Leah Remini on her revealing new Scientology series + Tom Cruise's Involvement

on Larry King now Leah Remini pulls no punches in her new series about Scientology the church is really brilliant at disseminating itself as an organization that's helping people and I like most Scientologists believed that what I was doing was good and I was oh now in there doing what you would do and believe that what they do know but Larry I was a liar I knew that I was lying so that I that's what I am in a minute I was correct if you leave the church or you speak out against what do they try to do do they try to suppress you they have Scientologists picketing in front of people's houses going don't trust your neighbor implying that he's a he's a sexual deviant they go after your jobs and when that doesn't work they go after your family Plus did you know Tom Cruise when you were there uh-huh yes I didn't he was sincere about it Tom is a fully dedicated and loyal Scientologist absolutely so what would he say to you he wouldn't say anything to me because he thinks I'm the devil all next on Larry King now [Music] welcome to Larry King now our guest today is actress Leah Remini who for 35 years was a member and active proponent of the Church of Scientology she publicly left the church in 2013 and went on to write a best-selling memoir about her experience called troublemaker surviving Hollywood and Scientology and now leah is taking on the church again in her new docu-series called Leah Remini Scientology and its aftermath it airs Tuesdays at 10:00 9:00 central on A&E you wrote the book you left why the documentary well what happened after the book was people were reaching out to me I was watching the church and its parishioners go after people who are speaking out but again against the church against its policies and so I felt a responsibility to defend them and I've always been somewhat of a person who who likes to defend people this is why my work in the church was important because I felt that I was doing that that I was helping people that I was defending something that was decent and that part of me is still there I wasn't a salaried employee but the church is really brilliant at disseminating itself as an organization that's helping people and and when I was in the church I have to say a lot of the information that we received was from our church and I often get asked this question like didn't you get on the internet I mean don't you read newspapers don't you see magazines didn't you know what was going on of course we had access to information but taking that information to your church and then asking your church hey I'm hearing about beatings going on at the upper management of the church you would get interrogated for even asking and you would have to pay those interrogations that cost thousands and thousands of dollars but also the allegations that were being waged against a church were of course as a young Scientologist who learned very early on that anything coming from the press is aligned what attracted to you I was a child when I got into Scientology so I didn't really have a choice it wasn't that that I was attracted to it as a child although is I think very harmful is that they treat children as adults they believe that children are big spirits and little bodies that have come back to Scientology so if you can imagine being a child and wanting to be older as all children do the church does validate that in you and says welcome back and you're a big being for being here and you're gonna help save the planet do you believe they believe they're sincere are they frauds or they sincere and what they believe remember I was part of this so it's a little difficult to answer that I can only say now the latter but when I was in I believed that what I was doing was great I believed that I was helping people Scientologists believe that they are helping people because that's what you were helping people did you see people get better good question I saw people get better in in in ways that I can't say they couldn't have received that same help by talking to a bona fide therapist or talking to a good friend but they got no yes and no because a Scientology as a whole is is I think it's my opinion that it's fraudulent because everything in Scientology is a promise of when you get to these upper levels when you get to these upper levels you will handle this in yourself you will handle that in yourself those upper levels are confidential and and they cost hundreds of thousands of dollars so it's a pay-as-you-go religion you can't just show up to a church and get free services and of course they offer free services in the beginning but then as you actually progress so I can't be poor and be a Scientologist no and I've seen people cash in their 401ks I see them living in a way that is sacrificing their lives the children have services they don't they they appear to be doing that they put up a front that they believe in God or that it's secular that you can believe in anything which is that's a front that's a frog doing it all those years did you say I'm part of a front no I like most Scientologists believed that what I was doing was good and I know in their doing what you were doing believe that they what they're doing no but Larry I was a liar I knew that I was lying so that I that's what I am in admitting to you so yet I was logged correct did you reach the upper level I did and so did my mother and so did my stepfather and many others who how about those famous people and Tom Cruise I spent a day with Tom Cruise about Scientology I went to that anti-psychiatry said what do you think of that I thought he was totally into it yeah but what did you think of the whole I didn't agree with that I had like psychiatry I think it helps a lot of people right but I Tom Cruise believes it yes I don't think he's out to fool yet no but tom is very well aware of what is Scientology truthfully he is very aware that it's an organization that is is defrauding people out of their lives but in his heart I believe he believes it so I don't believe that he's totally is this whole thing of fraud I can't say that the whole thing is a fraud but what I will say is it's not worth giving up your whole life for it's abusive I think it's mentally damaging do they ask you to do that to give you a life to it Scientology demands that you put in two and a half hours a day minimum every day your whole life is about forwarding the purpose of Scientology our guest is Leah Remini and we're discussing her revealing new documentary series about Scientology more on Leah's attempts to expose the inner workings of the church and how the documentary works right after the break I guess this Leah Remini she wrote the book troublemaker and she is the producer of this series right the Church of Scientology disputes your claims they've written she desperately tried to remain a Scientologist in 2013 knowing full well she was on the verge of being expelled for refusing to abide by the high level ethics and decency Scientologists are expected to maintain her transgressions were so egregious she was expelled which remains the source of her bitterness today how do you respond it's sad because I know the culture of Scientology a lot of the teachings of Scientology is how to attack your critics so I understand it I'm sad for them because I know how hateful they are towards anyone speaking out were you one of the attackers in the past yes and so again it's it's it's a hard show to do it's hard to sit here and attack it but they make it very easy when I see what they do to their victims and I want to avoid anybody ever giving up their lives and their families for something so I think damaging you were called a suppressive person correct what is that a suppressive person is a label that the Church of Scientology