Several years ago, there was a flurry of terrible stories about Scientology and particular Scientologists. Leah Remini has done great work exposing CoS and giving a platform to people who have left the cult. But it does feel like in the past two years or so, there’s been less conversation about how CoS is actually a dangerous cult, right? People forget, people move on, and suddenly we’re talking about how Tom Cruise is a cool guy for going to Wimbledon and enjoying Indian food. Laura Prepon recently spoke about how she is “not practicing” Scientology anymore and she hasn’t practiced in “close to five years.” Many of us noted her careful word choice and wondered if there would be pushback on Laura from CoS. So far, nothing has happened? And so now we’re getting stories about how Laura is “relieved.”
Carving her own path. Laura Prepon is at peace after leaving the Church of Scientology, a source reveals exclusively in the new issue of Us Weekly.
“She feels relieved to be living life on her own terms,” the insider says of the That ’70s Show alum, 41. “She wants to focus on her own individual spirituality.”
Prepon is focused on her family. The New Jersey native wed actor Ben Foster in 2018. The pair share daughter Ella, 4, and a son, 16 months. “She’s a mom now and she’s moved on, and she is building her life around that,” the source continues. “Laura found her own spiritual path and no longer wants to be associated with the church.”
In her recent admission, Prepon noted that Foster, 40, never practiced Scientology but said that the two meditate together instead.
I wonder if CoS still has the resources, time and energy to stalk and harass their wayward cult members. Remember when that was a thing? Leah Remini said it still f–king happens, although maybe it doesn’t happen as much these days. Also from Us Weekly:
Unexpected challenges. The Church of Scientology is still reeling after high-profile members, including Leah Remini and Laura Prepon, left the controversial organization behind.
“These are tough times for the church,” a source exclusively reveals in the latest issue of Us Weekly, on newsstands now. “Years ago, it almost unheard of for a Hollywood star to openly walk away. But the tidal wave of backlash generated by the likes of Leah and other whistleblowers has changed that.”
According to the insider, “There’s a general feeling that if you don’t want to be a Scientologist, you can step back and choose.”
I really do wonder if this is really what’s happening behind the scenes? Like, would a cult like CoS suddenly become more chill about people leaving? Would it suddenly be no big deal? Part of me wonders if CoS becoming more undercover is actually a bad thing. It might mean that they’re just focusing on their core members and realigning their power base.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
My guess will always be she’s not talking negatively about the Co$ and she’s still paying dues, but just not practicing to remain in good standing. Also, outside of saying she meditates she’s not promoting another religion. That probably keeps her safe, but I bet they’re keeping tabs from a distance.
CoS makes its money by having you pay for classes and auditing sessions. I’m not sure how much is from tithing which is what you are suggesting she’s doing.
I don’t think they have tithing. You are right. People pay for classes and auditing and give “donations” to buy books and buildings or to support their many front groups.
Didn’t Beck and Jason Lee also quietly leave the COS over the past few years?
Jason lee moved to Dallas too, i wonder if he felt that was necessary in order to leave?
Yeah — Texas seems to be the place you go to disappear yourself. Besides Jason Lee (who, iirc, owned a little shop in Denton), I remember reading Going Clear and being startled to read that one of the higher-ups had gone on the run, hiding out in a hotel a mile or two from where I was *sitting and reading the book at that moment*, and the CoS actually chased him there and showed up looking for him. He remained in South Texas after that, to live. What is that guy’s name, anyway — Tony Ortega said he was actually back in CoS, after having been one of its most ardent critics, which is such a disappointment.
@jenn: Marty Rathbun?
@Stan – That’s the one, thank you
Surprised and impressed that’ she got out
I follow Aaron Smith Levin on YouTube. And he just posted about how the Church of Scientology wanted to purchase the aquarium in Clearwater. And they wanted to purchase this because it has to do more with security. He explains how not anyone can get into that building or those buildings and that security is first and foremost there. But the city of Clearwater denied the Church of Scientology purchasing the aquarium. So, in the two years since, the Church of Scientology has purchased over 200 buildings IN CASH and at much higher value than what the property actually holds. And then they did absolutely nothing with these buildings. Intentionally. They wanted the aquarium and they did not get it, so instead, they’re doing their utmost to screw the city of Clearwater by basically holding these buildings for ransom. It’s also called racketeering. Here’s the link in case you’re interested…
https://youtu.be/8P21t1vJlB8
Oh, wow, that’s evil. I’m not surprised at how low they’d sink, but this is horrible. Clearwater was a lovely town once upon a time.
Scientology definitely still goes after members who leave. That’s why this is a big deal that she announced she had left. When Beck left, he said he had never been involved with Scientology and would not comment on church practices. (That’s a lie that he wasn’t involved.) Jason Lee literally left all his Scientology connections and moved out of California when he left. Prepon does not seem worried about being called an SP or being disconnected from people in the cult. Prepon did and said awful things to others when she was a Scientologist. Will she make amends and call out Scientology for their gross actions? If she does, they will come after here. If she stays silent, they may allow her to go without too much bother. She knows so much about Danny Masterson and that family. Scientology still seems to be deciding if it is willing to throw Danny under the bus to save itself from the misery of his trial. Both Prepon and her husband know what went down with Danny Masterson.
