People say: ‘I left the Church of Scientology and this is my experience’

One of the most intriguing and fascinating cults in the world is definitely the Church of Scientology. And no, that's not a typo: I truly believe that this is a cult. Because of my strong opinion about Scientology, I was invited to visit their location in Amsterdam (which I accepted) and there my suspicions were only further confirmed. It also has something grim about it: the people who work there are so brainwashed. Just well-thinking individuals who genuinely believe that humans were brought to Earth by an extraterrestrial leader. And no, I'm not making this up. Additionally, they are terrified of homosexuality and are currently being sued for human trafficking and forced labor.

People who want to leave the church or who are homosexual or — the horror — see a psychologist (or are generally bad for the church) are then a Suppressive Person and then no one in the church is allowed to talk to them anymore. The individuals below are such, as they have managed to escape the church, and on Reddit, they share their stories.

Side note: the Sea Org stands for Sea Organization and is the highest organization within the church.

1. ‘The tipping point for me, as a Sea Org member, was when actress Leah Remini came forward with her experiences. Most Scientology employees have no access to the internet and television, so they didn't experience that, but my surroundings started talking about it more and more. I was lucky to have a position within the Sea Org that allowed me to have contact with the outside world and with the staff, and that's how I discovered that many things were just lies from the Church of Scientology.

Simply put, for ten years it was my job to deal with people who wanted to leave the church, and after all that time, I could no longer deny that we were just spreading lies. Essentially, it's one big pile of abuse that is continuously hidden by the Sea Org members and staff.’

2. ‘When I said I wanted to leave, I was immediately put in an isolation room where there was 24/7 security, and they kept me there for months, trying to convince me that I should stay. They had put a false name on my files, so no one knew I was inside. I guess it lasted three months, but it felt much longer. Only when my husband and my mother started to wonder why they couldn't see me and I refused to go back to the church, did they let me go.’

3. ‘Only after I left did I hear from one of my best friends about the suicide of her husband. I worked at the church and had him under my care. I didn't even know this; I was told that he had left the church and his wife too. I didn't even know he was dead because we are not allowed to have contact with people who left the church. Of all the lies they told me, this one really broke me, and since then I've wondered if there are more people who died without me knowing; suicides are very common among Sea Org members.’

4. ‘I was in my early twenties when I joined the church, I was naive and decided to do something ‘radical’ and join a cult. I didn't even believe in what they preached. I married a woman from the church and we had a child together. I had to do the dumbest tasks: handing out flyers outside and eventually I had to clean pipes for months with a toothbrush. That was my breaking point; they should never have left me alone. When the security guard was on break, I escaped. I didn't tell my wife until long after I left, and even then, she had to try to get me back from the church. My experience was that you are used as a free workhorse. I no longer speak to my wife and my child has fortunately also escaped by now.’

5. ‘My breaking point was quite clear: one day I realized that in my work as a Sea Org member, I told more lies each day than I spoke the truth. I didn't want that, and that was never a reason to join Scientology. That day I realized I could no longer do this.’

6. ‘I was in the closet while I was at the Church of Scientology, even when I was very young. There wasn't really an opportunity to make friends: I was just working for the Sea Org. When I left the Sea Org, a rumor came out that I had been fired because I had a romantic relationship with another man who worked there. I did try to make friends afterward, but the more that rumor spread, the fewer people refused to talk to me. Homosexuality is seen by the Church of Scientology as a worse crime than child abuse, rape, or drug use. The only thing worse than being homosexual is being treated by a psychologist or psychiatrist. I no longer speak to anyone from the church and I am glad I escaped and now lead a life as a happily married gay man.’