October 14, 2024 • 43 mins
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What if the so-called path to spiritual rehabilitation was a labyrinth of control and punishment? Join Sandi McKenna and Abraham Aurich as we expose the hidden world of Scientology's Rehabilitation Project Force (RPF) and challenge the Church's narrative. Hear firsthand from actress Leah Remini and former Sea Org members as they uncover the harsh realities of forced labor, isolation, and stringent re-education behind the Church's facade of a voluntary and transformative experience. Listen to the powerful stories of courage and defiance from Claire and Mark Headley and Laura DiCrescenzo, who faced legal battles against the Church over allegations of abuse and human rights violations. These accounts not only question the RPF’s practices but also highlight the broader issue of how religious freedom can sometimes shield organizations from accountability.
As we navigate the murky waters of the Church's controversial practices, we also shine a light on the ongoing impact under David Miscavige's leadership. Despite the RPF's quiet discontinuation due to public scrutiny, reports suggest similar oppressive measures continue. We call for greater transparency and legal oversight to protect those within these systems, urging societal action to prevent further abuses. This episode demands we reconsider what we know about Scientology, the power dynamics at play, and the struggles faced by those seeking justice against a backdrop of religious protection. Prepare to confront the chilling realities of the RPF as we advocate for change and accountability in the face of religious freedom’s complex challenges.
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Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Abraham Aurich (00:00):
The following content may include discussions
or topics that could betriggering or upsetting to
individuals who have experiencedsimilar traumas.
Viewer discretion is advised.
Sandi McKenna (00:09):
There's a place hidden deep within the heart of
Scientology, a place few talkabout and even fewer understand.
It's not listed in publicdocuments and those who have
been there often speak of it inhushed tones.
And those who have been thereoften speak of it in hushed
tones.
Imagine being cut off fromeverything you know, your family
, your friends, the outsideworld, forced into grueling
(00:32):
labor, all under the belief thatit's for your own spiritual
salvation.
They call it the RehabilitationProject Force, or RPF.
But what really goes on inside,and why are so many former
members haunted by its verymention?
The truth lies in the shadowsof the organization, where
redemption, control andsomething far more sinister
(00:56):
intersect.
What secrets are kept withinthe RPF's walls, and why does
the Church of Scientology go tosuch lengths to hide it from
public view?
Welcome to the Sins ofScientology.
I'm Sandy McKenna and, with myco-host, abraham Orwick, we're
about to pull back the curtainon one of Scientology's most
(01:18):
tightly guarded secrets.
What we're about to uncoverwill leave you questioning
everything you thought you knew.
Stay with us.
This episode of Sins ofScientology might just be one of
the most revealing yet.
Abraham Aurich (01:47):
The Sea Organization is an elite
Scientology group established byL Ron Hubbard in 1967.
It functions like a religiousorder, with a rigid hierarchical
structure, and its memberspledge a billion-year commitment
to serving the Church.
Sea Org members are highlydedicated and oversee the most
important and sensitive churchoperations.
(02:07):
They often work long hours inexchange for little to no pay
and live in communal settingswith strict disciplines.
The Rehabilitation ProjectForce, or RPF, was introduced in
the mid-1970s as a way torehabilitate Sea Org members who
were deemed to have failed tomeet expectations or committed
serious infractions orout-ethics behavior.
(02:30):
Originally, the RPF was adisciplinary program aimed at
improving the spiritualcondition of those members who
had lost favor with leadershipor displayed counterproductive
behavior.
L Ron Hubbard introduced theRPF as a part of a broader
approach to discipline withinthe Sea Org.
The program's foundation washis belief that Sea Org members
(02:51):
who were not upholding theorganization's rigorous
standards needed an intensiveform of spiritual rehabilitation
to restore their usefulness.
The RPF was designed to be aplace where out-ethics Sea Org
members those seen as failing tomeet the ethical or
productivity standards, could bere-educated.
Those sent to the RPF would beassigned menial and
(03:14):
labor-intensive tasks such ascleaning and construction, often
under harsh physical conditions.
Alongside these tasks, theyunderwent auditing,
scientology's form of spiritualcounseling, and were required to
write extensive confessions oftheir wrongdoings.
The RPF program was meant to bea form of atonement and
(03:34):
spiritual renewal, allowing themembers to reintegrate into the
Seaward once they had proventheir rehabilitation.
The RPF was initially amaritime program aboard
Scientology ships, buteventually expanded to on-land
facilities as the Sea WorksPresence Group.
Participants were expected toundergo this grueling process
(03:55):
for months or even years,depending on their progress.
Sea Work members in the RPFwere required to work long hours
performing physically demandingtasks such as cleaning and
construction.
At the same time, they wereisolated from other Sea Org
members in society and they hadlimited communication with their
families.
They also had to undergore-education through continuous
(04:18):
auditing sessions aimed ataddressing their transgressions
and bringing them back in linewith Scientology's expectations.
Rpf members were segregatedfrom the general Sea Org
population, sometimes forced towear black boiler suits to mark
their Norse status.
Sleeping quarters and food wereoften substandards compared to
those of regular Sea Org members, and the conditions were
(04:41):
designed to be harsh as part ofthe rehabilitation process.
The Church of Scientologyofficially describes the RPF as
a voluntary program designed forthe spiritual rehabilitation
and improvement of Sea Orgmembers.
According to the Church'snarrative, the RPF is an
opportunity for individuals toreflect on their ethical lapses,
(05:01):
undergo spiritual counselingand perform useful work while
working towards their ownredemption.
The Church maintains that theRPF is entirely voluntary, where
participants can leave at anytime.
Scientology promotes the RPF asa pathway for personal growth
in spiritual progress,positioning it as a chance to
correct personal failings andrealign with the greater goal of
(05:24):
the church.
Scientology emphasizes that theRPF is not a punishment but
rather a method of spiritualrepair.
Let's listen to formerScientologist and actress Leah
Remini.
(05:35):
Leah says things came to a head when she and Nicole were
brought up on ethics charges fortheir involvement with boys.
Leah Rimini (05:41):
I allowed my boyfriend at the time, who was
like my first boyfriend, to golike this over my shirt.
(05:48):
And that was enough to get you and that was light.
Leah Rimini (05:50):
That was very light .
It wasn't like it was in a realgrab dance.
(05:54):
Very hard to have this discussion with a straight face.
We're laughing about this, butthe people in Scientology were
not laughing about it.
Leah Rimini (06:00):
No, I wasn't laughing at it either at the
time laughing about it?
(06:05):
No, I wasn't laughing at it either at the time.
It was a serious violation andLeah says the church ethics
officers threatened to put herand her sister into what's
called the RehabilitationProject Force, a place for
Scientologists who step out ofline.
Leah Rimini (06:15):
When you have screwed up royally in the Sea
Org.
It's basically to reform you.
You have to wear black, youhave to run everywhere you go,
you have to call everyone.
Sir, it's pretty severepunishment for an adult, not to
mention a child.
Sandi McKenna (06:31):
Let's paint a vivid and raw picture of what
life was like inside the RPF.
This environment often feltmore like a prison than a place
of spiritual rehabilitation.
Imagine waking up beforesunrise knowing you'll face
another day of grueling,back-breaking work.
Sea Org members assigned to theRPF were required to work up to
(06:55):
12, sometimes even 14 hours aday under conditions that most
people would find unbearable.
These tasks ranged fromconstruction to cleaning,
maintenance of church propertiesand other physically demanding
jobs.
Members were expected toperform these duties regardless
of the weather or their physicalstate.
(07:17):
There was no room for acomplaint, whether it was
blistering hot or freezing cold.
Sleep was a luxury that membersrarely experienced.
After long hours of labor, theywere lucky to get more than
five or six hours of rest, oftenin cramped, uncomfortable
sleeping quarters.
It was common to sleep inmakeshift dormitories with cots
(07:40):
or even sleeping bags throwntogether in small spaces.
Privacy was non-existent, foodwas sparse, with meals provided
at odd hours and usuallyconsisting of bare minimum.
To keep them going, rpf memberswere often served a meager diet
, sometimes eating leftover orsubstandard food compared to
(08:02):
what higher-ranking Sea Orgmembers were given, and while
they toiled away, there waslittle to no communication with
the outside world, family oreven other Sea Org members who
were not in the RPF.
The RPF has often been comparedto a prison system with forced
labor.
Participants were assigned tothe most menial and physically
(08:23):
exhausting tasks as part oftheir rehabilitation.
These tasks included buildingand maintaining church
facilities, cleaning manuallabor and even jobs like hauling
debris or scrubbing floors,work often performed under the
watchful eye of supervisors whomade sure no one slacked off.
(08:43):
Of supervisors who made sure noone slacked off.
In some cases, rpf members wereresponsible for the upkeep of
the properties that the churchused for public-facing
activities, but they were rarelyseen by those outside the RPF.