gives to anyone who leaves and publicly speaks out against it they label you a suppressive and the policy is from that no one can speak to you if you're labeled a Scientologist so no Scientologist could talk to you so be it a mother or father if but what is disturbing is where it comes to families where a family member believes wholeheartedly that Scientology is their salvation to a point where they will not talk to their son or daughter mother or father not to the church not only tells you to but they have a policy that mandates it and this is where it gets a little tricky because when you talk to most people normal people go so what get up and lead like why would you the brainwashing begins at a very early age in in Scientology and the teachings Scientologists believe that they are they are saving the planet and that without l ron Hubbard's technology of Scientology the world will cease to exist so in their hearts they believe they're saving the person from shunning them because that person will straighten up but they also believe that they would be saving them anyway because of the good works of Scientology they get away with things with the press by saying there is no such thing as disconnection and there very slick in that way you tell the story of ami Scobie on the show she says she was raped as a 14 year old by her 35 year old supervisor correct have you heard that before over and over again and and by the way I don't want anyone to ever take my word for it and I I love people say I believe Liat you don't need to believe me google it look on the internet put in the the if you just put in the in your search engine Scientology and trial Melissa's Scientology and fair games Scientology and disconnection there's story after story after story yeah and that was that series last year right two years ago HBO's clear I I didn't like it I loved it it was unemotional it was clinical in in how they told the story they were not Scientologists which the church would love to say they're bitter X I intelligence but they the church also had choice words for HBO and Alex Gibney and Lawrence Wright and Anderson Cooper they'll have some words for you you know it's it's I'm not in bad company everybody who comes out and speaks out against the church is called the same things the church denies everything we see in your document what you see your personal stories what you see your people who've been there who live their whole lives for Scientology who went up to the highest spiritual levels of Scientology do they try to take things out against you if you leave the church or you speak out against what do they try to do do they try to suppress you they have a policy called fair game that they claim is has been canceled and they in fact did issue another policy that says fair game has been cancelled however there's another policy that says however dealing with suppressive people remains the same dealing with suppressive people means to go after them try to destroy their lives try to find any crimes they've committed expose them expose them hard you can lie about them they have Scientologists picketing in front of people's houses going don't trust your neighbor implying that he's a he's a sexual deviant they go after your jobs and when that doesn't work they go after your family what is its attraction its attraction is for people remember saying told you started Dianetics started in the 50s though ron Hubbard I interviewed him oh how was that he was fascinating yeah science fiction writer correct and it was a time he was inventing Scientology inventing is a good word took a lot of concepts in the Mormon Church but he also misrepresents himself to all Scientologists as a rewarded Navy officer he which is untrue a college graduate untrue a neuroscientist I don't even know how many labels he's given himself but his Scientologists we believed all this so we believe that what we're reading was and proven because that's what he says are they still getting new members all the time cuz I grab by the church I see young people you see second and third generation Scientologists there's I I think you'd be pretty hard pressed to find somebody who's coming into the church walking off the street going I'm interested in Scientology we're discussing some of Scientology's most famous followers like John Travolta and Tom Cruise and whether there's anything valia misses about the organization after the break that's next we're talking with Leah Remini she's called Leah Remini Scientology in the aftermath it airs Tuesdays at 10:00 9:00 central on a and he why is celebrities so connected to it I don't think celebrities are so connected to it because if you look at the numbers they're quite small in comparison to the majority of actors in this town but when you were there uh-huh yes I didn't he was sincere about it tom is a fully dedicated and loyal Scientologist absolutely so what would he say to you he wouldn't say anything to me because he thinks I'm the devil he honestly believes Tom and mostly all Scientologists or to believe that people like me are literally the devil that we mean them harm what do you believe about him I believe that he's like me has been lied to is he delusional I mean I could say that about myself at the time yes yes I didn't want to look I didn't want to believe that what I was involved in my whole life was a lie that it was damaging and hurting people yeah you could say that I was delusional are there people in the church who are very happy with it yes because because it gives them a sense of purpose it makes them feel they belong somewhere makes them feel that there's hope that this is not it for life that you have an afterlife and you're doing the job of saints and that's very alluring Larry it's like I didn't want to just be and actress I don't want to just be an average person the Church of Scientology promotes that you are doing amazing things for the world they have events very important events every five five times a year and it's it's mandatory that all Scientologists attend and in these events these are astronomical statistics that are being shown to us commendations from senators from Congress people and you see these amazing fraudulent statistics or they're there they're set in a way that make you think we're expanding the world is accepting us oh my God look at all the great things we're doing and that is why they sacrifice everything they think that they do what turned you off or turned me off was seeing upper management behaving in the way that they were behaving I asked a question about where the leaders wife was because she was not at the wedding I was watching the attacks go on publicly of former members that I respected that were in for 25 35 years in Scientology being attacked by the church when I went in to ask about these abuses that I heard about on the internet and the news I was attacked for it I was punished again at my expense my family was gone after so I saw the term you know when you see somebody turn on you so quickly you start to see the organization for what it is and then I just started looking and and once you start looking Larry it's probably the quickest deprogramming ever of a cult ever you spend five minutes on the internet and you you see the truth and that's it and and because Scientology doesn't allow people to look but they say they're an organization that allows its members to think for itself and yes we believe this no we know it they don't know they won't watch this show they won't read my book they're not allowed to that aren't allowed to be in the same room with me that doesn't speak of free will that doesn't speak of spirituality there's the money that people pay go into certain pockets or does it make new buildings what do they do with the money well I don't know legally how they offload their money but