Inside Scientology: The Story Of America's Most Secretive Religion Download Free (EPUB, PDF)
“A masterful piece of reporting . . . Reitman tells a spellbinding story of a larger-than-life personality whose quirks, ticks and charisma shaped America’s newest homegrown religious movement.” — Washington PostScientology is known for its celebrity believers and its team of “volunteer ministers” at disaster sites such as the World Trade Center; its notably aggressive response to criticism or its attacks on psychiatry; its requirement that believers pay as much as hundreds of thousands of dollars to reach the highest levels of salvation. But for all its notoriety, Scientology has remained America’s least understood new religion, even as it has been one of its most successful.Now Janet Reitman tells its riveting full story in the first objective modern history of Scientology, at last revealing the astonishing truth about life within the controversial religion for its members and ex-members. Based on five years of research, confidential documents, and extensive interviews with current and former Scientologists, this is an utterly compelling work of nonfiction and the defining work on an elusive faith.“A meticulously researched history and revealing exposé, a frightening portrait of a religion that many find not just controversial, but dangerous.” — Boston Globe “This book is fearless.” — Wall Street Journal A New York Times Notable Book.com Best Books of 2011, NonfictionSan Francisco Chronicle Top Ten of 2011
Paperback: 464 pages
Publisher: Mariner Books; Reprint edition (August 6, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0547750358
ISBN-13: 978-0547750354
Product Dimensions: 5.3 x 1.2 x 8 inches
Shipping Weight: 13.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (351 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #348,553 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #52 in Books > Religion & Spirituality > Other Religions, Practices & Sacred Texts > Scientology #186 in Books > Religion & Spirituality > Other Religions, Practices & Sacred Texts > Cults #759 in Books > History > World > Religious > General
Inside Scientology: The Story of America's Most Secretive Religion is objective, nonbiased and well written. It will raise the blood pressure of the management of Scientology, as well as the hairs on the arms of those unfamiliar with what goes on inside.I heartedly whipped through this informative book and I highly recommend for general readers,as well as current and former members.The most important thing I came away with after reading it was that this well researched and written book is an must read for anyone wanting to know why Scientology is so controversial.The subject and history of Scientology and it's leaders current and past, is such that it would fill volumes. So, I think Janet Reitman accomplished, in good part, what she set out to do with this book:"It has been my goal to write the first objective modern history of the Church of Scientology," Reitman proclaims in her introduction. "It is the goal of Inside Scientology to translate [L. Ron Hubbard's arcane] language and separate myth from fact."What to include must have been a real dilemma. As a former member, I just wish there had been more. But for the outsider wanting to know the inside story of the secretive religion called Scientology, they will come away very informed and quite surprised. It does not provide all that there is to know but she provides the essential information and gives the reader enough so that they will have an historical understanding. She compliments earlier works and provides such that one will want to read up on previous works if they have not read them already.She really did her homework. Hence the large Notes Section and 'Selected Bibliography at the end of the book. Additionally, the internet played a large part in the history of Scientology and she provides information on where to find information, as well.Reitman does a very good job on the things she covers and for those not intimately aware of the cult as I am, the book provides riviting accounts of members recollections aided by well researched information on the organization, it's policies, procedures and culture. She does this in the most unbiased manner and backs up her work with meticulous researched references.I was glad to see that she included interviews and information which I either did not expect to be in it, or never knew about before. I was also dismayed that certain events and names were not mentioned but, as I said, it would take volumns. She did her best to fit in what she could without overwhelming the reader. Shje explains scientologese and did it in a very easy to digest style. The research is excellent, as well. The book flows and is an enjoyable read. All that says a lot about this book and the author.
The three chapters about Lisa McPherson in this book pretty much sum up what is wrong with scientology.The story of Lisa will tear your heart out. But it will also show you an example, if an extreme one, of an organization based on lies, taking advantage of others and itself being highly dangerous.Lisa died receiving what organized scientology called "The Introspection Rundown".In the book Janet Reitman tells of scientology's founder L Ron Hubbard announcing this rundown as a cure for the last unsolvable mental condition "the psychotic break". As quoted from Hubbard in Janet's book: "'I have made a technical breakthrough which possibly ranks with the major discoveries of the Twentieth Century,' he proclaimed in a bulletin dated November 24, 1973. 'THIS MEANS THE LAST REASON TO HAVE PSYCHIATRY AROUND IS GONE'."Who is Hubbard to make such a "breakthrough"? The point is not whether the introspection rundown should have been two days or seventeen days as is argued by true believers in Hubbard's "technology". The point is this "tech" was written by a man with zero credentials in the field of mental health, who was an academic fraud, who abused people on a wholesale basis and who ripped off many millions from the proceeds of scientology while countless staff were cash starved and countless public were financially ruined.In every way organized scientology destroyed a beautiful, young woman and took advantage of her for her money. It was completely incompetent without a technology to truly help others. And then it covers up what in my opinion is serious crime knowingly and willingly so that justice even to this day will never be done. It hides evidence and people from investigating authorities and then attacks the investigators brutally and continually.This organization is built on a foundation of lies. It lies about its founder and its so-called "tech". There are countless examples of this in this book.To exist it constantly must lie about what it is as one person and family after another is devoured for worldly gain.And now organized scientology is using its myriad of "secular", benign-sounding front groups to penetrate our schools, businesses, mental health and other sectors of society with their "tech", pretending it is not 100% controlled by organized scientology.This book is a vital piece of well written information that should be read by millions in order to protect themselves and their loved ones.
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