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Ruthless: Scientology, My Son David Miscavige, and Me by Ron Miscavige
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Published May 3, 2016
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About the author
Ron Miscavige
5 books22 followersRon Miscavige is the estranged father of controversial Church of Scientology leader David Miscavige. He and his family joined Scientology in 1970, and he worked for The Sea Organization for almost 27 of those years before leaving the Church entirely in 2012. He is a Marine veteran and professional musician. Miscavige and his wife Becky live in Wisconsin. His granddaughter is author Jenna Miscavige Hill.
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January 25, 2026
THE ESTRANGED FATHER OF THE SCIENTOLOGY LEADER TELLS HIS STORY
Author Ron Miscavige is the father of David Miscavige, the current leader of the Church of Scientology. He wrote in the Prologue to this 2016 book, “In July 2013 [while getting out of his car]… I reached up with my right hand to keep my phone from falling out of my shirt pocket… Little did I know that … [this] was not only being observed, but that [as a police officer informed him]… ‘You have been followed by two private investigators hired by the Church of Scientology for the past year.’” (Pg. 1-2) At the police station, a detective who had arrested the two PIs told him, “These two guys thought you were having a heart attack… So they called their contact, and … a man who identified himself as David Miscavige … told the PIs, ‘If he dies, he dies. Don’t intervene.’ To say that I was shattered … is the understatement of the century… for a son to say that about his own father---just to let him DIE?! This book is the story of how that came about.” (Pg. 4)
He explains, “My reason for writing this book is to focus on the journey David’s life has taken… today he sits atop a multibillion-dollar church that is controversial, litigious, secretive, manipulative, coercive and, in my mind, evil. Yes, I firmly believe that Scientology has morphed into an immoral organization that hides a long list of abuses behind First Amendment protection.” (Pg. 6) He adds, “perhaps the most despicable acts the church engages in under David has been the destruction of family relationships owing to a policy called disconnection, which forbids any contact between a Scientologist and a family member or friend who might speak critically of the church or of David personally… a Scientologist from the 1950s-’80s wold not recognize … its organization today under David… One of my purposes for writing this memoir is to furnish a context for David’s life and bring some understanding to his actions since he came to power in the church.” (Pg. 9-10)
Ron joined the church in 1970. 9-year old David suffered from asthma, so Ron took him to a Scientologist: “[David declared, ‘My asthma’s gone!’… That was the end of David’s asthma… he never again had a serious attack… Imagine … that you had a serious physical ailment … and someone sat you down and through simple mental exercises your condition disappeared… It would literally be life-changing. That is what happened to David that day, and it determined the direction his life would take.” (Pg. 49-50)
He recalls, “My own life continued to improve as I did more Scientology. I read every book [L. Ron] Hubbard [LRH] wrote and listened to many of his lectures… I found he was making many valid points about life, how it worked and what to do to improve things.” (Pg. 55) He reports, “it was a great time to be a Scientologist in England… A fabulous camaraderie existed among the people there. We shared a feeling that Scientology … was going to help everyone: the world, oneself, one’s family, everybody. The expectations of what Scientology could do for people were really high… People were contributing to the movement because they wanted to, not because they were being badgered or shamed into it, as they are today.” (Pg. 67-68) But his family wanted to return to the U.S. (Pg. 80-81)
He recounts, “Hubbard was living aboard … a yacht… while conveniently staying away from government agencies that might have wanted a word with him. Most Scientologists were unaware that he was trying to avoid legal troubles. To us, he was simply … a man who was doing immense good for the world.” (Pg. 70)
While in high school, David told his father he wanted to join the Sea Org. “In those days, I was fully supportive of Scientology and the Sea Org. People who joined the Sea Org were dedicating their lives to helping humanity.” (Pg. 85) Later, he explains, “So early in his career, David acquire status as a messenger. He also acquired a taste for power… Messengers… even had authority over longtime Scientologists… This was probably a big mistake on Hubbard’s part, since it meant that young people without a lot of Scientology experience were making important decisions based on their position as Commodore’s Messengers… The value of status over experience was a lesson David absorbed early on.” (Pg. 90)
