Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief

"Scientology is a journey into the mind of L Ron Hubbard. The more you get into it, the more like L Ron Hubbard you become."

Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief is the latest documentary by Alex Gibney (The Armstrong Lie, Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the House of God) and offers an insight into the secretive nature of the Church of Scientology.

Obviously a documentary that takes aim at a religious institution is going to be potentially controversial, and Gibney has a track record of unfaltering, sincere pieces. This is no different. Gibney interviews ex-members of the organisation, ranging from actors, to high level executives, all of whom provide a great deal of information about the indoctrinations of the church and many incredibly disturbing details about what goes on behind the scenes. 

Going Clear is an unflinching critique of The Church of Scientology, its basis as essentially a tax dodge, and the ways in which it manipulates its members, sometimes even to the extent of psychological disorders. The first half of the documentary details the life of L Ron and the development of the church during his lifetime. He is purported to have said early on that the only way to make money is to become a religion, hence he wrote Dianetics, which became the basis of the theology behind Scientology. Several years into the creation of the church and after being personally pursued by the IRS and others, L Ron created the Sea Organisation, allowing him to move around on the open seas, tax exempt and with his followers as essentially his slaves. More intriguing is the fact that, in his later years, not only did L Ron believe in the scriptures of his own creation, but he supposedly became increasingly paranoid about a powerful thetan (what's known as a 'spirit' under Scientology) inhabiting his body. L Ron Hubbard is characterised in Going Clear as inherently insane, and this is highly effective in painting the church in a negative light.

The second part focuses on Scientology under the leadership of David Miscavige and the 'war' he waged with the IRS; which is put into context by Mike Rinder and Mark Rathbun, the two former executives of the church interviewed for the documentary. We see the massive Scientologist gatherings - complete with dancers and fireworks - that are compared to Nazi propaganda pieces, where Miscavige celebrates the church's re-status as tax exempt and shouting "the war is over!". The imagery is incredibly disturbing. Tom Cruise and the church's influence on him, his status as an "asset" to Scientology, details an arrogance in the famous actor that is seemingly played-on by Miscavige. Other areas touched upon include the practically free labour that the Church gains from its Sea Org, the psychological troubles, imprisonment of members, physical abuses by Miscavige and the ridiculous estates that the church constructs from the tax-free donations of its members. 

Gibney's brutally honest Going Clear has a very strong message:"All Scientologists are full of shit", and furthermore there are horrific abuses conducted by the church that deserve to come to life. The interviewees are insightful and perfectly supported by the visual montages throughout. It's difficult to view Scientology as anything other than an abusive, manipulative cash cow after watching this documentary.