Years ago I did a co-presentation for a conference with Jim Dincalci on “Cult Mind Control.”
Jim was Hubbards private nurse and lived with him for 14 years. First on the island in France, then hiding out in NYC, and finally on Hubbard’s yacht.
Jim left Hubbard as he saw the inside workings of Scientology and Hubbard’s hypocracy first hand. He did a lot of work forgiving Hubbard and wrote a bestselling book on forgiveness, started the Forgiveness Foundation International.
Jim died last year so I don’t mind sharing this private conversation. He said that Scientology would harm him if he shared what he knew about them.
Scientology would target high profile people like Cruz and Kirsti. The would then use therapy techniques to get them to bear their deep dark secrets.
If the person tried leaving Scientology, they would use the secret information to blackmail the person.
I followed their fight to get IRS Tax Exemption as a church many years ago. It’s a good case study.
Scientology targeted IRS employees and agents to join their church. Then Scientology started an IRS whistleblower’s organization and harassed the top people.
They went a step further and identified real estate owned by top IRS staff, and file dozens of zoning violation complaints against their properties.
Finally the IRS couldn’t stand the harassment any longee and folded, giving Scientology church status.
I wonder how much longer Scientology will succeed in recruiting celebrities now that a number of former Scientologists in Hollywood have disavowed them. The only moderately famous celebrity Scientologist of the younger generation I can think of is Elisabeth Moss.
I remember reading about that.