He states, “One of Hubbard’s original messengers … was a young woman named Michelle Barnett. She and David were married… when she was 19 and he was 20… She was known to everyone as Shelly… for many years she was David’s closest confidante… The Internet is rife with rumors about how David allegedly ‘disappeared’ his wife some years ago… I don’t doubt for a minute the stories… that Dave banished her to one of the church facilities…” (Pg. 96)
He reports, “In the fall of 1980, David had a serious asthma attack, so bad that he was taken to the emergency room… While in the hospital he said that he had a major realization about power. ‘Power,’ he said, ‘is not granted, it is assumed.’ … [It] became the tenet that took him to the top of the organization… by 1981, David had elevated himself to a position that effectively removed him from anybody in the Commodore’s Messenger Organization… This began what I think was an unholy alliance between him and L. Ron Hubbard.” (Pg. 97-98) “David moved into a post called special project operator, which was mainly concerned with defending Hubbard against the litany of legal actions being filed against him… After this promotion, I have been told, his attitude became brasher and less respectful… His firecracker personality had fewer… checks and balances. A mean streak appeared, as did a bossy attitude. I can speculate that the more power he got, the more he wanted.” (Pg. 100)
He explains, “Scientology has a branch created specifically to deal with its legal and public relations issues. This is OSA [Office of Special Affairs]… This branch has an investigative unit that hires private investigators …. to surveil people critical of the church or of David. It has a network of church members or former staff members who spy on former members who are considered enemies… Now, I ask you, what other church has a spy ring?” (Pg. 108-109)
Ron joined the Sea Org (where David was living): “Our relationship was not father-son anymore. He was no longer my son but the head of the Church of Scientology… My role in the Sea Organization would have nothing to do with being his father.” (Pg. 117-118)
He reports, “in January 1986, L. Ron Hubbard died. The whole base went down to the Palladium in Los Angeles… David spoke first and announced Hubbard’ passing, framing it by saying that Hubbard had done as much research as he could in that body… No one addressed the issue of whether anyone would succeed Hubbard; this was a drama that would play itself out over the next year or so.” (Pg. 120)
He says of the lavish events held at the church’s Celebrity Centre in Hollywood, “they did accomplish the only effect David truly wanted: Scientology audiences deeply impressed with Scientology’s ever-widening impact on society under his leadership… David erected hollow facades of Scientology expansion and good works to amaze Scientologists… The busy churches around the world featured in specially prepared videos were filled with parishioners who had been press-ganged into creating the appearance of a hive of activity, which disappeared the minute the video crew left town.” (Pg. 136-137)
He argues, “When LRH died, some people thought that Hubbard had appointed David as his successor, which I am certain is not true… My opinion is that Hubbard left no plan for succession.” (Pg. 146-147)
He recounts, “[In] 2004 David instituted something that later became infamous as ‘the Hole.’ … The daily activities of people in the Hole consisted of either writing down or verbally confessing their sins… People formerly confined to the Hole say that if they failed to confess… the person was … slapped, pushed, and punched by other persons held there… this went on for weeks… months, and some executives spent five to seven years locked up there.” (Pg. 149-151)
Of course, Ron escaped the church in 2012. He notes, “It is fair to ask, why don’t people simply leave? Here are some of the reasons: many people … have been in Scientology for 20, 30, or 40 years or even longer, and they have zero savings. They live from week to week on their $50 allowance. They don’t have a car. They have next to no Social Security. They have no particular skills that will get them a job in the outside world, and many have no place to go… If they left, they would literally be out on the street.” (Pg. 193)
He summarizes, “L. Ron Hubbard was not the heavenly soul the church made him out to be. Not even close… however, he did codify a lot of things that he learned from other people and advanced their theories with discoveries of his own…. I don’t doubt that Hubbard was a con man… Ever since Hubbard’s death in 1986, Scientology has stopped progressing and even fossilized.” (Pg. 201-202) “The Scientology movement under David has morphed into a money-grubbing organization. No expansion has occurred that any Scientologist would recognize as such… the church today is focused merely on appearances… The Church of Scientology … does not help anyone, as far as I can see…. David, however, has made out like a bandit.” (Pg. 217-218; 232)
This ‘inside’ perspective on Scientology and David Miscavige will be of keen interest to those wanting critical views of Scientology.