I would think assume that one of them is buying big buildings because they can't keep a man saying money but they offload it in that way and ice the buildings have housing do a lot of Scientologists live in the buildings well there's Scientologists and then there's the people who work at Scientology and they're called Sea Org members and they signed billion-year contracts and they live in the built they live in those buildings but parishioners live like you know normal but they are at their church most of the day the usually a Scientologist day is go to work usually for a Scientology company and then go and do some ontology for two and a half hours minimum a day you were in there quite a while you must have liked it I liked that I might well I don't know do people who are brainwashed do they like the circumstances they're in no there were many times that I wanted to get out as a matter of fact I was saddened when the IRS granted the Church of Scientology tax-exempt status they basically cleared the road you know I was in it but I was hoping to get out of it I was hoping why is it so I can't you just say goodbye if I say goodbye I'm saying goodbye to my mother I'm saying goodbye to my stepfather I'm saying the right of my sister yet most Scientologist families are if you're a Scientologist for real everybody you know are Scientologists because you start to go further and further away from the real world my sister my mother um I'm one of the lucky ones I'm the one who left with my whole family which is very very rare most people choose their church over their own family in this scenario with this organization I guess this Leah Remini the series is Leah Remini Scientology and the aftermath that airs Tuesdays at 10:00 9:00 central on A&E you asked she's answering Leah's tackling your many social media questions in our final segment we'll be [Music] before we get to social media questions for Leah Remini we should note that the church calls your reality show a scripted rehearsed acted and dramatized work of fiction you're featuring liars who have for a profit been telling differing versions of the same false tales of abuse for years many reviewed and discredited in courts of law great are you respond I don't I think that says a lot about this organization I don't really what they're saying that there you have Liars that they should sue us I mean it's as simple as that I mean if we're lying and listen they say this on every every outlet they can they have said that about every single person who's spoken out and not one lawsuit has been brought to anybody and this is not a group that is scared of a lawsuit they're a little screw and so if that were true they would simply sue us and I welcome them to do that despite these documentaries and books and the like people still join I don't think people still join Larry I don't but what I'm not gonna stand for is an organization with this kind of money to continue to do things like that and to bully people and to harass people to defraud people out of their lives their money but more importantly the families and I'm just not gonna sit around or watch it happen here are some social media questions Kim Leslie fm what's your biggest fear regarding your decision to take on the Scientologists my biggest fear is that nothing happens really III am hoping that an investigation will be opened up I'm hoping that judges will start looking at the actual policies of the church that I think are abusive and I hope that more people come forward and speak out I hope that lawsuits are brought against the church and my biggest fear is that that that will happen at mesh Roldan has the Church of Scientology ever apologized for how you felt during your time with the no they have said they did things maybe incorrectly with me punishing me for answering questions that cost me money but they don't actually apologize or take any responsibility for their actions little Dacula wants to know how you told your family you were leaving and how did you all leave we all left because I was being interrogated because I was asking about the abuses I was asking where Shelly Miscavige was the leaders wife he said yeah he's the leader of the church and I my whole family has pulled in so they actually helped the decision because they were interrogating my family now and try to turn my family against me - who loves you and who loves my mother my stepfather my sister my brother-in-law any children well my daughter was never indoctrinated into Scientology thank God like Clarabelle God wants to know how to expose the truth about Scientology to those members who can't watch your show worried that they can't hear it right I don't have a way not allowed to watch it right they're not allowed to watch it but I hope that there are people who are questioning it and they will watch it and they will look for themselves and they will decide for themselves I got a letter by the way I've received hundreds of letters of support I received a letter recently from someone who said thank you for saving my son's life he was interested in Scientology I made him watch going clear I made him watch your show and he's decided not to to go in and so I felt okay I got one I say Megan Beth Kenworthy do you see the Church of Scientology slowly losing momentum in the next few years yes l ron Hubbard was a genius and and how to hold people prisoner mentally but he did not foresee the internet and there was a time when we would have to go after looking for a time magazine or looking for things and we would be punished for it but now Internet has honestly saved people at Grammy ad how's your sister doing this she have a tough time my little sister had a tough time because her husband was a Scientologist of course and his father disconnected from him and his sister disconnected from him he will not know his niece and nephews ye so that's hard especially they were at a Christmas event with non Scientologists and my brother and was father was there and he walked out of the room when his son walked in could you imagine being at a function and your own father turning his back on you or your own sister to Scientology celebrate Christmas I'm sure there's a reason sure it's not no it's not a religious event for it's a religion yes tax exemption I agree yes you could thank the IRS for that one they gave them well listen I think it says a lot about the organization that it literally believed the IRS out of their their job Jay seviche 21 do you think you what you're doing will end Scientology I I don't know that I I don't want to end Scientology I want to end their practices that I think are harmful I think if people want to do Scientology in their home or they want to do it somewhere else but the church doesn't allow that don't they have a good record in helping people who are drug addicts I would welcome you to look up Narconon in Scientology no are you saying they don't have a good record they claim they do they actually falsely promote that they have one of the highest rated drug ring ability yes so but again don't take my word for it one more Bob but what's the number one thing you want people to know about sow Scientology really do their own research I can sit here for hours with you discussing it I though there is one thing it's a harmful proposition for the beginning courses that help you with communication and and morals that are found in any real religion decent religion it's not worth what you have to give up and it's a harmful dangerous proposition that will cost you a quarter of a million dollars minimum and your life we're gonna do more on this thank you thank you big thanks to my guest Leah Remini Leah Remini Scientology of the aftermath airs Tuesdays at 10:00 p.m. 9:00 central on A&E you can always find me on Twitter at Kings things I'll see you next time [Music] you

