Beyond Belief
My Secret Life Inside Scientology and My Harrowing Escape
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4.3 • 156 Ratings
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
Jenna Miscavige Hill, niece of Church of Scientology leader David Miscavige, was raised as a Scientologist but left the controversial religion in 2005. In Beyond Belief, she shares her true story of life inside the upper ranks of the sect, details her experiences as a member Sea Org—the church's highest ministry, speaks of her "disconnection" from family outside of the organization, and tells the story of her ultimate escape.
Piercing the veil of secrecy that has long shrouded the world of Scientology, this insider reveals unprecedented firsthand knowledge of the religion, its obscure rituals, and its mysterious leader—David Miscavige. From her prolonged separation from her parents as a small child to being indoctrinated to serve the greater good of the Church, from her lack of personal freedoms to the organization's emphasis on celebrity recruitment, Jenna goes behind the scenes of Scientology's oppressive and alienating culture, detailing an environment rooted in control in which the most devoted followers often face the harshest punishments when they fall out of line. Addressing some of the Church's most notorious practices in startling detail, she also describes a childhood of isolation and neglect—a childhood that, painful as it was, prepared her for a tough life in the Church's most devoted order, the Sea Org.
Despite this hardship, it is only when her family approaches dissolution and her world begins to unravel that she is finally able to see the patterns of stifling conformity and psychological control that have ruled her life. Faced with a heartbreaking choice, she mounts a courageous escape, but not before being put through the ultimate test of family, faith, and love. At once captivating and disturbing, Beyond Belief is an eye-opening exploration of the limits of religion and the lengths to which one woman went to break free.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Hill s candid memories of growing up inside the Church of Scientology are notable not just for their detail but for the light they shed on an environment that fosters isolation, powerlessness, and privacy loss. The Church takes precedence over family to the extent that Hill whose parents were Church executives spent just one hour a day with them, decreasing as they moved up in the Church hierarchy. Although most of Hill s extended family has left Scientology, her uncle, David Miscavige, is currently head of the Church. Hill recalls she "didn t know what normal looked like," and that her life was "owned by the Church." In fact, after her engagement to a fellow Scientologist one that Church officials tried mightily to prevent her desire to have children motivated her to leave the Church. (As "thetans," many members "can t really be the parent" of another thetan). Those looking for a glimpse into the celebrity side of Scientology will be disappointed; Hill primarily relates how celebrities are treated differently from the rest. Some readers may have difficulty believing such insular Scientology communities can exist in this age of access, but memoirs like Hill s cast light on their internal practices.
Customer Reviews
Beyond Belief
What an amazing and informative read. I was absolutely enthralled and captivated by this story. The author's first hand experience brought light to a subject (Scientology) that I knew very little about but had a genuine curiosity. I was appalled by so much of what she recounted yet I was unable to stop reading even though I was truly concerned for what I else I might discover. I would highly recommend this book for anyone who has a social conscience and is a strong advocate of human rights.
Beyond Belief
Thought this was a great book, answering lots questions that I had wondered about. It took great courage to do what Jenna and Dallas did, but in the end the church left them no choice ! You never know how strong and courageous you can be until its your only option. It amazes me to this day how so many ,can be duped into believing in this and many other controlling religions and cults.
Never relinquish your free will to anyone or anything!
A brave memoir, compelling read.
What Jenna went through in her life was just so inhumane and shocking, it is a book you just can't put down. Very enlightening how the head of this secretive cult treated his own family. Quite certain the children of their celebrity "poster puppets" don't share her experience. Her bravery for having the inner strength to believe in herself against the odds, share her story, and for walking away from all she had been taught to believe since birth is truly inspirational and transgresses the specificity of leaving Scientology.