Online Scientology Controversy Continues

by Rohan Parker

A new website which launched last Thursday has accused the Church of Scientology of physical abuse, childhood educational neglect, and familial isolation. The site, ExScientologyKids.com, is run by three young women who have “escaped” the church, and now seek to warn others of what they perceive to be the dangers of this controversial religion.

The site tells the story of Scientology from the perspective of three children, now adults, who grew up within the church’s strict bounds; their motto succinctly summing up their position: “We were born. We grew up. We escaped.”

These women are known relations to senior members within the Church of Scientology, with Jenna Miscavige Hill being the niece of David Miscavige (the head of the church), and Kendra Wiseman the daughter of Bruce Wiseman (president of the Citizens Commission on Human Rights, a Scientology-supported group). By speaking out as they have, both women have risked the loss of all familial contact; particularly with their parents.

Furthering the online controversy storm surrounding Scientology last week was the circulated claim that L. Ron Hubbard had plagiarized Scientology. This allegation, which began its circulation the day before ExScientologyKids.com launched, draws links between Scientology dogma and a German book called “Scientologie”. Critics have noted that there exists considerable nontrivial parallels between this work and Hubbard’s own religious teachings - writings that he codified some thirty years after the release of the German book in question.

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