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Post by Ninja Bunny on Jul 12, 2014 20:26:26 GMT -4
Leah's point is generally irritating, but I'm more amused/baffled by the idea that acting is the only profession in which someone might want to solidify her "brand." Plus a woman shouldn't even need a brand to want to keep her name. My name is my name as much as any man's name is his. If I ever marry I plan to keep mine because it's MY name.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
May 8, 2024 0:34:07 GMT -4
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Post by Deleted on Jul 13, 2014 9:57:37 GMT -4
Did anyone watch her show? I almost stopped watching when it started out like the Wahlbergs reality show with the heavily scripted "look at our adorably entertaining and wacky family!" routine, but things improved from there. Leah's mom actually is adorably entertaining, her husband is a natural comedian, her daughter is quiet and age-appropriate as opposed to a precocious wannabe child star, and the nanny won me over with her British accent.
The frank discussion about what it meant to leave Scientology was eye-opening even if you're familiar with it. Leah's brother-in-law can no longer have any contact with his sister and the rest of his family. This is how the celebrity Clams are kept loyal. They have money and they have the power of the media to salvage their reputation from whatever public humiliation Scientology throws out there. But none of that means anything if you're cut off completely from the people you love. That level of emotional blackmail is what sets apart a religion from a cult.
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freelancergirl
Lady in Waiting
Posts: 387
Mar 17, 2005 19:34:12 GMT -4
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Post by freelancergirl on Nov 10, 2015 21:33:09 GMT -4
Bumping this up because I'm finishing up her book on Audible, and I recommend it. It's not, say, the most well-written masterpiece, but it is super-compelling and honest: she dishes a crap load of dirt on Scientology, and I have to applaud her so very much for it. I don't know how it would read on the page, but for an audio book, it's worth listening to. Bravo to her for being unwilling to cower in the face of Scientology threats. She's definitely earned my respect.
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greekone
Landed Gentry
Posts: 501
Apr 25, 2015 14:49:08 GMT -4
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Post by greekone on Nov 10, 2015 23:20:18 GMT -4
I'm about a quarter through the book and it is really compelling as freelancergirl stated. This far into the book she's been fair about Scientology and how she became involved and what it taught her in the early days as a child. She also divulges right off the bat all the horrible things she or any of her immediate family members who left the church, as well, have done in their past in order fend off any church accusations in retaliation (i.e. she had an affair with a married man at age 19, etc.). She also says the church will react by calling her an attention seeking loud mouth who is a liar and really into sensationalism/drama (or something to that effect) which she predicted quite accurately. I really like it so far.
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freelancergirl
Lady in Waiting
Posts: 387
Mar 17, 2005 19:34:12 GMT -4
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Post by freelancergirl on Nov 11, 2015 0:03:47 GMT -4
greekone - it's good, right? There were definitely a few passages where I wanted MORE...like...there were still many things I'd have liked explained in even more detail than she provided, mostly because so many of the situations were just ridiculous and confounding, and certainly, there had to be more there. And I'm not sure if this was her ghostwriter or she simply couldn't share everything. But...at the same time, (having finished the book), she dishes a lot of dirt, real, honest and frankly, objective, dirt, and she has serious balls. I'd like to say that her book could save people but the current Scientologists won't read read (they're not allowed), so I don't know that this is true. Maybe she'll save some people from getting involved, or even better, perhaps this will blow the crevasse open and finally have the govt do a more thorough investigation of the "church" and revoke their tax status. It seems like there is a real opportunity here for others to speak up/pile on/investigate, and it would be wonderful if the book did more good than just further illuminating the Scientology horrors to those of us who already know about them.
I have to say...it's a shame that Katie signed an NDA. She could cut them down at the knees.
Anyway, props to Leah for taking a stand. She puts her money where her mouth is, and I admire it. In fact, I almost even like J.Lo more after reading this!