Many former participants recallbeing hidden from public view,
almost like they were beingpunished in secret.
(09:04):
Here's a clip from MythVisionTV with former Scientology
executive and author of theBillion Year Contract, mike
Rinder.
Speaker 5 (09:14):
The hole has been one of the sore spots, no matter
how far away you are from thehole and the crawling around on
your knees and the hole nine.
You, being a fundamentalist,you're going to believe.
But enough is enough, and socan you tell us how bad the
torture, how bad the prison, howbad was this hole and maybe how
(09:37):
you got out?
Mike Rinder (09:39):
Well, it was pretty damn bad.
I equate it to like the Lord ofthe Flies.
It was an environment whereScientology executives had been
locked up in these twodouble-wide trailers.
The windows were screwed shutso they only opened an inch and
nobody could get out of them.
All three doors were barred,except one, front entrance,
(10:03):
which had a 24-hour-a-daysecurity guard posted.
Nobody was allowed to leave.
There were no showers.
You ate, slept, worked, fought,beat one another up all in the
same place.
I slept under a table or a desk, same desk where I ate the slop
(10:24):
that they brought up that wasleft over from the main crew
food, the same place that wewould sit, try and beat
confessions out of other people.
And it was a dog-eat-dog world,like I said, lord of the Flies,
the idea being everybody whowas in there was some
incorrigible criminal in theeyes of David Miscavige and had
(10:47):
been confined to this hole, thatthe only way out was to confess
your sins, that a big plus foranybody that was in there was
getting other people to confesstheir sins, and so it devolved
into physical abuse of people totry and force them to admit to
(11:11):
things that probably they'dnever even did.
But the more salacious theadmission, the better it was for
the person who managed to forcethe admission out of them.
So you have enormous amounts ofthings that people have in
their own handwriting that were,in the whole, admitting to the
(11:36):
most outrageous crimes.
I mean Scientology pulls theseout all the time.
Anybody that was there who isnow speaking out Scientology
comes out and says oh yes, youcan see in his own handwriting.
Mike Rinder admits to havinglied repeatedly.
He lied, lied, lied.
Amy Scobie admits to havingblah blah blah.
(11:57):
Tom DeVock admits to havingblah blah blah.
Mark Headley admits blah blahblah.
These forced confessions knowbetter than the POW videos from
North Korea feel you end uphaving to do in order to somehow
(12:22):
get yourself out of thisnightmare that you have found
yourself in.
Abraham Aurich (12:24):
The isolation was suffocating.
Members of the RPF were oftenkept separated from the rest of
the Sea Org and broader churchpopulation, cut off not only
from the outside world but alsofrom their fellow Scientologists
.
There was no casual interaction.
They were forbidden fromspeaking to anyone outside of
their immediate workgroupwithout permission.
Communication was minimalwithin their assigned groups and
(12:46):
they were often discouragedfrom discussing their
experiences or feelings.
This led to deep loneliness andhelplessness that compounded
the already harsh conditions.
The physical toll of the RPFwas enormous.
Long hours in physical laborunder strict supervision wore
down participants bothphysically and mentally.
Members worked through injuriesand exhaustion, knowing that
(13:08):
showing any signs of weaknesscould lead to further punishment
.
There were stories ofindividuals who pushed
themselves beyond their limitsjust to avoid falling behind or
being seen as out-ethics.
But the psychological toll wasperhaps even more severe.
Those in the RPF underwent dailyauditing sessions, an intense
form of interrogation where theywere expected to confess their
(13:29):
crimes and transgressionsagainst Scientology.
These sessions were designed tobreak down psychological
resistance, with auditorsprobing deep into their personal
lives, often for hours.
Many participants describedthese sessions as invasive,
emotionally draining andpsychologically demanding.
Fundamental rights werestripped away.
Freedom of movement was tightlycontrolled, with members
(13:52):
needing permission to goanywhere, even to the bathroom.
Personal autonomy became adistant memory, as every aspect
of life was dictated by those incharge.
There were reports of membersbeing watched constantly, even
while they slept, and of strictsurveillance that created a
constant sense of paranoia.
One of the most harrowingaspects of the RPF was the
(14:14):
stripping away of communication.
Participants couldn't calltheir families, couldn't write
letters and certainly couldn'tleave to visit anyone.
This isolation was particularlydevastating for those with
children or spouses outside theSea Org, as they were cut off
completely with no idea howtheir loved ones were doing.
For many, this led to long-termemotional trauma, as they not
(14:36):
only lost touch with the outsideworld but felt a deep sense of
abandonment.
Many former RPF participantshave spoken about the
long-lasting psychologicaldamage they endured.
Depression, anxiety and PTSDwere common among those who went
through the program wentthrough the program.
(14:59):
Some even compare the RPF to aform of psychological torture,
as they were pushed to theirmental and emotional limits with
no way out except throughcompliance and submission.
Sandi McKenna (15:04):
The story of the RPF doesn't end with the
harrowing accounts of those wholived through it.
Over the years, the program hassparked intense legal battles
and international scrutiny, asmany have raised questions about
its ethics, legality and humanrights violations.
The RPF has been at the centerof numerous lawsuits, many of
(15:27):
which have revolved around theallegations of forced labor,
unlawful imprisonment and humanrights abuses.
One of the major issues inthese legal battles is that
Scientology, like many religiousorganizations in the United
States, is afforded certainprotections under the First
Amendment, which safeguardsreligious freedom.
(15:48):
Because the RPF is presented bythe church as a voluntary
religious program for spiritualrehabilitation, the church has
been able to shield itself frommany lawsuits under the argument
that these were religiouspractices.
In several cases, courts havedismissed lawsuits against
Scientology by ruling that theRPF fell within the church's
(16:10):
right to manage its internalreligious affairs.
However, this hasn't stoppedformer members from pursuing
justice.
Some lawsuits have led tosettlements, often with
nondisclosure agreementsattached, preventing the details
from being made public.
In these settlements, there istypically no admission of
wrongdoing on the part ofScientology, but the payments to
(16:33):
former members suggest thatthere is substance to the claims
of abuse and forced labor.
One of the most prominent casesinvolving the RPF was brought
by Claire Headley, a former SeaOrg member.
In 2009, claire filed a lawsuitagainst the Church of
Scientology, claiming she hadbeen subjected to forced labor
(16:53):
while in the RPF.
She described long hours, harshconditions and psychological
coercion as part of herexperience.
Here's an excerpt from aninterview that Claire did with
Shalise Ansola from Cults toConsciousness about her time in
the hole or the RPF.
Claire Headley (17:12):
And then I ended up in the hole.
You did.
Can you tell everybody whatthat means?
Yep, so it was these double widetrailers on the property where
all the management executiveswere essentially being.
They were locked up, notallowed to leave.
To my knowledge, there'sprobably still some version of
(17:33):
that in play today Probably notin those same buildings, because
there's been so many peopletalk about it.
Like Mike, rinder was there fortwo years after I left.
It was bad when I was there,but it got significantly worse,
like absolutely worse.
Everyone that was in that thewhole was essentially being
accused of non-performing andbeing having counterintention to
(17:54):
David Miscavige and not wantingScientology to survive or
prevail or whatever, and so thereason I was put there is
because I refused to divorceMark and then I was not allowed
to go home anymore.
I was sleeping on the floor ofmy office in a sleeping bag.
Anyway, it was a completenightmare.
Sandi McKenna (18:16):
But it wasn't just Claire.
Her husband, mark Headley, alsosued Scientology.
Around the same time.
Mark had worked atScientology's Gold Base and,
like Claire, he alleged humanrights violations and abuse
during his time in the Sea Org.
Together, their caseshighlighted serious issues with
forced labor and labor lawviolations within Scientology.
(18:39):
However, the Ninth CircuitCourt ruled in favor of the
church.
The court found the FirstAmendment's protection of
religious freedom prevented themfrom interfering with
Scientology's internal practices, including the working
conditions of Sea Org members.
Essentially, the court decidedthat because Claire and Mark had
(18:59):
voluntarily joined the Sea Org,their experiences fell under
the church's religiousdiscipline.
Then there's the story of LauraDiCrescenzo, a young woman who
joined the Sea Org when she wasjust 12 years old and later took
on the Church of Scientology incourt.
Imagine being a child of hopeand belief and suddenly finding
(19:19):
yourself thrust into a worldwhere obedience is everything.
That's what happened to Laura.
She was barely a teenager whenshe was forced into the infamous
RPF.
But Laura's story doesn't stopthere.
By the time she was 17, shesays, the church pressured her
into having an abortion.
Now here's the thing In the SeaOrg, having kids is a huge
(19:43):
no-no.
The church doesn't want itsmore loyal workers, the people
they rely on for endless hoursof service, distracted by things
like raising a family.
