How did control of Scientology fall into the hands of David Miscavage?

The rest of the Hubbard family probably knew thought he was full of shit and wanted no part of it.

^^^ I second that demotion ^^^

I read about this years ago in my local paper (my teen hometown, Clearwater, FL, is the “spiritual headquarters” for Scientology—known in Scientology as Flag Base), The St. Petersburg Times, and on a site run by Scientology dissidents and refugees, including Miscavige’s niece, Jenna Miscavige (she published a book on her journey out just last month). Hubbard had been underground for years due to IRS problems and civil suits by former members. His personal aides were Miscavige and Miscavige’s wife, who had joined in their teens. Hubbard had a son, his intended heir to the thrown, who had earlier fallen out and committed suicide. Mrs. Hubbard had jumped ship and sued him repeatedly long before this.

The three of them, Hubbard and Mrs. & Mr. Miscavige ended up in a stronghold in the high desert near Lake Arrowhead, California where the old man died in ‘86 and Miscavige simply announced his anointment after a minor scuffle with the few remaining loyalists to Hubbard, mostly family. Miscavige had been building a powerbase within the “church” for years. It is all very Greek.

Miscavige is a man with little formal education beyond grammar school, but formidable energy, intelligence and ambition. And, by the way he reacts to the slightest perceived threat to his interests, shows signs of paranoia, megalomania and general sociopathy. He is very healthy physically and in his teens earned black belts in various forms of karate-type disciplines and is an expert shot. Nobody stands in his way and he is known to be a vicious, unforgiving opponent who will use his world-wide resources to hunt the most trivial transgressor to the ends of the earth and destroy them through character assassination, terror, and financial and physical harm. He is feared.

His wife, Shelly, disappeared a couple of years ago. Like ~POOF~ —gone. Miscavige made no explanation as to his wife’s disappearance. It was soon noticed by other Scientologists and they were punished for asking where she was. Leah Remini, brought into Scientology as a child by her mother in the 1970s, the woman who plays the wife on The King of Queens, and a good friend of Shelly’s, was publicly rebuked by elite members when she asked about Shelly’s whereabouts at Tom Cruise’s wedding a few years ago. After being interrogated for years afterward (a very special Scientology punishment method called Auditing), she recently left the “church.”

In short, this guy is a real asshole.

WTF is with these ads? Why can’t they be highlighted in a different color so people can tell which are subject references and which are ads? Bloody annoying. Christ, you go away for a little while and the whole fucking world falls apart ~

Are you talking about Fluther or some other sure?

Since you’re a registered member here, and if you’re logged in, you shouldn’t be getting any ads.

Occasionally I see them if I’ve forgotten to log in sometimes.

@Espiritus_Corvus Aha. Thanks for the G2. I knew it had to be something at least that juicy, but had no idea what it was. Looks as if the pressure is getting to him. The question is how many delusional followers will he take out with him when he goes. So far, Jim Jones holds the record for this sort of megalomaniac, but it’s there to be beaten.

@Buttonstc You don’t see it? In your response above, the word “registered” is highlighted in red as if it is a hyperlink to a reference, and if you click it open it is a registration for coupons. In mine above, “IRS problems” and “education” are lit up like references, but are hyperlinks to a tax service and a school. I’ve never seen this before. I understand that the owners should be able to make a little money off this thing, but these things really should be highlighted in a different color so we can tell which are references to the subject at hand and which are ads. Hyperlinks are one of the greatest modern conveniences of modern times. I remember what a pain in the ass footnoting used to be for both the author and the reader. It’s just frustrating to think people won’t bother with the hyperlinks anymore because they will assume it will just cause a bunch of pop-ups, etc.

@ETpro Yes, Miscavige’s world seems to be tottering a bit, but don’t underestimate this guy. I think a lot of people, including many of the membership, are finally seeing through this powerful bully. It is a real interesting story and, like I said, very Greek. You have a man who goes from a penny-a-word writer’s life to living his own science fiction novel and, in the process, becomes a tyrannical cult leader—a cynical God perpetrating his con among the believers and laughing all the way to the bank. A first wife who is discarded and destroyed like so much garbage when success is attained and she is no longer useful. A son and heir, a demigod, who falls out of favor with the father, then commits suicide leaving a note condemning him and exposing the scam—a note which is first suppressed, then leaked. An incredibly loyal second wife who did federal time for him (for her part in breaking into the FBI offices in Washington DC in the ‘70s—Hubbard, who planned it and gave the “go” order, just left her out to dry and went on the run), then she turns against him with the vehemence of Nemesis spending the rest of her life trying to destroy him. She aligns herself with the young usurper, the tyrant’s most loyal servant and the one closest to him, who at the hour of Hubbard’s death cruelly betrays him. But death also cheats the wife of her victory—she is not there to see the betrayal and there is not enough suffering to sate her appetite for vengeance. And now this young usurper to the throne, a former slave who learned well at the knee of the master, has become an even greater God, seemingly untouchable by the laws of man—now rules by terror and gets more and more powerful through the years.

This epic is screaming for a tragic end. There is now dissension among the troops, family has defected, his own wife banished. I mean, Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides couldn’t have written better stuff. I say we turn down the lights, break out the popcorn and Pepsi, sink into our recliners and enjoy the show.

Nope. Nothing in red here for me.

If I remember correctly this was asked as a Q not that long ago. I just don’t remember the specific solution.

But the problem was definitely not from Fluther. That much I do remember.

PM Auggie as I think she looked into it.

@Buttonstc Roger that. Thanks.

@Buttonstc I searched and found nothing. But then our search tool is about as useful as tits on Zeus.

Ha ha. Yeah I agree. But I am certain that the exact same issue arose about things being advertising hyperlinks for ordinary words in a post.

I know that it wasn’t originating from Fluther.

I think one of the suggestions to combat this was a particular Firefox extension (sort of similar to pop up blocker but different) Perhaps it was ad-sense. But don’t quote me on it.

I know that Auggie participated in the Q so hopefully her memory is better than mine.