This part. Something is fishy here and Laura KNOWS. The “Fair Game” podcast is a really eye opening look at how CO$ treats everyone in their orbit.
Scientology got Prepon to intimidate one of Danny Masterson‘s rape victims. Hypothetically, she could be called to testify about Scientology‘s tactics at his rape trial. So she wants to distance herself as much as possible from him and hopes that her part in that particular horror show doesn’t come to light.
Scientology is dying out thankfully. Oh there are still a handful of wacko stars like Cruise, Kirstie Alley, John Travolta, etc., but they all seem to have gone relatively quiet. In the past Kirstie was always mouthing off about it and Cruise got downright ugly defending it on TV, but not so much these days. There’s an interesting article in Tony Ortega’s “The Underground Bunker” which notes that the organization (I refuse to call it a religion) in Canada is in terrible shape and many of their buildings are mostly empty. Worldwide, it is increasingly under investigation, facing hundreds of lawsuits, it’s actually banned in some countries, and they are resorting to underhanded schemes like sending thousands of pamphlets to Irish schools under the guise of a human rights organization in a concerted effort to start up in Ireland. With the advent of the Internet, ex-members and people like Ortega can post all kinds of damning information including some of the church’s own confidential documents and former members revealing their personal horror stories. The end of Scientology can’t happen soon enough in my opinion.
Kirstie is still an outspoken follower of Scientology. Just look at her Twitter feed. She tries to do something that a few others do by claiming to be a Christian and a Scientologist. It’s not possible in Scientology to be both, so this rhetoric is all to seem more relatable. L. Ron Hubbard said you can’t be another religion and a Scientologist as did the IRS when they gave them tax exempt status.
Remini said you can leave, if you do it quietly- as in- never say anything bad about the church, never tell any secrets or negative experiences or the facts that you weren’t allowed to be on the internet- which has to be almost impossible in our modern world.
Prepon seems to be very careful, nothing negative, just that she has moved on into a different form of spirituality.
Most of the people still in are the people they treat like gods (Cruise) and the people born into it (Moss).
It is still gross and awful.
and it has SO MUCH MONEY and property.
Thankfully, there are incredibly few new people ever coming into the cult again, unless they are born into it.
They are sitting on billions and billions of dollars. No exageration.
Well good for her for getting out. My guess is her husband and having children forced her to evaluate what was really important.
Now hopefully Elisabeth Moss will leave. Maybe she has and we just don’t know. I have no hope for Tom Cruise, John Travolta, and Kirstie Alley.
Just to clarify. Prepon’s statement said her husband was never in Scientology, but many still believe he was. If he was not, he was Scientology adjacent as he was Masterson’s best friend and godfather to Masterson’s daughter.
I think people are still surprised at how many celebs are still in Scientology. Here’s a list of a few:
Martin Kove (Cobra Kai)
Chloe Fineman (SNL)
Erika Christensen
Elizabeth Moss
Nancy Cartwright
Jenna Elfman
Giovanni Ribisi
Jason Dohring
Michael Pena
Greta Van Susteren
Juliette Lewis
Danny Masterson and all his siblings
Skrillex
Ethan Suplee
Bijou Phillips
Judy Norton Taylor
Catherine Bell
Marisol Nichols
@Stan
Michael Pena is a Scientologist?! That’s super disappointing. I always found him funny and endearing in movies.
Hmm, yeah, good observation at the end there — I’d want CoS right out there in the daylight, not hiding in a dark sinister recess.
I think when people were *outraged* about Scientology it didn’t really bother the CoS, since there’s no such thing as bad publicity. So I think CoS has actually pulled back in reaction to a cultural shift, as people have developed more awareness and literacy when it comes to ID’ing toxic or abusive authoritarian shame/control tactics — not only wrt cults and other churches/organizations, but in workplaces and personal relationships as well. Cults are “hot” right now — it’s that “true crime” umbrella — and I think that’s actually a great thing if it makes people savvier.
We like to think so but the Trump followers and anti-vaxxers (who go hand in hand with Scientologists, by the way) show us that cults are alive and kicking.
I don’t disagree, at all. And you’re right, of course, it’s all fascism, all these control methods and disinformation, to make someone stop trusting reality as they know it and buy into someone else’s. And it’s gained a foothold because there’s no monoculture anymore, and without a shared societal value system you can normalize and mainstream almost any aberrant behavior or belief. The only answer, I think, is continued literacy and pushback, which I do think we’re seeing.
Totally agree. Cult thinking is also seen in the New Age where anyone can call themself a guru or teacher, collect followers, and infect their minds.
Sorry, I am ranting about Scientology. Just say no to abusive cults.
lol, I get fired up about it too!
@EveV: Michael Pena is not just a Scientologist, but he is married to super-Scientologist Brie Shaffer. Shaffer was Danny Masterson’s assistant during the time Danny was allegedly assaulting women and wrote up a Knowledge Report about at least one of the incidents. She also was involved with a petition to cancel Leah Remini’s show and tried to rally Scientologists to be loyal to Danny Masterson.
Moeover, Danny Masterson, Jason Dohring, and Michael Pena used to host an annual golf charity event raising money for one of Scientology’s front groups.
Oh, NO … Michael Peña is/was one of my favorite actors. I’m so bummed.