Laura claimed that she was toldin no uncertain terms that
having a baby wasn't an optionfor her.
So, feeling trapped, she wentthrough with it.
Fast forward to 2009.
(20:03):
Laura had finally managed toleave Scientology and she wasn't
about to let what happened toher stay in the shadows.
She filed a lawsuit against theChurch of Scientology
International, and it wasn'tjust about the abortion.
She laid out some heavyallegations being forced into
labor as a minor, confinedagainst her will and subjected
(20:25):
to mental manipulation.
She was asking the courts tosee what was happening inside
Scientology's RPF as violationsof labor laws and basic human
rights.
As you can probably guess, thechurch didn't take this lightly.
They fought back hard theirdefense.
They said everything Laurelwent through was part of her
(20:46):
religious practice, protected bythe First Amendment.
And, believe it or not, this isoften how Scientology has
protected itself in court, bysaying that what happens inside
the church is part of theirbeliefs and religious discipline
.
But this case took a differentturn.
At one point, a judge orderedthe church to release thousands
of pages of internal documentsabout Laura's time in the Sea
(21:09):
Org.
This was a big deal.
These are the kinds ofdocuments the church guards
fiercely, but there they wereforced to hand them over,
providing a rare glimpse intohow they operate behind closed
doors.
After nearly 10 years ofback-and-forth legal battles and
multiple appeals, laura's casewas finally settled in 2018.
(21:32):
Now here's where it getsfrustrating.
The settlement was for anundisclosed amount and, like
many settlements, it didn'tresult in any formal ruling or
precedent.
Now here's where it getsfrustrating.
The settlement was for anundisclosed amount and, like
many settlements, it didn'tresult in any formal ruling or
precedent.
So while Laura did get someform of justice, the full truth
of her experience andScientology's internal workings
remains mostly sealed.
But what this case reallybrought to light was how the
(21:55):
church uses things like the RPFto control its members and how
difficult it is for formermembers to fight back, even when
their claims are as severe asLaura's.
Her story sheds light on thetrauma and abuses that so many
others have likely endured buthaven't had the chance or the
strength to speak out about it.
(22:15):
Beyond the US legal system, theRPF has attracted global
attention, particularly fromhuman rights organizations.
Many of these organizationshave drawn uncomfortable
comparisons between theconditions inside the RPF and
those found in forced laborcamps.
Groups such as AmnestyInternational and Human Rights
(22:36):
Watch have expressed concernover the reports of harsh
treatment, lack of freedom andthe psychological toll on
participants.
One of the most damningcriticisms came from the United
Nations, which, in response togrowing reports of abuse,
investigated claims of humantrafficking within Scientology.
While the church categoricallydenied these accusations, former
(23:00):
RPF members have likened theirexperiences to being trafficked,
as they were often held in theprogram against their will,
forced to work without pay andisolated from the outside world.
The UN had looked into theseallegations, though no formal
action had been taken againstthe church.
Internationally, otherinternational bodies,
(23:20):
particularly in Europe, havealso criticized the RPF.
Several countries, such asGermany and France, taken a hard
stance against Scientology,citing its practices as abusive
and cult-like.
In these countries, the RPF isseen as a human rights violation
, with many equating it to aform of modern-day slavery.
(23:41):
This view has led to calls forstricter regulations on the
church and for more rigorousinvestigations into its
practices, particularly thosesurrounding the RPF and the
other disciplinary programswithin the Sea Org.
While Scientology continued todefend the RPF as a voluntary
and religious program, themounting criticism from human
(24:05):
rights organizations, coupledwith numerous legal challenges,
cast a long shadow of theprogram's true nature.
For many, the RPF representednot spiritual rehabilitation,
but rather an environment wherebasic human rights were
routinely violated.
Abraham Aurich (24:22):
When examining the RPF, it's impossible to
ignore the disturbing parallelsbetween its practices and the
system of forced labor andpsychological control seen in
other cults and authoritarianregimes.
The RPF, though wrapped in thelanguage of religious
rehabilitation, bears strikingsimilarities to how groups
(24:43):
throughout history have usedcoercion, punishment and
re-education to maintain controlover their followers.
Many cults and authoritariansystems have employed forced
(25:04):
labor as a tool for control.
The RPF functions similarly tohow cults or regimes use
isolation and hard labor tostrip individuals of their
autonomy.
Whether it's in a religiouscult, political dictatorships or
military-style organizations,the strategy is often the same
to break down individuals bothphysically and psychologically,
through exhausting labor andstrict supervision.
Let's examine this clip offormer Scientologists speaking
out on the abuses of Scientology.
Speaker 9 (25:30):
The fun stops for these children with failure and
disobedience.
By 1976, on instructions fromHubbard, the first children's
RPF was established in LosAngeles.
No time off for play, but achildren's prison camp with
absolute obedience as its goal.
One of the reasons for the campfor children was stated in this
document Make it clear to thechildren that any form of
(25:51):
vandalism, theft and any othercrime committed by a child will
be punished by the RPF underaggravated conditions.
Karen de la Carrier (25:58):
Forget about your kids by the Opry
under aggravated conditions.
Forget about your kids.
Forget about even talking toyour own child that might be in
a different area of the Sea Org.
No communication is allowed.
You are isolated like a lepercolony and you are considered a
disgraced Sea Org member.
Leah Rimini (26:16):
It was completely abusive and had no other purpose
than to dominate and controlpeople and make buckets of money
.
Speaker 11 (26:24):
Valeska Parris left the Freewinds when she was sent
to the Rehabilitation ProjectForce in Sydney.
Scientologists describe the RPFas a voluntary religious
retreat.
Defectors describe it as apunitive re-education camp.
It was here she met former StGeorge Rugby League captain
Chris Guider, soon after theygot married and left the church.
Valeska Parris says she'd liketo see the head of the Church of
(26:45):
Scientology, the man who shesays sent her to the free winds,
put on trial.
Speaker 8 (26:50):
It's not right for someone to be running the church
and basically take advantage ofyou know a church and hiding
behind religion to live like aking and to abuse people around
him.
That man doesn't like anyone.
He's a psychopath.
Jenna Miscavage (27:05):
Seven days a week six had long days, rock
hauling, hauling them up thehill, putting them in a pile,
and we would do this no matterhow hot or how cold it was
outside.
Fifteen hours a day, we workedseven days a week.
Claire Headley (27:17):
I maybe had two or three days off a year.
Jenna Miscavage (27:19):
There's been many times when I've tried to
leave the room and theyphysically held me in there.
His viciousness and his crueltyto staff was unlike anything
I'd ever experienced in my life.
I saw David Miscavigephysically strike somebody or
punch in the face at least 30different occasions.
He punched me in the face atleast 10 times to be beaten by
(27:41):
the leader of my so-calledchurch.
I could go no further down thanthis.
Abraham Aurich (27:46):
In the RPF, participants are subjected to
long hours and intense physicallabor under the guise of
spiritual improvement, just asmembers of other cults have been
forced to work for the benefitof their leaders or the group as
a whole.
The tasks are deliberatelydesigned to be menial and
degrading, reinforcing the powerdynamics between the instructor
(28:08):
and the supervisor and thosebeing rehabilitated.
This type of work serves a dualpurpose keeping participants
physically exhausted andmentally pliable, while
reinforcing their sense ofdependency on the group for
redemption.
The use of isolation in the RPFis another hallmark of cult
control tactics.
Just as some cults cut theirmembers off from friends, family
(28:31):
and the outside world, the RPFisolates its participants from
both the wider church andsociety at large.
This isolation ensures thatonly voices they hear are those
of the organization, whichgradually erodes their critical
thinking skills and makes themmore susceptible to the
re-education process.
The RPF doesn't just rely onphysical labor to maintain
(28:54):
control.
It employs a range ofpsychological control techniques
that have been observed inother authoritarian systems.
One of the most powerful toolsis coercive persuasion, a form
of psychological manipulationwhere participants are subjected
to intense scrutiny andpressure to conform.
In the RPF, this happensthrough relentless auditing
(29:14):
sessions.
Individuals are grilled ontheir perceived wrongdoings
until they confess, even if theyhave nothing to confess.
These sessions serve to breakdown resistance and reprogram
the individual to accept thechurch's narratives of their
failures.
Surveillance is another tactic.
Members of the RPF are oftenwatched closely, whether it's
(29:35):
during their work tasks, theirinteractions with others or even
in their limited moments ofrest.
This constant oversight createsa sense of paranoia, where
participants know they are beingmonitored at all times.
The lack of privacy and thefear of punishment for the
slightest infraction keeps themin line.
The RPF's system of reward andpunishment also serves to
(29:59):
recondition individuals.
Those who comply and who showprogress in their rehabilitation
are given small privileges,while those who resist or fall
behind are punished either withadditional labor or more intense
isolation.
