Janet Reitman is the guest. She is a contributing editor at Rolling Stone magazine and the author of the bestselling Inside Scientology: The Story of America’s Most Secretive Religion, recently named by the New York Times as one of its 100 Notable Books of 2011.
Inside Scientology originated as a story in Rolling Stone and was nominated for a National Magazine Award.
Reitman’s work has also appeared in GQ, Men’s Journal, The New York Times Magazine, the Los Angeles Times Sunday Magazine, and Salon, among other publications. She has also appeared on National Public Radio, Anderson Cooper 360, and Countdown with Keith Olberman.
We get into it. A lot to talk about.
Topics of conversation include: Scientology (duh), L. Ron Hubbard, science fiction, military service, hucksterism, religion, David Miscavige, Gold Base, yachts, hot pants, blowing, Rolling Stone, investigative reporting, Iraq, Tom Cruise, Jann S. Wenner, and collective shrugs.
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Great interview. Janet, you’re really good at fielding frequently asked questions. Here’s a Scientology booklet backing up the tethering of the front groups with the normal names, back to Scientology, pages 9, 20,21 and 22 in particular, fully proves the “tether”. Great interview, thanks so much for even spending the time to lay it all out. Glad that young Scientology woman loves your book, Janet, and she’s still allowed to be your friend!! That’s a historic first, Janet! Excellent work! – Chuck Beatty, ex Sea Org, 1975-2003.
Hoping the disconnection (excommunication) rules fall by eventually out of their repertoire like other traditional religions drop excommunication after they get “big.”
http://archives.1wise.es/command-channels-of-scientology.pdf
This is the booklet, I mentioned in my other comment, a must read, for proof of what Scientology says about itself, it’s groups, its goals, etc. etc.
Chuck Beatty, ex Sea Org (1975-2003)
Additionally, the Sea Org also runs the “Advanced Churches” where the confidential exorcism procedures are taught and members exorcise the “body thetans” (dead alien souls who are bodiless, but who hitchhike lifetime to lifetime on any human body alive on earth, and these “body thetans” can only be permanently removed using Hubbard’s “confidential” exorcism procedures only delivered at the Sea Org “advanced” churches).
- Chuck Beatty, ex Sea Org, 1975-2003
I’ve been involved helping journalists and academics for 7 years now, encouraging a whole range of ex members to help get history covered, and Janet, thankyou!
Listening to your feedback on even your journalist experience, and you being a well informed “normal” citizen, I see back on Scientology, that it is SLOWLY going through the stages of losing it’s past harsher application of their defensive policies.
The test will be the Scientologists like Natalie, who can still be your friend, and still be an official Scientologist.
As more Natalies populate the Scientology movement, we witness a movement growing possibly a little more out of it’s worst “cult” like behavior.
You have done a good thing Janet.
This is the best interview I’ve heard yet!
Chuck Beatty