Friday, May 31, 2013

Beyond Belief by Jenna Miscavige Hill

Jenna knows she is a Thetan. She knows that her body is just temporary and when she is older she will be able to leave her body, remember past lives and continue to remember this life in future lives. She has no concept of other religions, or even that there are people who don't believe they are Thetans. Jenna is a third generation Scientologist and her life is the church's.

When Jenna was 2 her parents re-dedicated their lives to Scientology, packed up the family and moved to California to be part of the Sea Org, the organization that runs the church. Jenna and her brother are mostly raised by caretakers, with limited time spent with their parents. Slowly, her parents are given less and less family time until Jenna and her brother are sent off to the Ranch, a boarding school of sorts for kids of Sea Org members. Jenna is not yet 7 years old at this time.

From her early years at the Ranch, to her teenage years working for the Sea Org, Jenna's life is fascinating. With  limited access to her family and hard labor at a young age, her life is far from typical especially for a child. Beyond Belief takes the reader on a personal journey inside an organization that keeps a very tight lid on what gets out.

Fans of memoir and religious exposes will enjoy Beyond Belief. Whether you've read Dianteics, or just seen that South Park episode, reading Beyond Belief will keep you turning the pages.