This mirrors the psychologicalcontrol techniques seen in other
cult-like environments, wheremembers are manipulated through
(30:21):
a combination of fear, isolationand conditional approval.
One of the most surprising andunsettling aspects of life
inside the RPF is how someparticipants, even after
enduring harsh and abusiveconditions, develop a sense of
loyalty or attachment to theircaptors.
This phenomenon is known as theStockholm Syndrome, a
psychological response wherecaptives begin to identify and
(30:46):
even defend those who areoppressing them.
In the case of the RPF, formermembers have recounted how they
sometimes came to believe thatthe program was truly for their
own good.
Despite the forced labor,isolation and psychological
manipulation, some individualsfound themselves justifying the
church's actions, convinced thatthey deserved the punishment
(31:07):
and needed their rehabilitationto be spiritually cleansed.
This mindset is a powerfultestament to the psychological
control that the RPF exerts onits participants.
Stockholm Syndrome develops whenindividuals deprived of their
basic freedoms and autonomy cometo see their captors as their
only source of validation orapproval.
(31:28):
In the isolated, tightlycontrolled environment of the
RPF, participants may feel thattheir only chance of survival or
redemption is throughcompliance and loyalty to those
who are controlling them.
Over time, this creates a deepemotional dependency on the very
people who are inflicting harm.
For some former RPF members, ittook years to fully understand
(31:50):
the extent of the manipulationthey had endured.
Many have spoken about howdifficult it was to leave the
program, not just because of thephysical and emotional barriers
, but because they had beenconditioned to believe that
leaving would be a failure, thatthey wouldn't survive outside
the confines of the church'scontrol.
Sandi McKenna (32:10):
As we look to the current state of the RPF in
2024, the picture is far fromclear.
Scientology, known for itssecrecy and tight control of
information, hasn't officiallyannounced the closure or the
continuation of the RPF.
However, rumors and conflictingreports from former members
suggest that while the RPF maynot exist in the exact form it
(32:31):
did decades ago, similarpractices are likely to continue
under different guises.
The RPF, as it was originallyconceived back in the 1970s, may
not be as openly active today,but it has yet to entirely
disappear.
Scientology, as a religiousorganization, adapts its
practices to avoid publicscrutiny.
(32:53):
Officially, the church hasclaimed that the RPF is a
voluntary program for thoseseeking spiritual rehabilitation
, and there's little outwardsign of it being enforced as
rigorously as it once was.
However, former Sea Org memberswho have left Scientology in
recent years report thatversions of the RPF still exist,
(33:13):
though under less visiblestructures.
Growing up in Scientology'sAaron Smith Levin gives some
insight into David Miscavige'schanges to the RPF.
Aaron Smith Levin (33:25):
The RPF was just really bad PR and a lot of
the troubles that Scientologywas encountering legally, most
of them were coming from peoplewho had left the Sea Org from
the RPF or who had left the SeaOrg shortly after doing the RPF.
The RPF is so abusive, it is soinhumane, it is so destructive
(33:48):
to an individual mentally,physically, spiritually that it
just didn't make any sense.
And also, when somebody wasleaving the Sea Org from the RPF
, it would require so many moreman hours behind the scenes on
back lines to go through theirfolders, go through their
auditing folders, go through theethics folders, figure out what
(34:09):
this person might know or haveexperienced that could come back
to hurt the church later on.
That it was like oh man, we gotto get rid of this headache, we
got to get rid of the RPF, it'sout PR, it's out PR, it's bad
PR.
But Miscavige couldn't verywell just issue an order that
says the RPF is out PR, so we'regoing to cancel it.
(34:29):
I know it might seem likeperhaps he could do that, but
that would not allow him to saveface, because who allowed it to
get out PR?
Who allowed the RPF to evolveinto something that was nothing,
even similar to what it waswhen L Ron Hubbard created it.
Well, david Miscavige did.
Who is it that has treated theRPF essentially like a
concentration camp?
David Miscavige is the one.
(34:50):
So he needed a face saver, andthe face saver was the golden
age of tech.
That was 2013,.
Even though there had beenalmost no RPF assignments for
years leading up to 2013.
After that, that was the facesaver.
Sandi McKenna (35:01):
He needed Some ex-members suggest that the
church has become more carefulabout openly maintaining
programs like the RPF,especially in the wake of
increased public awareness,legal challenges and negative
media attention.
Instead of formal RPFassignments, similar methods of
isolation, forced labor andpsychological control may be
(35:22):
happening in more discreet ways.
Former insiders say thesedisciplinary programs are now
likely kept behind closed doorsand are more difficult to track
or document.
While there are fewer publicstories of RPF-like programs,
it's not because they no longerexist.
Of RPF-like programs, it's notbecause they no longer exist.
(35:43):
Instead, Scientology seems tohave adapted, using different
names or reshaped methods, toachieve the same goals of
controlling and re-educatingmembers who fall out of favor or
are seen as out-ethics.
Although it's been morechallenging to find detailed
recent accounts of the RPF since2020, there have been some
leaks from ex-Scientologiststhat provide insights into how
the church may be continuingthese practices in less overt
(36:07):
ways.
In particular, some reportsindicate that, while the RPF
might not be as frequently used,disciplinary measures within
the Sea Org remain intense andsecretive.
Former members who left in theearly 2020s described the
culture where those who defyleadership or fail to meet the
strict expectations of the SeaOrg are still subjected to
(36:29):
isolation and forced labor.
However, these programs arecarried out in more remote and
lesser-known locations, far fromthe scrutiny of public eyes or
media attention.
Some have reported that thesame repressive tactics, such as
confessions, hard labor andlimited communication with the
outside world, continue, butwith a modern twist to avoid
(36:50):
legal repercussions.
The move to quiet thesepractices may also be part of
Scientology's strategy topresent a cleaner, more publicly
acceptable face, while keepingits internal mechanisms of
control intact.
The Sea Org, despite itsappearance of discipline and
dedication, has always operatedwith a degree of secrecy, and
(37:11):
the RPF, or whatever it'sevolved into, is likely still an
integral part of that.
Abraham Aurich (37:18):
As we close this episode, we need to take a
moment to reflect on everythingwe've discussed.
The RPF, with its history offorced labor, isolation and
psychological manipulation,raises profound questions about
how such abuses can gounpunished under the guise of
religion.
It's a system that has beenshielded by the legal
(37:38):
protections of religious freedom, leaving many to wonder how can
these practices continueunchecked in a society that
prides itself on human rightsand justice?
How can these abuses gounpunished?
One of the most troublingaspects of the RPF is how it has
been allowed to exist for solong.
Religious organizations,including Scientology, are often
(38:00):
protected by laws that allowthem to govern their own
internal practices so long asthey fall under the category of
religious discipline.
But where do we draw the line?
At what point does spiritualrehabilitation cross over into
human rights abuse?
These are the questions thatcourts, legislators and human
rights advocates have wrestledwith for years, and yet the RPF
(38:23):
remains a gray area in terms oflegal accountability.
The shield of religion has beenused as a powerful defense.
The church frames the RPF asvoluntary, as an internal
disciplinary tool to helpmembers spiritually correct
themselves, but the stories fromformer members tell a different
story, darker truth, a truth ofcoercion, psychological trauma
(38:46):
and sometimes physical harm.
As listeners, we must askourselves why isn't more being
done, what should be done toprotect Sea Org members?
Another critical question iswhat can we as a society do to
protect those still trapped insimilar situations?
We know from former membersthat the RPF, or versions of it,
(39:07):
likely exist in some form.
So how can we ensure that thosewithin Scientology,
particularly vulnerable Sea Orgmembers, are not subjected to
further harm?
There needs to be greatertransparency, more legal
oversight and a way to holdorganizations accountable when
they cross the line into abuse.
Part of the challenge is thatthose inside the C organization
(39:29):
may not feel they have any wayout.
The isolation, thepsychological manipulation and
the total control that thechurch holds over its members
make it incredibly difficult toescape, let alone speak out.
So how do we create safe spacesfor people to come forward?
How do we support those braveenough to leave and ensure they
(39:50):
get the help they need?
These are questions withouteasy answers, but are crucial
for us to consider.
I want to leave you all with acall to action.
If this episode resonates withyou, please share it.
Help spread awareness aboutwhat is happening behind closed
doors in organizations likeScientology.
The more people who understandthe darker side of these methods
(40:11):
, the greater the chance ofchange.
We need to shine a light onwhat has been hidden for so long
and, if you want to do more,educate yourself further.
There are resources availablefrom former members, advocacy
groups and legal experts who arefighting to expose these abuses
.
You can be part of that changeby sharing what you've learned,
raising awareness and supportingthose who have lived through
(40:34):
these experiences.
In the end, it's about justice.
