The Cult of Scientology (video)

Alex Gibney (Going Clear), L. Wright; Pat Macpherson, Crystal Q. (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

(HBO) Director Alex Gibney turns his gaze to the cult of Scientology in Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief, based on the book by Pulitzer Prize-winner Lawrence Wright.

Gibney profiles eight former members of the Church of Scientology, whose most prominent adherents include A-list Hollywood celebrities, shining a light on how this "church" cultivates true believers, detailing their experiences and what they are willing to do in the name of religion.

Going Clear book (Wright)

This powerful new film highlights the origins of Scientology, from its roots in the mind of science-fiction writer and Founder L. Ron [Lafayette Ronald] Hubbard to its rise in popularity in Hollywood and beyond.

The heart of the film is a series of shocking revelations by former insiders, including high-ranking and recognizable members such as acclaimed screenwriter Paul Haggis (Crash), as they describe the systematic history of abuse and betrayal by Church of Scientology officials, including the current leadership. More

I invented this cult religion to make OT money!

Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief was written and directed by Alex Gibney; based on the book by Pulitzer Prize-winner Lawrence Wright; produced by Alex Gibney, Kristen Vaurio, and Lawrence Wright; edited by Andy Grieve; with director of photography Samuel Painter. For HBO: supervising producer Sara Bernstein; executive producer Sheila Nevins.

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• 10 things we learned from Scientology doc (Rolling Stone)
• Going Clear: the film Scientologists don't want you to see HBO film is "a powder-keg documentary" about a controversial cult that can't it be screened in UK
• Going Clear film (The Guardian)
• Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison... (Rotten Tomatoes)
• Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the House of God (HBO documentary): Alex Gibney's investigation of sex abuse in the Catholic Church