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August 11, 2005

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[Book Review] The Road To Xenu

Dianetics VolcanoeI just finished reading (1991). If you’re interested in learning more about the (secret) inner-workings of Scientology and how they use subversive mind-control techniques to lure people into the cult in order to make money, then I highly suggest this free, online book.

The Road To Xenu is the fictionalized, autobiographical account of Margery Wakefield and how she was sucked into the life of Scientology at the age of seventeen. This story is only “fictionalized” for the fact that it not only pulls from Margery’s own experiences, but also a number of experiences had by others who were, at one time, a part of Scientology. The true story of Margery’s life can be found here. A list of all of her writings is here.

While The Road To Xenu could use the eye of a good editor, the story is incredible. Margery was an average, girl-next-door college student in the late 60s who found herself trapped in the “Los Angeles Org” for more than twelve years. During this time, she witnesses everything from physical and emotional abuse to extortion to FBI espionage and murder plots. Eventually, Margery is ostracized (or, “offloaded” in Scientology terms) from the organization altogether for the simple fact that they can’t “fix” her. Later on, Margery would find out that Scientology’s founder, L. Ron Hubbard was a lier, a bigamist, and a former protog� of Aleister Crowley, the renowned Satanist.

The Road To Xenu is a swift and ominous tale of why people are enticed by cults and how they sometimes remain part of them for so long. If you don’t know much about Scientology, prepare to be astounded.

Even after leaving the cult, Margery’s journey isn’t over. She still receives harrassing phone calls from current Scientology members. She’s had her house and belongings vandalized. She’s even had to deal with lawsuits and death threats. Now, over twenty years later, Margery is still dealing with mental illness and an inability to keep jobs.

Scientology is only one out of thousands of cults who operate in this manner. If you know anyone who is involved with Scientology (or any other cult), do your best to remain friends with them. Love them and talk with them and pray for them. Remind them of basic life-principles and always offer them a place to come if they need one. Cults are tricky beasts and can usually use what the outside world says and does as fodder to keep their members controlled. Sometimes the worse thing we can do, as friends to those in cults, is try to convince the cult members that they are wrong. But, don’t stop trying. The most effective way to snap someone back into reality is to love them.

Posted at 09:58 am

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Comments (17):
Tim, very interesting. Been wanting to find a book about this. Thanks for the reference. So, interesting related story. Have a buddy, Paul who i work out with at the gym. Just got this job, he tells me restoring film. His dad did it before him and was ready to retire so hooked him up. Paul’s making bank now. Where is this job? i ask. He restores old films for the church of scientology. Paul is not a Christian nor a Scientologist. He does it at their major headquarters… even Tom Cruise isn’t allowed there. In Paul’s own words, this is where they send out all the crazy indoctrinating literature. Its top secret and no one is allowed there. He provides a service and has an agreement that he doesn’t tell them he thinks they’re crazy and they don’t bug him. But he’s making big money. Says they’re building commune housing and some other things there… some of the staff he is pretty sure just lives there and there are some real “crazies” there.

dennisthemenace () - August 11, 2005 at 11:43 am

Dennis, I know you, so I know there’s no problem, but watch our for this guy… He may say that he’s not involved — and for all we know, he might not be — but everything I’ve heard and read leads me to believe that he would not be there if he wasn’t a Scientologist. They could easily hire a Scientologist to do that job (one of the facilities they have in L.A. is a “Celebrity Center” made especially for artist types) and according to The Road To Xenu, they have very tight security on everything (meaning, even letting someone into the lobby of one of their “Orgs” would result in hightened security).

I’m betting this guy is just using a lie to open a dialog with you… But, maybe that’s just me.