It's about ensuring that no one, under the guise of religion or
otherwise, is subjected to thekinds of treatment we've
discussed today.
I am Abraham Alrick and,together with Sandy McKenna, we
want to thank you for joining uson this episode of Sense of
Scientology.
We hope the insights we'veshared left you as intrigued and
(40:56):
reflective as we were inuncovering them.
If you found this episodeimpactful, we'd love for you to
subscribe, share and leave areview, and don't forget to
follow us on social media tostay updated on our next deep
dive into the hidden truthslurking in Scientology's shadowy
past.
Until then, keep questioning,keep seeking, and may your
(41:17):
journey be as rich andenlightening as the stories you
encounter.
Thank you, thank you.
The following content may include discussions
or topics that could betriggering or upsetting to
individuals who have experiencedsimilar traumas.
Viewer discretion is advised.
Sandi McKenna (00:09):
There's a place hidden deep within the heart of
Scientology, a place few talkabout and even fewer understand.
It's not listed in publicdocuments and those who have
been there often speak of it inhushed tones.
And those who have been thereoften speak of it in hushed
tones.
Imagine being cut off fromeverything you know, your family
, your friends, the outsideworld, forced into grueling
(00:32):
labor, all under the belief thatit's for your own spiritual
salvation.
They call it the RehabilitationProject Force, or RPF.
But what really goes on inside,and why are so many former
members haunted by its verymention?
The truth lies in the shadowsof the organization, where
redemption, control andsomething far more sinister
(00:56):
intersect.
What secrets are kept withinthe RPF's walls, and why does
the Church of Scientology go tosuch lengths to hide it from
public view?
Welcome to the Sins ofScientology.
I'm Sandy McKenna and, with myco-host, abraham Orwick, we're
about to pull back the curtainon one of Scientology's most
(01:18):
tightly guarded secrets.
What we're about to uncoverwill leave you questioning
everything you thought you knew.
Stay with us.
This episode of Sins ofScientology might just be one of
the most revealing yet.
Abraham Aurich (01:47):
The Sea Organization is an elite
Scientology group established byL Ron Hubbard in 1967.
It functions like a religiousorder, with a rigid hierarchical
structure, and its memberspledge a billion-year commitment
to serving the Church.
Sea Org members are highlydedicated and oversee the most
important and sensitive churchoperations.
(02:07):
They often work long hours inexchange for little to no pay
and live in communal settingswith strict disciplines.
The Rehabilitation ProjectForce, or RPF, was introduced in
the mid-1970s as a way torehabilitate Sea Org members who
were deemed to have failed tomeet expectations or committed
serious infractions orout-ethics behavior.
(02:30):
Originally, the RPF was adisciplinary program aimed at
improving the spiritualcondition of those members who
had lost favor with leadershipor displayed counterproductive
behavior.
L Ron Hubbard introduced theRPF as a part of a broader
approach to discipline withinthe Sea Org.
The program's foundation washis belief that Sea Org members
(02:51):
who were not upholding theorganization's rigorous
standards needed an intensiveform of spiritual rehabilitation
to restore their usefulness.
The RPF was designed to be aplace where out-ethics Sea Org
members those seen as failing tomeet the ethical or
productivity standards, could bere-educated.
Those sent to the RPF would beassigned menial and
(03:14):
labor-intensive tasks such ascleaning and construction, often
under harsh physical conditions.
Alongside these tasks, theyunderwent auditing,
scientology's form of spiritualcounseling, and were required to
write extensive confessions oftheir wrongdoings.
The RPF program was meant to bea form of atonement and
(03:34):
spiritual renewal, allowing themembers to reintegrate into the
Seaward once they had proventheir rehabilitation.
The RPF was initially amaritime program aboard
Scientology ships, buteventually expanded to on-land
facilities as the Sea WorksPresence Group.
Participants were expected toundergo this grueling process
(03:55):
for months or even years,depending on their progress.
Sea Work members in the RPFwere required to work long hours
performing physically demandingtasks such as cleaning and
construction.
At the same time, they wereisolated from other Sea Org
members in society and they hadlimited communication with their
families.
They also had to undergore-education through continuous
(04:18):
auditing sessions aimed ataddressing their transgressions
and bringing them back in linewith Scientology's expectations.
Rpf members were segregatedfrom the general Sea Org
population, sometimes forced towear black boiler suits to mark
their Norse status.
Sleeping quarters and food wereoften substandards compared to
those of regular Sea Org members, and the conditions were
(04:41):
designed to be harsh as part ofthe rehabilitation process.
The Church of Scientologyofficially describes the RPF as
a voluntary program designed forthe spiritual rehabilitation
and improvement of Sea Orgmembers.
According to the Church'snarrative, the RPF is an
opportunity for individuals toreflect on their ethical lapses,
(05:01):
undergo spiritual counselingand perform useful work while
working towards their ownredemption.
The Church maintains that theRPF is entirely voluntary, where
participants can leave at anytime.
Scientology promotes the RPF asa pathway for personal growth
in spiritual progress,positioning it as a chance to
correct personal failings andrealign with the greater goal of
(05:24):
the church.
Scientology emphasizes that theRPF is not a punishment but
rather a method of spiritualrepair.
Let's listen to formerScientologist and actress Leah
Remini.
(05:35):
Leah says things came to a head when she and Nicole were
brought up on ethics charges fortheir involvement with boys.
Leah Rimini (05:41):
I allowed my boyfriend at the time, who was
like my first boyfriend, to golike this over my shirt.
(05:48):
And that was enough to get you and that was light.
Leah Rimini (05:50):
That was very light .
It wasn't like it was in a realgrab dance.
(05:54):
Very hard to have this discussion with a straight face.
We're laughing about this, butthe people in Scientology were
not laughing about it.
Leah Rimini (06:00):
No, I wasn't laughing at it either at the
time laughing about it?
(06:05):
No, I wasn't laughing at it either at the time.
It was a serious violation andLeah says the church ethics
officers threatened to put herand her sister into what's
called the RehabilitationProject Force, a place for
Scientologists who step out ofline.
Leah Rimini (06:15):
When you have screwed up royally in the Sea
Org.
It's basically to reform you.
You have to wear black, youhave to run everywhere you go,
you have to call everyone.
Sir, it's pretty severepunishment for an adult, not to
mention a child.
Sandi McKenna (06:31):
Let's paint a vivid and raw picture of what
life was like inside the RPF.
This environment often feltmore like a prison than a place
of spiritual rehabilitation.
Imagine waking up beforesunrise knowing you'll face
another day of grueling,back-breaking work.
Sea Org members assigned to theRPF were required to work up to
(06:55):
12, sometimes even 14 hours aday under conditions that most
people would find unbearable.
These tasks ranged fromconstruction to cleaning,
maintenance of church propertiesand other physically demanding
jobs.
Members were expected toperform these duties regardless
of the weather or their physicalstate.
(07:17):
There was no room for acomplaint, whether it was
blistering hot or freezing cold.
Sleep was a luxury that membersrarely experienced.
After long hours of labor, theywere lucky to get more than
five or six hours of rest, oftenin cramped, uncomfortable
sleeping quarters.
It was common to sleep inmakeshift dormitories with cots
(07:40):
or even sleeping bags throwntogether in small spaces.
Privacy was non-existent, foodwas sparse, with meals provided
at odd hours and usuallyconsisting of bare minimum.
To keep them going, rpf memberswere often served a meager diet
, sometimes eating leftover orsubstandard food compared to
(08:02):
what higher-ranking Sea Orgmembers were given, and while
they toiled away, there waslittle to no communication with
the outside world, family oreven other Sea Org members who
were not in the RPF.
The RPF has often been comparedto a prison system with forced
labor.
Participants were assigned tothe most menial and physically
(08:23):
exhausting tasks as part oftheir rehabilitation.
These tasks included buildingand maintaining church
facilities, cleaning manuallabor and even jobs like hauling
debris or scrubbing floors,work often performed under the
watchful eye of supervisors whomade sure no one slacked off.
(08:43):
Of supervisors who made sure noone slacked off.
In some cases, rpf members wereresponsible for the upkeep of
the properties that the churchused for public-facing
activities, but they were rarelyseen by those outside the RPF.
Many former participants recallbeing hidden from public view,
almost like they were beingpunished in secret.
(09:04):
Here's a clip from MythVisionTV with former Scientology
executive and author of theBillion Year Contract, mike
Rinder.
Speaker 5 (09:14):
The hole has been one of the sore spots, no matter
how far away you are from thehole and the crawling around on
your knees and the hole nine.
You, being a fundamentalist,you're going to believe.
But enough is enough, and socan you tell us how bad the
torture, how bad the prison, howbad was this hole and maybe how
(09:37):
you got out?
Mike Rinder (09:39):
Well, it was pretty damn bad.
