back to the book. John Sweeney is an incredible journalist and a very, very good writer. He's done not one, but two documentaries on Scientology for Panorama. In his first documentary, he roared furiously at then head PR for Scientology, Tommy Davis. This was after unrelenting days of harassment and double-speak from Scientologists.
This book isn't just Sweeney apologizing and skewering himself for losing his temper, but his personal account of making both documentaries. He's very clear where it is his point of view, the point of view of ex-Scientologists, the point of view on internationally known experts on the occult, or even The Church of Scientology's viewpoints.
And yet no British publisher would touch this book, due to the harassment by The Church of Scientology. It was finally published by an American publisher.
The abuses caused by Scientology makes Stephen King look like Mother Goose. Just the harassment of Sweeney and his team were enough to cause me to break into my mother's Klonopin. And I got that upset just from reading it. Imagine what it must have been to actually live through it.
The book is written for a UK audience. There's a joke about pantomimes that nearly made me spit hot tea through my nose. There's also nods to Coronation Street, Birkenhead and Songs of Praise. If you're American, don't let this put you off. Unlike Scientologists, you can go on the Internet to look all of these things up.
During the making of one documentary, Sweeney accidentally meets Louie Theroux, who I happen to be a fan of. Theroux would also become the focus of Scientologists' hatred, after he did his own Scientology documentary in 2015. However, at the time he met Sweeney, he was doing a doc on plastic surgery, Louie Theroux: Under the Knife.
Cannot recommend this book highly enough.
February 17, 2020
The following review was originally published in the online newspaper The Orkney News in 2020. Link here. https://theorkneynews.scot/2020/01/17...
The Church Of Fear: Inside The Weird World of Scientology by John Sweeney
This is an interesting article to write to put it mildly. To explain somewhat to my readers apart from my interest in science-fiction/fantasy, history, crime and other genres I’ve covered previously, I have a self-confessed fascination with the bizarre. Especially cult like movements and behaviour such as Rajneeshpuram, Heaven’s Gate, the movement responsible for the infamous Japanese sarin gas attacks and others along those lines.
So when I was searching for a new listen a few years ago and noticed a book on Scientology it piqued my interest. And on top of that it was written by John Sweeney? The BBC Panorama reporter famous and going viral for – as he puts it in the book – turning into an ‘exploding tomato’? You had my curiosity…now you have my attention.
The book itself is a 50/50 affair. Sweeney endeavours to mix an autobiographical account from the perspective of the Panorama crew as to what happened during the recording of their 2007 programme on the Church of Scientology including lots of details that didn’t make it into the final programme for various reasons and a dissection on how the Church operates behind closed doors based on interviews with ex-members – of all levels – and experts in various subjects. It makes an interesting listen if the subject interests you with a lot of details I would have never have believed if it wasn’t coming from reputable sources.
Personally I found the book absolutely fascinating and engrossing. Although I can safely say it is not for the faint of heart. Some of the stories break your heart. Some of them make you feel sick. And some of them make you want to punch a hole in the wall. Sweeney may have ‘gone tomato’ when he did. But honestly? If he were me? I would have exploded long before that point. I’m not exactly balanced when it comes to the subject having read and watched enough over the years to have made my mind up long ago. If you listen to the audiobook? Or read the paper version? You can make your own judgements. Although I repeat again: Know what you are getting into.
The narration for the audiobook version is performed by Sweeney himself. To be honest having listened to the book a few times, I can’t really imagine it any other way. His narration really helps you get into his headspace when they are being followed by the Church or when he discusses his complete self-confessed paranoia by the time of his last few days in the United States. When bringing up facts and information he conveys the details well – as can be expected of a reporter. As a listener I find myself being able to understand the information presented and take it in and make my own decisions as required. The combination works really well in my mind and makes the total package feel consistent and coherent. I get the feeling that a version with a different narrator would come across worse given the first-person nature of much of the narrative.
