Tampa Bay Paper Throws Down Hard-Hitting Scientology Report

[Danascot]

After L. Ron Hubbard died, David Miscavige became Scientology's leader. Former church executives say Miscavige beat his staff. Church officials say the defectors are lying.

High-ranking defectors provide an unprecedented inside look at the Church of Scientology and its mercurial leader, David Miscavige.

Scientology leader David Miscavige is the focus of this special report from the St. Petersburg Times. Former executives of the Church of Scientology, including two of the former top lieutenants to Miscavige, have come forward to describe a culture of intimidation and violence under David Miscavige. These former Scientology leaders served for years with Miscavige.

Gawker:

http://gawker.com/5298790/tampa-bay-paper-throws-down-hard+hitting-scientology-report

St. Petersburg Times (part 1 of 3 part report):

http://www.tampabay.com/specials/2009/reports/project/

[get the red out]

1. Look at those eyes!

He has some weird eyes, scary!

I would imagine this newspaper needs to hire an entire legion of lawyers right about now. This dangerous cult doesn't accept the idea of a free press where they are concerned. I knew a woman whose son had a terrible time escaping from this cult once he had joined. Only the rich and famous can afford to purchase this spirituality with money rather than free slave labor. Her son had to simply leave all his belongings and run from the Scientology group he was living with and not look back. Once he had made it far enough to feel somewhat safe he called his sister for help getting home. A grown man with almost no way out of this group, all perfectly legal of course! Cults have rights; people, not so much.

[distantearlywarning]

2. Yeah, they better be careful!

The Scientologists are a highly vengeful and powerful organization.

[asjr]

6. And they own Clearwater, FL.

[subcomhd]

3. I know,

could the guy look any more like a crazed cult leader? LR Hubbard didn't look that insane - well, not so threateningly insane anyway. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

[get the red out]

9. That's because he was just a con-man

Hubbard had a masterful con job going and knew it, the con man usually doesn't believe the junk he is selling.

[subcomhd]

4. This story is pretty funny

Apparantly their headquarters is like the 3 Stooges shorts or the old Pink Panther movies, with people attacking one another in elevators and in parking lots, etc. What a bunch of goofey mofos.

[derby378]

5. Who needs Lucky Luciano or Al Capone when you've got this guy?

Wow. Just wow.

[ColbertWatcher]

7. ...

[lostnfound]

8. St Pete Times rocks. Owned by a nonprofit journalism institute.

It's gotten smaller in size, but still has a level of quality that's a cut above most papers. It won 2 Pulitzers this year.
Its publisher started the Poynter institute and put the paper in its hands to keep it true to its mission.

[flthinker]

10. I agree,

The St. Pete Times does rock. I can't start my day without it and I have been reading it since I was 10. They truly aren't afraid to do some hard hitting stories. I thought I knew a lot about Scientology having been born in Clearwater but I learned some interesting things I did not know about the "religion."

[Initech]

11. Scientology = the new Mafia?

That's definitely the impression I get from reading this article. Actually it's more like a tome.

[onethatcares]

12. St. Pete times has done hard hitting articles previously about the

Scientologists. Nothing ever gets done about a quasi religious organization whos members join and give money to. They are also the Clearwater city tax base, if they were to leave, good bye Clearwater.