Author Ron Miscavige is the father of David Miscavige, the current leader of the Church of Scientology. He wrote in the Prologue to this 2016 book, “In July 2013 [while getting out of his car]… I reached up with my right hand to keep my phone from falling out of my shirt pocket… Little did I know that … [this] was not only being observed, but that [as a police officer informed him]… ‘You have been followed by two private investigators hired by the Church of Scientology for the past year.’” (Pg. 1-2) At the police station, a detective who had arrested the two PIs told him, “These two guys thought you were having a heart attack… So they called their contact, and … a man who identified himself as David Miscavige … told the PIs, ‘If he dies, he dies. Don’t intervene.’ To say that I was shattered … is the understatement of the century… for a son to say that about his own father---just to let him DIE?! This book is the story of how that came about.” (Pg. 4)
He explains, “My reason for writing this book is to focus on the journey David’s life has taken… today he sits atop a multibillion-dollar church that is controversial, litigious, secretive, manipulative, coercive and, in my mind, evil. Yes, I firmly believe that Scientology has morphed into an immoral organization that hides a long list of abuses behind First Amendment protection.” (Pg. 6) He adds, “perhaps the most despicable acts the church engages in under David has been the destruction of family relationships owing to a policy called disconnection, which forbids any contact between a Scientologist and a family member or friend who might speak critically of the church or of David personally… a Scientologist from the 1950s-’80s wold not recognize … its organization today under David… One of my purposes for writing this memoir is to furnish a context for David’s life and bring some understanding to his actions since he came to power in the church.” (Pg. 9-10)
Ron joined the church in 1970. 9-year old David suffered from asthma, so Ron took him to a Scientologist: “[David declared, ‘My asthma’s gone!’… That was the end of David’s asthma… he never again had a serious attack… Imagine … that you had a serious physical ailment … and someone sat you down and through simple mental exercises your condition disappeared… It would literally be life-changing. That is what happened to David that day, and it determined the direction his life would take.” (Pg. 49-50)
He recalls, “My own life continued to improve as I did more Scientology. I read every book [L. Ron] Hubbard [LRH] wrote and listened to many of his lectures… I found he was making many valid points about life, how it worked and what to do to improve things.” (Pg. 55) He reports, “it was a great time to be a Scientologist in England… A fabulous camaraderie existed among the people there. We shared a feeling that Scientology … was going to help everyone: the world, oneself, one’s family, everybody. The expectations of what Scientology could do for people were really high… People were contributing to the movement because they wanted to, not because they were being badgered or shamed into it, as they are today.” (Pg. 67-68) But his family wanted to return to the U.S. (Pg. 80-81)
He recounts, “Hubbard was living aboard … a yacht… while conveniently staying away from government agencies that might have wanted a word with him. Most Scientologists were unaware that he was trying to avoid legal troubles. To us, he was simply … a man who was doing immense good for the world.” (Pg. 70)
While in high school, David told his father he wanted to join the Sea Org. “In those days, I was fully supportive of Scientology and the Sea Org. People who joined the Sea Org were dedicating their lives to helping humanity.” (Pg. 85) Later, he explains, “So early in his career, David acquire status as a messenger. He also acquired a taste for power… Messengers… even had authority over longtime Scientologists… This was probably a big mistake on Hubbard’s part, since it meant that young people without a lot of Scientology experience were making important decisions based on their position as Commodore’s Messengers… The value of status over experience was a lesson David absorbed early on.” (Pg. 90)
He states, “One of Hubbard’s original messengers … was a young woman named Michelle Barnett. She and David were married… when she was 19 and he was 20… She was known to everyone as Shelly… for many years she was David’s closest confidante… The Internet is rife with rumors about how David allegedly ‘disappeared’ his wife some years ago… I don’t doubt for a minute the stories… that Dave banished her to one of the church facilities…” (Pg. 96)