I equate it to like the Lord ofthe Flies.
It was an environment whereScientology executives had been
locked up in these twodouble-wide trailers.
The windows were screwed shutso they only opened an inch and
nobody could get out of them.
All three doors were barred,except one, front entrance,
(10:03):
which had a 24-hour-a-daysecurity guard posted.
Nobody was allowed to leave.
There were no showers.
You ate, slept, worked, fought,beat one another up all in the
same place.
I slept under a table or a desk, same desk where I ate the slop
(10:24):
that they brought up that wasleft over from the main crew
food, the same place that wewould sit, try and beat
confessions out of other people.
And it was a dog-eat-dog world,like I said, lord of the Flies,
the idea being everybody whowas in there was some
incorrigible criminal in theeyes of David Miscavige and had
(10:47):
been confined to this hole, thatthe only way out was to confess
your sins, that a big plus foranybody that was in there was
getting other people to confesstheir sins, and so it devolved
into physical abuse of people totry and force them to admit to
(11:11):
things that probably they'dnever even did.
But the more salacious theadmission, the better it was for
the person who managed to forcethe admission out of them.
So you have enormous amounts ofthings that people have in
their own handwriting that were,in the whole, admitting to the
(11:36):
most outrageous crimes.
I mean Scientology pulls theseout all the time.
Anybody that was there who isnow speaking out Scientology
comes out and says oh yes, youcan see in his own handwriting.
Mike Rinder admits to havinglied repeatedly.
He lied, lied, lied.
Amy Scobie admits to havingblah blah blah.
(11:57):
Tom DeVock admits to havingblah blah blah.
Mark Headley admits blah blahblah.
These forced confessions knowbetter than the POW videos from
North Korea feel you end uphaving to do in order to somehow
(12:22):
get yourself out of thisnightmare that you have found
yourself in.
Abraham Aurich (12:24):
The isolation was suffocating.
Members of the RPF were oftenkept separated from the rest of
the Sea Org and broader churchpopulation, cut off not only
from the outside world but alsofrom their fellow Scientologists
.
There was no casual interaction.
They were forbidden fromspeaking to anyone outside of
their immediate workgroupwithout permission.
Communication was minimalwithin their assigned groups and
(12:46):
they were often discouragedfrom discussing their
experiences or feelings.
This led to deep loneliness andhelplessness that compounded
the already harsh conditions.
The physical toll of the RPFwas enormous.
Long hours in physical laborunder strict supervision wore
down participants bothphysically and mentally.
Members worked through injuriesand exhaustion, knowing that
(13:08):
showing any signs of weaknesscould lead to further punishment
.
There were stories ofindividuals who pushed
themselves beyond their limitsjust to avoid falling behind or
being seen as out-ethics.
But the psychological toll wasperhaps even more severe.
Those in the RPF underwent dailyauditing sessions, an intense
form of interrogation where theywere expected to confess their
(13:29):
crimes and transgressionsagainst Scientology.
These sessions were designed tobreak down psychological
resistance, with auditorsprobing deep into their personal
lives, often for hours.
Many participants describedthese sessions as invasive,
emotionally draining andpsychologically demanding.
Fundamental rights werestripped away.
Freedom of movement was tightlycontrolled, with members
(13:52):
needing permission to goanywhere, even to the bathroom.
Personal autonomy became adistant memory, as every aspect
of life was dictated by those incharge.
There were reports of membersbeing watched constantly, even
while they slept, and of strictsurveillance that created a
constant sense of paranoia.
One of the most harrowingaspects of the RPF was the
(14:14):
stripping away of communication.
Participants couldn't calltheir families, couldn't write
letters and certainly couldn'tleave to visit anyone.
This isolation was particularlydevastating for those with
children or spouses outside theSea Org, as they were cut off
completely with no idea howtheir loved ones were doing.
For many, this led to long-termemotional trauma, as they not
(14:36):
only lost touch with the outsideworld but felt a deep sense of
abandonment.
Many former RPF participantshave spoken about the
long-lasting psychologicaldamage they endured.
Depression, anxiety and PTSDwere common among those who went
through the program wentthrough the program.
(14:59):
Some even compare the RPF to aform of psychological torture,
as they were pushed to theirmental and emotional limits with
no way out except throughcompliance and submission.
Sandi McKenna (15:04):
The story of the RPF doesn't end with the
harrowing accounts of those wholived through it.
Over the years, the program hassparked intense legal battles
and international scrutiny, asmany have raised questions about
its ethics, legality and humanrights violations.
The RPF has been at the centerof numerous lawsuits, many of
(15:27):
which have revolved around theallegations of forced labor,
unlawful imprisonment and humanrights abuses.
One of the major issues inthese legal battles is that
Scientology, like many religiousorganizations in the United
States, is afforded certainprotections under the First
Amendment, which safeguardsreligious freedom.
(15:48):
Because the RPF is presented bythe church as a voluntary
religious program for spiritualrehabilitation, the church has
been able to shield itself frommany lawsuits under the argument
that these were religiouspractices.
In several cases, courts havedismissed lawsuits against
Scientology by ruling that theRPF fell within the church's
(16:10):
right to manage its internalreligious affairs.
However, this hasn't stoppedformer members from pursuing
justice.
Some lawsuits have led tosettlements, often with
nondisclosure agreementsattached, preventing the details
from being made public.
In these settlements, there istypically no admission of
wrongdoing on the part ofScientology, but the payments to
(16:33):
former members suggest thatthere is substance to the claims
of abuse and forced labor.
One of the most prominent casesinvolving the RPF was brought
by Claire Headley, a former SeaOrg member.
In 2009, claire filed a lawsuitagainst the Church of
Scientology, claiming she hadbeen subjected to forced labor
(16:53):
while in the RPF.
She described long hours, harshconditions and psychological
coercion as part of herexperience.
Here's an excerpt from aninterview that Claire did with
Shalise Ansola from Cults toConsciousness about her time in
the hole or the RPF.
Claire Headley (17:12):
And then I ended up in the hole.
You did.
Can you tell everybody whatthat means?
Yep, so it was these double widetrailers on the property where
all the management executiveswere essentially being.
They were locked up, notallowed to leave.
To my knowledge, there'sprobably still some version of
(17:33):
that in play today Probably notin those same buildings, because
there's been so many peopletalk about it.
Like Mike, rinder was there fortwo years after I left.
It was bad when I was there,but it got significantly worse,
like absolutely worse.
Everyone that was in that thewhole was essentially being
accused of non-performing andbeing having counterintention to
(17:54):
David Miscavige and not wantingScientology to survive or
prevail or whatever, and so thereason I was put there is
because I refused to divorceMark and then I was not allowed
to go home anymore.
I was sleeping on the floor ofmy office in a sleeping bag.
Anyway, it was a completenightmare.
Sandi McKenna (18:16):
But it wasn't just Claire.
Her husband, mark Headley, alsosued Scientology.
Around the same time.
Mark had worked atScientology's Gold Base and,
like Claire, he alleged humanrights violations and abuse
during his time in the Sea Org.
Together, their caseshighlighted serious issues with
forced labor and labor lawviolations within Scientology.
(18:39):
However, the Ninth CircuitCourt ruled in favor of the
church.
The court found the FirstAmendment's protection of
religious freedom prevented themfrom interfering with
Scientology's internal practices, including the working
conditions of Sea Org members.
Essentially, the court decidedthat because Claire and Mark had
(18:59):
voluntarily joined the Sea Org,their experiences fell under
the church's religiousdiscipline.
Then there's the story of LauraDiCrescenzo, a young woman who
joined the Sea Org when she wasjust 12 years old and later took
on the Church of Scientology incourt.
Imagine being a child of hopeand belief and suddenly finding
(19:19):
yourself thrust into a worldwhere obedience is everything.
That's what happened to Laura.
She was barely a teenager whenshe was forced into the infamous
RPF.
But Laura's story doesn't stopthere.
By the time she was 17, shesays, the church pressured her
into having an abortion.
Now here's the thing In the SeaOrg, having kids is a huge
(19:43):
no-no.
The church doesn't want itsmore loyal workers, the people
they rely on for endless hoursof service, distracted by things
like raising a family.
Laura claimed that she was toldin no uncertain terms that
having a baby wasn't an optionfor her.
So, feeling trapped, she wentthrough with it.
Fast forward to 2009.
(20:03):
Laura had finally managed toleave Scientology and she wasn't
about to let what happened toher stay in the shadows.
She filed a lawsuit against theChurch of Scientology
International, and it wasn'tjust about the abortion.
She laid out some heavyallegations being forced into
labor as a minor, confinedagainst her will and subjected
(20:25):
to mental manipulation.
She was asking the courts tosee what was happening inside
Scientology's RPF as violationsof labor laws and basic human
rights.
As you can probably guess, thechurch didn't take this lightly.