Read the book.

timsamoff () (URL) - August 11, 2005 at 11:54 am

i knew him before he got the job.. he’s definitely not religious. Total musician, “whatever” type guy. I would be able to tell if he had any signs of trying to “recruit” me. But yea, you can never know. I keep wonder if HIS days are numbered.. they need his services, so probably not. But the way he talked about it, it would be pretty bad promotion on his part if he was. “i just want to come, make some good money and get out.. leave me out of it… these people are creepy.. total bullcrap… scam” those were his words. You’re right though, they normally wouldnt. Apparently he and his dad provide a pretty rare service and his dad got out cause he was tired of it. He COULD be lying… possible. But i really doubt it.

dennisthemenace () - August 11, 2005 at 12:59 pm

i’ll keep ya posted! that WOULD be crazy…

dennisthemenace () - August 11, 2005 at 1:01 pm

Just printed it out, plan on reading it this weekend. Sounds like an interesting read.

Graves - August 12, 2005 at 2:44 pm

I’ve been reading it off and on, and I find it to be completely creepy. I even had weird dreams about it.

Mary () (URL) - August 12, 2005 at 3:54 pm

Let me know what you think, Jeffrey.

Mary ~ I think that the point!

timsamoff () (URL) - August 13, 2005 at 08:09 am

Why do you think Tom Cruise is so nutty?

dennisthemenace () - August 15, 2005 at 11:38 am

Just finished reading this book. It’s FREAKY. The fact that people can be susceptible to this sort of crap is borderline unbelievable. Thanks for the link. I’m definitely putting on hold my plans to join the “church.” :-)

Todd () (URL) - August 16, 2005 at 11:24 am

I’m glad you read it, though, Todd… I think it’s well worth knowing about.

timsamoff () (URL) - August 16, 2005 at 2:36 pm

Hey!! I just saw a movie called “What the Bleep do we know?!”.. have you seen this? interesting. I got into a long talk with this artist chic here at work after she loaned it to me. Basically a movie with an underground follwing on Epistemology…. Guys? anyone?

dennisthemenace () - September 07, 2005 at 6:00 pm

Yeah, that was a big hit in my circles here… Although, I purposely haven’t seen it yet, because a bunch of us are supposed to get together for a watch and discuss one of these days. I do know the premise, though.

I can’t really figure out why you commented about it here, though. :-)

timsamoff () (URL) - September 07, 2005 at 9:29 pm

well… i tried to find a topic that would best fit the post. I couldn’t think of another. Anyhow its pretty whacky much like the Xenu people. Sadly religion has “no answers” in this movie. Ticked me off a bit.

dennisthemenace () - September 08, 2005 at 10:29 am

But, does religion have the “answers” really? ;-)

timsamoff () (URL) - September 08, 2005 at 10:37 am

Well, i think it does. I mean, i won’t answer for religion as a whole or for the general congregation of the nation.. But at least my church (and many Reformed thinkers in my circle) is into epistemic philosophy, bigtime. I’ve learned a lot from them that i wouldn’t have picked up at say the local Calvary Community in Westlake (i’m getting personal, sorry). No one asked my pastor for his thoughts. Maybe we don’t have answers that people LIKE but yes… I’d feel confident saying many in my circle would have cogent, valid things to say. How sad would it be if they didn’t? See the movie first and then you’ll see what i mean. It gets a little whacky. There’s clearly a relativist agenda with those chosen for commentary. The scientific stuff is really cool either way but… i think there’s a blatant disregard of religious insight that personally i think is sad. Is it our fault for not being competitive in the marketplace of ideas or thiers for being rebelious.. i dunno. maybe both. All i know is i associate with people who are qualified for such a movie. Thats all…...

dennisthemenace () - September 08, 2005 at 10:50 am

Yeah, I was just making a snide comment that was directed towards Christianity or the movie either way. :-)

But, I’d say that in my experience, “religion” doesn’t actually offer many answers, per se. It might offer the means to better approach answers… I don’t know. I mean, I appreciate a lot of things I have learned from religion, and I hope to learn more, but I don’t know if I would consider anything I’ve learned from religion itself as THE answers — does that make any sense?

And, in my opinion, looking for answers in religion is what gets some people into cults like Scientology. (See, I knew I could tie this tangent into this post!)

timsamoff () (URL) - September 08, 2005 at 11:03 am

haha.. nicely done.

dennisthemenace () - September 08, 2005 at 11:21 am

  
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