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A review by nrichtsmeier
Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood, and the Prison of Belief by Lawrence Wright
5.0
Reading Going Clear was a clear testament to the exercise of reading something outside of one's norm. I read very little social commentary or investigative reporting, trending more often to philosophic non-fiction and heavy-handed literary fiction with a dose of YA for levity. But this year I committed to reading some books that were outside my norm, and for some reason this widely recognized expose on Scientology rose to the top of the list. I'm so glad it did.
I knew very little about Scientology before picking up this book (and loyal Scientologists may still stay I know very little). What I learned in its near 400 page exploration of the cruelties, machinations, delusions of grandeur and funded-to-the-hilt character assassinations central to the cult shocked me. And we haven't even gotten to the tragic and self-delusional belief system that wraps around it.
Wright goes to some length to try and at least footnote the "church's" counter-claims, though I suspect an entire series of books would be needed to catalogue their grievances with his research and conclusions. What I have come to believe in reading this is that if even 10% of what Wright unearthed is true then the core of Scientology's belief system is harmful and destructive. And while I am willing to believe that loyal followers and the lowest levels of the organization have benefited from its psuedo-therapeutic approaches, the fact that some widely recognized communication techniques not unique to the religion can be helpful says nothing of the central abuses of power, manupulations of fact and abuses of the non-profit status that they blackmailed out of the U.S. Government.
Like so many things, this book is a reminder that in the inverse of the classic fairy tales, behind too many handsome first looks lies a burgeoning monster. It calls us to be diligent in our self-reflection, honest in our understanding our own beliefs, and deeply humble about our own abilities to be duped by the well (or mal)-intentioned propegators of faith.
Belief is one of the most powerful forces for good in the world. No surprise that in the wrong hands it is simultaneously one of the greatest forces for evil as well. Unsure of what I mean? Pick up Going Clear and it will all soon become wildly... clear.
I knew very little about Scientology before picking up this book (and loyal Scientologists may still stay I know very little). What I learned in its near 400 page exploration of the cruelties, machinations, delusions of grandeur and funded-to-the-hilt character assassinations central to the cult shocked me. And we haven't even gotten to the tragic and self-delusional belief system that wraps around it.
Wright goes to some length to try and at least footnote the "church's" counter-claims, though I suspect an entire series of books would be needed to catalogue their grievances with his research and conclusions. What I have come to believe in reading this is that if even 10% of what Wright unearthed is true then the core of Scientology's belief system is harmful and destructive. And while I am willing to believe that loyal followers and the lowest levels of the organization have benefited from its psuedo-therapeutic approaches, the fact that some widely recognized communication techniques not unique to the religion can be helpful says nothing of the central abuses of power, manupulations of fact and abuses of the non-profit status that they blackmailed out of the U.S. Government.
Like so many things, this book is a reminder that in the inverse of the classic fairy tales, behind too many handsome first looks lies a burgeoning monster. It calls us to be diligent in our self-reflection, honest in our understanding our own beliefs, and deeply humble about our own abilities to be duped by the well (or mal)-intentioned propegators of faith.
Belief is one of the most powerful forces for good in the world. No surprise that in the wrong hands it is simultaneously one of the greatest forces for evil as well. Unsure of what I mean? Pick up Going Clear and it will all soon become wildly... clear.