They fought back hard theirdefense.
They said everything Laurelwent through was part of her
(20:46):
religious practice, protected bythe First Amendment.
And, believe it or not, this isoften how Scientology has
protected itself in court, bysaying that what happens inside
the church is part of theirbeliefs and religious discipline
.
But this case took a differentturn.
At one point, a judge orderedthe church to release thousands
of pages of internal documentsabout Laura's time in the Sea
(21:09):
Org.
This was a big deal.
These are the kinds ofdocuments the church guards
fiercely, but there they wereforced to hand them over,
providing a rare glimpse intohow they operate behind closed
doors.
After nearly 10 years ofback-and-forth legal battles and
multiple appeals, laura's casewas finally settled in 2018.
(21:32):
Now here's where it getsfrustrating.
The settlement was for anundisclosed amount and, like
many settlements, it didn'tresult in any formal ruling or
precedent.
Now here's where it getsfrustrating.
The settlement was for anundisclosed amount and, like
many settlements, it didn'tresult in any formal ruling or
precedent.
So while Laura did get someform of justice, the full truth
of her experience andScientology's internal workings
remains mostly sealed.
But what this case reallybrought to light was how the
(21:55):
church uses things like the RPFto control its members and how
difficult it is for formermembers to fight back, even when
their claims are as severe asLaura's.
Her story sheds light on thetrauma and abuses that so many
others have likely endured buthaven't had the chance or the
strength to speak out about it.
(22:15):
Beyond the US legal system, theRPF has attracted global
attention, particularly fromhuman rights organizations.
Many of these organizationshave drawn uncomfortable
comparisons between theconditions inside the RPF and
those found in forced laborcamps.
Groups such as AmnestyInternational and Human Rights
(22:36):
Watch have expressed concernover the reports of harsh
treatment, lack of freedom andthe psychological toll on
participants.
One of the most damningcriticisms came from the United
Nations, which, in response togrowing reports of abuse,
investigated claims of humantrafficking within Scientology.
While the church categoricallydenied these accusations, former
(23:00):
RPF members have likened theirexperiences to being trafficked,
as they were often held in theprogram against their will,
forced to work without pay andisolated from the outside world.
The UN had looked into theseallegations, though no formal
action had been taken againstthe church.
Internationally, otherinternational bodies,
(23:20):
particularly in Europe, havealso criticized the RPF.
Several countries, such asGermany and France, taken a hard
stance against Scientology,citing its practices as abusive
and cult-like.
In these countries, the RPF isseen as a human rights violation
, with many equating it to aform of modern-day slavery.
(23:41):
This view has led to calls forstricter regulations on the
church and for more rigorousinvestigations into its
practices, particularly thosesurrounding the RPF and the
other disciplinary programswithin the Sea Org.
While Scientology continued todefend the RPF as a voluntary
and religious program, themounting criticism from human
(24:05):
rights organizations, coupledwith numerous legal challenges,
cast a long shadow of theprogram's true nature.
For many, the RPF representednot spiritual rehabilitation,
but rather an environment wherebasic human rights were
routinely violated.
Abraham Aurich (24:22):
When examining the RPF, it's impossible to
ignore the disturbing parallelsbetween its practices and the
system of forced labor andpsychological control seen in
other cults and authoritarianregimes.
The RPF, though wrapped in thelanguage of religious
rehabilitation, bears strikingsimilarities to how groups
(24:43):
throughout history have usedcoercion, punishment and
re-education to maintain controlover their followers.
Many cults and authoritariansystems have employed forced
(25:04):
labor as a tool for control.
The RPF functions similarly tohow cults or regimes use
isolation and hard labor tostrip individuals of their
autonomy.
Whether it's in a religiouscult, political dictatorships or
military-style organizations,the strategy is often the same
to break down individuals bothphysically and psychologically,
through exhausting labor andstrict supervision.
Let's examine this clip offormer Scientologists speaking
out on the abuses of Scientology.
Speaker 9 (25:30):
The fun stops for these children with failure and
disobedience.
By 1976, on instructions fromHubbard, the first children's
RPF was established in LosAngeles.
No time off for play, but achildren's prison camp with
absolute obedience as its goal.
One of the reasons for the campfor children was stated in this
document Make it clear to thechildren that any form of
(25:51):
vandalism, theft and any othercrime committed by a child will
be punished by the RPF underaggravated conditions.
Karen de la Carrier (25:58):
Forget about your kids by the Opry
under aggravated conditions.
Forget about your kids.
Forget about even talking toyour own child that might be in
a different area of the Sea Org.
No communication is allowed.
You are isolated like a lepercolony and you are considered a
disgraced Sea Org member.
Leah Rimini (26:16):
It was completely abusive and had no other purpose
than to dominate and controlpeople and make buckets of money
.
Speaker 11 (26:24):
Valeska Parris left the Freewinds when she was sent
to the Rehabilitation ProjectForce in Sydney.
Scientologists describe the RPFas a voluntary religious
retreat.
Defectors describe it as apunitive re-education camp.
It was here she met former StGeorge Rugby League captain
Chris Guider, soon after theygot married and left the church.
Valeska Parris says she'd liketo see the head of the Church of
(26:45):
Scientology, the man who shesays sent her to the free winds,
put on trial.
Speaker 8 (26:50):
It's not right for someone to be running the church
and basically take advantage ofyou know a church and hiding
behind religion to live like aking and to abuse people around
him.
That man doesn't like anyone.
He's a psychopath.
Jenna Miscavage (27:05):
Seven days a week six had long days, rock
hauling, hauling them up thehill, putting them in a pile,
and we would do this no matterhow hot or how cold it was
outside.
Fifteen hours a day, we workedseven days a week.
Claire Headley (27:17):
I maybe had two or three days off a year.
Jenna Miscavage (27:19):
There's been many times when I've tried to
leave the room and theyphysically held me in there.
His viciousness and his crueltyto staff was unlike anything
I'd ever experienced in my life.
I saw David Miscavigephysically strike somebody or
punch in the face at least 30different occasions.
He punched me in the face atleast 10 times to be beaten by
(27:41):
the leader of my so-calledchurch.
I could go no further down thanthis.
Abraham Aurich (27:46):
In the RPF, participants are subjected to
long hours and intense physicallabor under the guise of
spiritual improvement, just asmembers of other cults have been
forced to work for the benefitof their leaders or the group as
a whole.
The tasks are deliberatelydesigned to be menial and
degrading, reinforcing the powerdynamics between the instructor
(28:08):
and the supervisor and thosebeing rehabilitated.
This type of work serves a dualpurpose keeping participants
physically exhausted andmentally pliable, while
reinforcing their sense ofdependency on the group for
redemption.
The use of isolation in the RPFis another hallmark of cult
control tactics.
Just as some cults cut theirmembers off from friends, family
(28:31):
and the outside world, the RPFisolates its participants from
both the wider church andsociety at large.
This isolation ensures thatonly voices they hear are those
of the organization, whichgradually erodes their critical
thinking skills and makes themmore susceptible to the
re-education process.
The RPF doesn't just rely onphysical labor to maintain
(28:54):
control.
It employs a range ofpsychological control techniques
that have been observed inother authoritarian systems.
One of the most powerful toolsis coercive persuasion, a form
of psychological manipulationwhere participants are subjected
to intense scrutiny andpressure to conform.
In the RPF, this happensthrough relentless auditing
(29:14):
sessions.
Individuals are grilled ontheir perceived wrongdoings
until they confess, even if theyhave nothing to confess.
These sessions serve to breakdown resistance and reprogram
the individual to accept thechurch's narratives of their
failures.
Surveillance is another tactic.
Members of the RPF are oftenwatched closely, whether it's
(29:35):
during their work tasks, theirinteractions with others or even
in their limited moments ofrest.
This constant oversight createsa sense of paranoia, where
participants know they are beingmonitored at all times.
The lack of privacy and thefear of punishment for the
slightest infraction keeps themin line.
The RPF's system of reward andpunishment also serves to
(29:59):
recondition individuals.
Those who comply and who showprogress in their rehabilitation
are given small privileges,while those who resist or fall
behind are punished either withadditional labor or more intense
isolation.
This mirrors the psychologicalcontrol techniques seen in other
cult-like environments, wheremembers are manipulated through
(30:21):
a combination of fear, isolationand conditional approval.
One of the most surprising andunsettling aspects of life
inside the RPF is how someparticipants, even after
enduring harsh and abusiveconditions, develop a sense of
loyalty or attachment to theircaptors.
This phenomenon is known as theStockholm Syndrome, a
psychological response wherecaptives begin to identify and
(30:46):
even defend those who areoppressing them.
In the case of the RPF, formermembers have recounted how they
sometimes came to believe thatthe program was truly for their
own good.