Channel: Larry King

Views: 1,171,161

Rating: 4.8201733 out of 5

Keywords: church of scientology, leah remini scientology and the aftermath, leah remini scientology show, scientology celebrities, scientology cult, scientology documentary, Scientology and the Aftermath, leah remini (tv actor), scientology and the aftermath, scientology (religion), leah remini: scientology and the aftermath, tom cruise (celebrity), scientology documentary tom cruise

Id: nzDtygWlWqI

Length: 28min 31sec (1711 seconds)

Published: Tue Feb 06 2018

Reddit Comments

[u/new_throwaway1975]

She's doing a segment on Jehovah's Witnesses this Nov.13. You might be interested in watching that too. As you know, JWs and INCs also have many similarities.

[u/BelleCA]

Thank you for sharing/posting. I just finished watching the video and all the things Leah described about Scientology eerily mirrors INCs doctrine of control towards their members, the brainwashing, on their indoctrination of young children, discouraging critical thinking and punishments to those who don’t toe the line, the separation of families , mandatory time to spend in the church calling it work for the church, their claims of doing good works. I loved what she said that she doesn’t see Scientology expanding and the ones who are in are from the generation of members. Just like INC, Scientology leaders discouraged them to look for information in the internet.

I agree with what she said too that seeking and reading information online are excellent tools to reverse-brainwashing because that’s exactly what I did. I lurked for 6 months here and read everything I could get my hands on and what took 20 years in the INC only took 6 months to dismantle everything that was in my head.

I agree that I wish someone will publicly take on INC like that.

[u/_getmeoutofhere_]

What are red flags?  The two biggest indicators (in retrospect) are the inability to question and the directive to avoid all negative press or people who have left.

I love Remini's quote, which also heavily applies to INC:

If something is real, can’t it withstand scrutiny?

Take that, EVM. You and your nonstop blabbering about you being in danger of evil-minded people and detractors! What a baby. You're a joke.

​

[u/_getmeoutofhere_]

• Unquestioning devotion to an infallible leader
• Members think they're on a special mission to "save the world"
• Attacking people who left the church that speaks out
• Encouraging families to break apart
• ...and more!

Sound familiar?