In conclusion this is an audiobook I do recommend if you are interested in the subject and feel you can cope with some of the places it goes. I understand that this is NOT everyone’s cup of tea – to put it mildly – and I hope to return to my usual oeuvre with my next article.
Sayonara!
Nephrite
The Church Of Fear: Inside The Weird World of Scientology by John Sweeney
This is an interesting article to write to put it mildly. To explain somewhat to my readers apart from my interest in science-fiction/fantasy, history, crime and other genres I’ve covered previously, I have a self-confessed fascination with the bizarre. Especially cult like movements and behaviour such as Rajneeshpuram, Heaven’s Gate, the movement responsible for the infamous Japanese sarin gas attacks and others along those lines.
So when I was searching for a new listen a few years ago and noticed a book on Scientology it piqued my interest. And on top of that it was written by John Sweeney? The BBC Panorama reporter famous and going viral for – as he puts it in the book – turning into an ‘exploding tomato’? You had my curiosity…now you have my attention.
The book itself is a 50/50 affair. Sweeney endeavours to mix an autobiographical account from the perspective of the Panorama crew as to what happened during the recording of their 2007 programme on the Church of Scientology including lots of details that didn’t make it into the final programme for various reasons and a dissection on how the Church operates behind closed doors based on interviews with ex-members – of all levels – and experts in various subjects. It makes an interesting listen if the subject interests you with a lot of details I would have never have believed if it wasn’t coming from reputable sources.
Personally I found the book absolutely fascinating and engrossing. Although I can safely say it is not for the faint of heart. Some of the stories break your heart. Some of them make you feel sick. And some of them make you want to punch a hole in the wall. Sweeney may have ‘gone tomato’ when he did. But honestly? If he were me? I would have exploded long before that point. I’m not exactly balanced when it comes to the subject having read and watched enough over the years to have made my mind up long ago. If you listen to the audiobook? Or read the paper version? You can make your own judgements. Although I repeat again: Know what you are getting into.
The narration for the audiobook version is performed by Sweeney himself. To be honest having listened to the book a few times, I can’t really imagine it any other way. His narration really helps you get into his headspace when they are being followed by the Church or when he discusses his complete self-confessed paranoia by the time of his last few days in the United States. When bringing up facts and information he conveys the details well – as can be expected of a reporter. As a listener I find myself being able to understand the information presented and take it in and make my own decisions as required. The combination works really well in my mind and makes the total package feel consistent and coherent. I get the feeling that a version with a different narrator would come across worse given the first-person nature of much of the narrative.
In conclusion this is an audiobook I do recommend if you are interested in the subject and feel you can cope with some of the places it goes. I understand that this is NOT everyone’s cup of tea – to put it mildly – and I hope to return to my usual oeuvre with my next article.
Sayonara!
Nephrite
June 7, 2022
If I Could
If there were "half stars" here, I'd have gone with that because three and a half feels more accurate, however we are not given that option and four is a stretch for me.
For what it's worth, my expectations were likely a bit too high because the books I have read on the "church" of Scientology thus far were written by former MEMBERS of the organization. So it would be impossible for a journalist, however skilled, to be able to write about his personal experiences and abuses he has witnessed. Especially since unlike most churches, this organization is very private and secretive and wouldn't even let Sweeney (the author) have open access to its properties, publications (cds/tapes), its full belief system or its people! Ex members who might choose to write a book would naturally have had access to at least some of these things!
I found the book hard to finish due to being repetitive regarding a few of the "church" bigwigs and the ongoing argument between the author and Tommy Davis about whether or not there is brainwashing and abuse going on. Although I think Mr Sweeney is intelligent and a fairly good writer, I was a little surprised that he or his editor at least, did not catch a few spelling mistakes. Granted, the mistakes were not plentiful and didn't take away from the story, but being a writer myself, I set the bar a little higher for a journalist.
I personally would not buy this book again because I found it a tedious read.
