Prepare yourself for an EPIC non-Mormon story! This week we are introducing Claire and Marc Headley, who were born into the Church of Scientology and have a remarkable escape story that we are excited to share with you. Both Claire and Marc were members of the Sea Organization within Scientology, where the church’s elite-level leaders work and are required to sign a billion-year contract of servitude. During their time there, both worked closely with David Miscavige, the current leader of Scientology, and witnessed his brutality firsthand. In this first part, Claire and Marc discuss the foundations of Scientology, what it was like to be raised in it, and how they came to join the Sea Org. They also share insider information on high-profile members such as Tom Cruise and John Travolta, and even address the mystery of what happened to Shelly Miscavige. Then, join us on Wednesday for part two of this interview, where they share their incredible story of escaping the Sea Org and talk about their work with the Mike Rinder Aftermath Foundation. So strap in and enjoy this stranger-than-fiction story! Show notes can be found on the Mormon Stories blog here: https://www.mormonstories.org/born-into-scientology/ Timecodes: 00:00:00 Introduction 00:10:18 Background info on L. Ron Hubbard and Scientology 00:13:59 Founding of the Sea Org and the billion year contract 00:20:19 Scientology and L. Ron Hubbard were opposed to God and Christianity 00:25:07 Blame reversal in Scientology 00:26:44 Self-reporting in Scientology - “OWs” 00:28:12 What are the “E Meters”? 00:32:27 Shunning in Mormonism vs Scientology 00:34:00 What is a "Suppressive Person” in Scientology? 00:44:26 What is the “cheese in the trap” of Scientology? The lure? 00:46:51 Overview of the “Lord Zenu” story 00:57:07 The Passing of L. Ron Hubbard 01:04:34 Did L. Ron Hubbard actually believe in his own teachings? 01:09:07 The price of rising up in the OT levels 01:18:57 The rise of David Miscavige 01:30:09 "Operation Snow White” - a campaign to flush out any SPs working in Scientology 01:31:28 Discussing Shelly Miscavige - the wife of David Miscavige who has been missing for 20 years 01:34:34 Explaining "baptisms for the dead” in Mormonism 01:39:50 Claire’s Story begins 01:42:35 Claire’s memories as part of the Cadets 02:10:39 Was there a part of her that enjoyed being there? 02:21:45 Claire decided at a young age she wanted to be an auditor 02:26:49 Rewards and Penalties in Scientology 02:52:24 Mark’s Story begins 02:55:46 Why did his mother join Scientology? 02:57:18 Going between scientology schools and public schools 03:03:40 Marc moved out as a child because he did not want to be a part of Scientology 03:22:55 Sea Org recruiters begin to speak to him about NarcAnon 03:26:30 Corporal punishment and violence in Scientology 03:37:40 Marc's memories of working for the Sea Org as a teen 03:45:15 Marc is sent to work at headquarters 03:48:52 What does a “floating needle” mean on an E Reader? 04:06:11 People could be sent to the Rehabilitation Project Force for minor mistakes 04:46:39 Discussing Tom Cruise 05:05:56 No pregnancy after marriage. No birth control. Abortions. 05:33:28 Mistreatment from David Miscavich 05:38:06 What happened to Shelley Miscavich 05:44:17 The years LRH was supposed to return (and didn’t) 05:50:48 Discussing John Travolta 05:55:55 Is David Mischavage a believer? 06:04:04 The creation of “The Hole” 06:07:45 Market manipulation and Big Pharma 06:18:05 Manipulation of police and judges in LA! 06:23:43 Scientology and Mormonism ___________________ At Mormon Stories we explore, celebrate, and challenge Mormon culture through in-depth stories told by members and former members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as well as scholars, authors, LDS apologists, and other professionals. Our overall mission is to: 1. Facilitate informed consent amongst LDS Church members, investigators, and non-members regarding Mormon history, doctrine, and theology 2. Support Mormons (and members of other high-demand religions) who are experiencing a religious faith crisis 3. Promote healing, growth and community for those who choose to leave the LDS Church or other high demand religions 🤝Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a donor today One-time or recurring donations: https://donorbox.org/mormon-stories?default_interval=m Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mormonstories Venmo: https://account.venmo.com/u/mormonstories Paypal: https://paypal.me/mormonstories Our Platforms: 🌐Mormon Stories Blog: https://www.mormonstories.org/episodes 🎙️Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mormonstories ✳️Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4sDzk7dRjODTSEqzZKZJzk?si=148b0efc1ccc4404&nd=1 🍎Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mormon-stories-lds/id312094772 🖼️Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mormstories 📱TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mormonstoriespodcast 🎮Discord: https://discord.com/invite/kuX5p6yyjF