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Explosive documentary shows Scientology may be even creepier than you thought

Published Jan 27th, 2015 9:30PM EST
Going Clear Scientology Documentary

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Did you think Scientology was just a goofy fake religion revolving around Xenu and Operating Thetan levels? Well, it turns out the reality behind the Church of Scientology is much darker than that, as evidenced by an explosive new documentary that alleges the church engages in truly vile practices such as child abuse and slave labor.

RELATED: It’s depressingly easy to swindle people if religion is involved

The new documentary, called Going Clear, is based on extensive interviews conducted with former members of the Church of Scientology, including one man who was once the second most powerful man in the organization. It’s set to air to a wider audience for the first time in March, when it will be broadcast by HBO.

Slate offers us some of the highlights we can expect to see in the film, including but not limited to:

  • Spanky Taylor, a former Scientology member who helped recruit actor John Travolta into the church, says the church forced her to do “arduous physical labor” while pregnant and that after she gave birth, her baby daughter was “taken away from her and left in a urine-soaked crib and unsanitary, fly-infested condition.”
  • The church allegedly uses slave labor aboard its Sea Org boats
  • The church was supposedly responsible for breaking up Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman’s marriage because Kidman’s father was a well known psychologist and we all know how Scientology feels about psychology

The documentary sounds very interesting and has been getting strong early reviews. We can’t wait to see it for ourselves in a couple of months.

Brad Reed
Brad Reed Staff Writer

Brad Reed has written about technology for over eight years at BGR.com and Network World. Prior to that, he wrote freelance stories for political publications such as AlterNet and the American Prospect. He has a Master's Degree in Business and Economics Journalism from Boston University.