If there were "half stars" here, I'd have gone with that because three and a half feels more accurate, however we are not given that option and four is a stretch for me.
For what it's worth, my expectations were likely a bit too high because the books I have read on the "church" of Scientology thus far were written by former MEMBERS of the organization. So it would be impossible for a journalist, however skilled, to be able to write about his personal experiences and abuses he has witnessed. Especially since unlike most churches, this organization is very private and secretive and wouldn't even let Sweeney (the author) have open access to its properties, publications (cds/tapes), its full belief system or its people! Ex members who might choose to write a book would naturally have had access to at least some of these things!
I found the book hard to finish due to being repetitive regarding a few of the "church" bigwigs and the ongoing argument between the author and Tommy Davis about whether or not there is brainwashing and abuse going on. Although I think Mr Sweeney is intelligent and a fairly good writer, I was a little surprised that he or his editor at least, did not catch a few spelling mistakes. Granted, the mistakes were not plentiful and didn't take away from the story, but being a writer myself, I set the bar a little higher for a journalist.
I personally would not buy this book again because I found it a tedious read.
January 1, 2020
I've read a lot of books about Scientology (both for and against) and while all those in the 'against' camp approach the subject from a slightly different perspective, there are now so many that little remains unsaid - nothing new is said here.
If you've seen the two Panorama documentaries that Sweeney made on the subject then there isn't much reason to read this as it's pretty much the same material in book form.
I also found Sweeney's writing style to be a little sensationalised and he often over simplifies things at the expense of accuracy. (Some factual errors he makes are bizarre)
If you're looking for a book with the 'outsider-looking-in' perspective then Lawrence Wright's book 'Going Clear' would be a much better choice - Wright's book is a credible piece of journalism. If instead you want a book that covers things from an ex-member's perspective then you have many, many options.
If you've seen the two Panorama documentaries that Sweeney made on the subject then there isn't much reason to read this as it's pretty much the same material in book form.
I also found Sweeney's writing style to be a little sensationalised and he often over simplifies things at the expense of accuracy. (Some factual errors he makes are bizarre)
If you're looking for a book with the 'outsider-looking-in' perspective then Lawrence Wright's book 'Going Clear' would be a much better choice - Wright's book is a credible piece of journalism. If instead you want a book that covers things from an ex-member's perspective then you have many, many options.
July 4, 2017
Another great insight into the creepy cult (not religion) that is Scientology
I have viewed both Panorama documentaries and often wondered what the back story was to it all. John Sweeney doesn't disappoint informing the reader of all details in leading up to the exploding tomato incident and the aftermath. Journalists like Sweeney deserve a medal of honour for putting up with the fair gaming Scientology practice not the likes of Tom Cruise who willingly endorse this behaviour Well done John Sweeney
I have viewed both Panorama documentaries and often wondered what the back story was to it all. John Sweeney doesn't disappoint informing the reader of all details in leading up to the exploding tomato incident and the aftermath. Journalists like Sweeney deserve a medal of honour for putting up with the fair gaming Scientology practice not the likes of Tom Cruise who willingly endorse this behaviour Well done John Sweeney
January 2, 2020
I struggled with this book because it’s structured like a Netflix documentary - weird stuff for 3/4 then ‘OH LOOK HERE’S A TWIST’. There isn’t really a twist either, it’s just a really obvious ‘we knew what we were doing really, it was a trap all along’. The book isn’t really about Scientology, it’s about the filming of a specific documentary and it would have been more interesting to have That ‘it was all a trap’ thing right from the start and have the production team and Sweeney’s genuine feelings towards it all. Meh.
September 13, 2020
John Sweeney is among the best of those who report on abuses within Scientology. He exposed so many of the corrupt policies and dealings within this billion dollar farce of an organization. He was fair gamed by the "church" for simply trying to understand it. What church tries to ruin people who earnestly wanted to report on it? The kind that are lying and manipulating and posing as a church while truly being an abusive money making scheme would be my take.
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