Despite the forced labor,isolation and psychological
manipulation, some individualsfound themselves justifying the
church's actions, convinced thatthey deserved the punishment
(31:07):
and needed their rehabilitationto be spiritually cleansed.
This mindset is a powerfultestament to the psychological
control that the RPF exerts onits participants.
Stockholm Syndrome develops whenindividuals deprived of their
basic freedoms and autonomy cometo see their captors as their
only source of validation orapproval.
(31:28):
In the isolated, tightlycontrolled environment of the
RPF, participants may feel thattheir only chance of survival or
redemption is throughcompliance and loyalty to those
who are controlling them.
Over time, this creates a deepemotional dependency on the very
people who are inflicting harm.
For some former RPF members, ittook years to fully understand
(31:50):
the extent of the manipulationthey had endured.
Many have spoken about howdifficult it was to leave the
program, not just because of thephysical and emotional barriers
, but because they had beenconditioned to believe that
leaving would be a failure, thatthey wouldn't survive outside
the confines of the church'scontrol.
Sandi McKenna (32:10):
As we look to the current state of the RPF in
2024, the picture is far fromclear.
Scientology, known for itssecrecy and tight control of
information, hasn't officiallyannounced the closure or the
continuation of the RPF.
However, rumors and conflictingreports from former members
suggest that while the RPF maynot exist in the exact form it
(32:31):
did decades ago, similarpractices are likely to continue
under different guises.
The RPF, as it was originallyconceived back in the 1970s, may
not be as openly active today,but it has yet to entirely
disappear.
Scientology, as a religiousorganization, adapts its
practices to avoid publicscrutiny.
(32:53):
Officially, the church hasclaimed that the RPF is a
voluntary program for thoseseeking spiritual rehabilitation
, and there's little outwardsign of it being enforced as
rigorously as it once was.
However, former Sea Org memberswho have left Scientology in
recent years report thatversions of the RPF still exist,
(33:13):
though under less visiblestructures.
Growing up in Scientology'sAaron Smith Levin gives some
insight into David Miscavige'schanges to the RPF.
Aaron Smith Levin (33:25):
The RPF was just really bad PR and a lot of
the troubles that Scientologywas encountering legally, most
of them were coming from peoplewho had left the Sea Org from
the RPF or who had left the SeaOrg shortly after doing the RPF.
The RPF is so abusive, it is soinhumane, it is so destructive
(33:48):
to an individual mentally,physically, spiritually that it
just didn't make any sense.
And also, when somebody wasleaving the Sea Org from the RPF
, it would require so many moreman hours behind the scenes on
back lines to go through theirfolders, go through their
auditing folders, go through theethics folders, figure out what
(34:09):
this person might know or haveexperienced that could come back
to hurt the church later on.
That it was like oh man, we gotto get rid of this headache, we
got to get rid of the RPF, it'sout PR, it's out PR, it's bad
PR.
But Miscavige couldn't verywell just issue an order that
says the RPF is out PR, so we'regoing to cancel it.
(34:29):
I know it might seem likeperhaps he could do that, but
that would not allow him to saveface, because who allowed it to
get out PR?
Who allowed the RPF to evolveinto something that was nothing,
even similar to what it waswhen L Ron Hubbard created it.
Well, david Miscavige did.
Who is it that has treated theRPF essentially like a
concentration camp?
David Miscavige is the one.
(34:50):
So he needed a face saver, andthe face saver was the golden
age of tech.
That was 2013,.
Even though there had beenalmost no RPF assignments for
years leading up to 2013.
After that, that was the facesaver.
Sandi McKenna (35:01):
He needed Some ex-members suggest that the
church has become more carefulabout openly maintaining
programs like the RPF,especially in the wake of
increased public awareness,legal challenges and negative
media attention.
Instead of formal RPFassignments, similar methods of
isolation, forced labor andpsychological control may be
(35:22):
happening in more discreet ways.
Former insiders say thesedisciplinary programs are now
likely kept behind closed doorsand are more difficult to track
or document.
While there are fewer publicstories of RPF-like programs,
it's not because they no longerexist.
Of RPF-like programs, it's notbecause they no longer exist.
(35:43):
Instead, Scientology seems tohave adapted, using different
names or reshaped methods, toachieve the same goals of
controlling and re-educatingmembers who fall out of favor or
are seen as out-ethics.
Although it's been morechallenging to find detailed
recent accounts of the RPF since2020, there have been some
leaks from ex-Scientologiststhat provide insights into how
the church may be continuingthese practices in less overt
(36:07):
ways.
In particular, some reportsindicate that, while the RPF
might not be as frequently used,disciplinary measures within
the Sea Org remain intense andsecretive.
Former members who left in theearly 2020s described the
culture where those who defyleadership or fail to meet the
strict expectations of the SeaOrg are still subjected to
(36:29):
isolation and forced labor.
However, these programs arecarried out in more remote and
lesser-known locations, far fromthe scrutiny of public eyes or
media attention.
Some have reported that thesame repressive tactics, such as
confessions, hard labor andlimited communication with the
outside world, continue, butwith a modern twist to avoid
(36:50):
legal repercussions.
The move to quiet thesepractices may also be part of
Scientology's strategy topresent a cleaner, more publicly
acceptable face, while keepingits internal mechanisms of
control intact.
The Sea Org, despite itsappearance of discipline and
dedication, has always operatedwith a degree of secrecy, and
(37:11):
the RPF, or whatever it'sevolved into, is likely still an
integral part of that.
Abraham Aurich (37:18):
As we close this episode, we need to take a
moment to reflect on everythingwe've discussed.
The RPF, with its history offorced labor, isolation and
psychological manipulation,raises profound questions about
how such abuses can gounpunished under the guise of
religion.
It's a system that has beenshielded by the legal
(37:38):
protections of religious freedom, leaving many to wonder how can
these practices continueunchecked in a society that
prides itself on human rightsand justice?
How can these abuses gounpunished?
One of the most troublingaspects of the RPF is how it has
been allowed to exist for solong.
Religious organizations,including Scientology, are often
(38:00):
protected by laws that allowthem to govern their own
internal practices so long asthey fall under the category of
religious discipline.
But where do we draw the line?
At what point does spiritualrehabilitation cross over into
human rights abuse?
These are the questions thatcourts, legislators and human
rights advocates have wrestledwith for years, and yet the RPF
(38:23):
remains a gray area in terms oflegal accountability.
The shield of religion has beenused as a powerful defense.
The church frames the RPF asvoluntary, as an internal
disciplinary tool to helpmembers spiritually correct
themselves, but the stories fromformer members tell a different
story, darker truth, a truth ofcoercion, psychological trauma
(38:46):
and sometimes physical harm.
As listeners, we must askourselves why isn't more being
done, what should be done toprotect Sea Org members?
Another critical question iswhat can we as a society do to
protect those still trapped insimilar situations?
We know from former membersthat the RPF, or versions of it,
(39:07):
likely exist in some form.
So how can we ensure that thosewithin Scientology,
particularly vulnerable Sea Orgmembers, are not subjected to
further harm?
There needs to be greatertransparency, more legal
oversight and a way to holdorganizations accountable when
they cross the line into abuse.
Part of the challenge is thatthose inside the C organization
(39:29):
may not feel they have any wayout.
The isolation, thepsychological manipulation and
the total control that thechurch holds over its members
make it incredibly difficult toescape, let alone speak out.
So how do we create safe spacesfor people to come forward?
How do we support those braveenough to leave and ensure they
(39:50):
get the help they need?
These are questions withouteasy answers, but are crucial
for us to consider.
I want to leave you all with acall to action.
If this episode resonates withyou, please share it.
Help spread awareness aboutwhat is happening behind closed
doors in organizations likeScientology.
The more people who understandthe darker side of these methods
(40:11):
, the greater the chance ofchange.
We need to shine a light onwhat has been hidden for so long
and, if you want to do more,educate yourself further.
There are resources availablefrom former members, advocacy
groups and legal experts who arefighting to expose these abuses
.
You can be part of that changeby sharing what you've learned,
raising awareness and supportingthose who have lived through
(40:34):
these experiences.
In the end, it's about justice.
It's about ensuring that no one, under the guise of religion or
otherwise, is subjected to thekinds of treatment we've
discussed today.
I am Abraham Alrick and,together with Sandy McKenna, we
want to thank you for joining uson this episode of Sense of
Scientology.
We hope the insights we'veshared left you as intrigued and
(40:56):
reflective as we were inuncovering them.
If you found this episodeimpactful, we'd love for you to
subscribe, share and leave areview, and don't forget to
follow us on social media tostay updated on our next deep
dive into the hidden truthslurking in Scientology's shadowy
past.
Until then, keep questioning,keep seeking, and may your
(41:17):
journey be as rich andenlightening as the stories you
encounter.
Thank you, thank you.
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