He reports, “In the fall of 1980, David had a serious asthma attack, so bad that he was taken to the emergency room… While in the hospital he said that he had a major realization about power. ‘Power,’ he said, ‘is not granted, it is assumed.’ … [It] became the tenet that took him to the top of the organization… by 1981, David had elevated himself to a position that effectively removed him from anybody in the Commodore’s Messenger Organization… This began what I think was an unholy alliance between him and L. Ron Hubbard.” (Pg. 97-98) “David moved into a post called special project operator, which was mainly concerned with defending Hubbard against the litany of legal actions being filed against him… After this promotion, I have been told, his attitude became brasher and less respectful… His firecracker personality had fewer… checks and balances. A mean streak appeared, as did a bossy attitude. I can speculate that the more power he got, the more he wanted.” (Pg. 100)
He explains, “Scientology has a branch created specifically to deal with its legal and public relations issues. This is OSA [Office of Special Affairs]… This branch has an investigative unit that hires private investigators …. to surveil people critical of the church or of David. It has a network of church members or former staff members who spy on former members who are considered enemies… Now, I ask you, what other church has a spy ring?” (Pg. 108-109)
Ron joined the Sea Org (where David was living): “Our relationship was not father-son anymore. He was no longer my son but the head of the Church of Scientology… My role in the Sea Organization would have nothing to do with being his father.” (Pg. 117-118)
He reports, “in January 1986, L. Ron Hubbard died. The whole base went down to the Palladium in Los Angeles… David spoke first and announced Hubbard’ passing, framing it by saying that Hubbard had done as much research as he could in that body… No one addressed the issue of whether anyone would succeed Hubbard; this was a drama that would play itself out over the next year or so.” (Pg. 120)
He says of the lavish events held at the church’s Celebrity Centre in Hollywood, “they did accomplish the only effect David truly wanted: Scientology audiences deeply impressed with Scientology’s ever-widening impact on society under his leadership… David erected hollow facades of Scientology expansion and good works to amaze Scientologists… The busy churches around the world featured in specially prepared videos were filled with parishioners who had been press-ganged into creating the appearance of a hive of activity, which disappeared the minute the video crew left town.” (Pg. 136-137)
He argues, “When LRH died, some people thought that Hubbard had appointed David as his successor, which I am certain is not true… My opinion is that Hubbard left no plan for succession.” (Pg. 146-147)
He recounts, “[In] 2004 David instituted something that later became infamous as ‘the Hole.’ … The daily activities of people in the Hole consisted of either writing down or verbally confessing their sins… People formerly confined to the Hole say that if they failed to confess… the person was … slapped, pushed, and punched by other persons held there… this went on for weeks… months, and some executives spent five to seven years locked up there.” (Pg. 149-151)
Of course, Ron escaped the church in 2012. He notes, “It is fair to ask, why don’t people simply leave? Here are some of the reasons: many people … have been in Scientology for 20, 30, or 40 years or even longer, and they have zero savings. They live from week to week on their $50 allowance. They don’t have a car. They have next to no Social Security. They have no particular skills that will get them a job in the outside world, and many have no place to go… If they left, they would literally be out on the street.” (Pg. 193)
He summarizes, “L. Ron Hubbard was not the heavenly soul the church made him out to be. Not even close… however, he did codify a lot of things that he learned from other people and advanced their theories with discoveries of his own…. I don’t doubt that Hubbard was a con man… Ever since Hubbard’s death in 1986, Scientology has stopped progressing and even fossilized.” (Pg. 201-202) “The Scientology movement under David has morphed into a money-grubbing organization. No expansion has occurred that any Scientologist would recognize as such… the church today is focused merely on appearances… The Church of Scientology … does not help anyone, as far as I can see…. David, however, has made out like a bandit.” (Pg. 217-218; 232)
This ‘inside’ perspective on Scientology and David Miscavige will be of keen interest to those wanting critical views of Scientology.
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