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greekone
Landed Gentry
Posts: 501
Apr 25, 2015 14:49:08 GMT -4
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Post by greekone on Nov 11, 2015 0:40:50 GMT -4
greekone - it's good, right? There were definitely a few passages where I wanted MORE...like...there were still many things I'd have liked explained in even more detail than she provided, mostly because so many of the situations were just ridiculous and confounding, and certainly, there had to be more there. And I'm not sure if this was her ghostwriter or she simply couldn't share everything. But...at the same time, (having finished the book), she dishes a lot of dirt, real, honest and frankly, objective, dirt, and she has serious balls. I'd like to say that her book could save people but the current Scientologists won't read read (they're not allowed), so I don't know that this is true. Maybe she'll save some people from getting involved, or even better, perhaps this will blow the crevasse open and finally have the govt do a more thorough investigation of the "church" and revoke their tax status. It seems like there is a real opportunity here for others to speak up/pile on/investigate, and it would be wonderful if the book did more good than just further illuminating the Scientology horrors to those of us who already know about them. I have to say...it's a shame that Katie signed an NDA. She could cut them down at the knees. Anyway, props to Leah for taking a stand. She puts her money where her mouth is, and I admire it. In fact, I almost even like J.Lo more after reading this! Yes, definitely a good book freelancergirl. I do dig her cajones too. And she had balls before she was even thinking about leaving Scientology. For example, she's at a wedding half way across the world in Rome and the best man's wife isn't in attendance and so she asks "where's Shelly?" like any normal human being or friend in this case would do. How dare she! The nerve of her for asking. All the other robot Stepford Scientologists are like sheep just following blindly and never questioning ANYTHING. She also filed a missing person report with the LA police which is hilarious. I also find her to be very honest and I believe everything she has said so far. Pretty sure she is correct and Tom does not like Travolta and Kirstie Ally as they weren't even at the wedding. I doubt they were even invited, but I haven't gotten that far in the book. She even reels it in if something comes across as too far fetch. I think you are right, the ghost writer probably told her to play it safe as Scientologists love to sue people especially if something is heresy and there is no video or audio proof that it was said and Leah merely heard it with her own two ears. I have no doubt they would try to destroy her on every level even knowing to themselves that what she said was in fact true. Very creepy group of people. Scary.
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Post by smitten on Nov 11, 2015 2:21:20 GMT -4
I've always thought that I bought my kindle for the purpose of reading exposes on Scientology. The first and second books I got we're Going Clear and Jenna Miscavige's. Looks like I'll be adding this one to my list I actually can't wait!!
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greekone
Landed Gentry
Posts: 501
Apr 25, 2015 14:49:08 GMT -4
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Post by greekone on Nov 11, 2015 9:08:54 GMT -4
I've always thought that I bought my kindle for the purpose of reading exposes on Scientology. The first and second books I got we're Going Clear and Jenna Miscavige's. Looks like I'll be adding this one to my list I actually can't wait!! Ha, ha. So funny smitten. My kindle has true crime (serial killers, etc.) and Scientology exposes' Hmmm, I'm seeing a common theme. If I ever lost my kindle whoever who found it would think I was some nut bar. Lol.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
May 8, 2024 0:34:07 GMT -4
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Post by Deleted on Nov 11, 2015 10:25:51 GMT -4
Aside from her fear that her daughter would choose Scientology over her, did Leah talk about how Scientology affected their relationship and her daughter's health with the discipline and diet policies that she had adhered to? I haven't heard anything about that. I would understand if she left those personal family details out of the book out of respect for her daughter's privacy. But on the other hand, exposing the damaging parenting techniques that parents in the church are compelled to use on their children through her own firsthand stories would have been pretty powerful.
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greekone
Landed Gentry
Posts: 501
Apr 25, 2015 14:49:08 GMT -4
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Post by greekone on Nov 11, 2015 11:40:49 GMT -4
Aside from her fear that her daughter would choose Scientology over her, did Leah talk about how Scientology affected their relationship and her daughter's health with the discipline and diet policies that she had adhered to? I haven't heard anything about that. I would understand if she left those personal family details out of the book out of respect for her daughter's privacy. But on the other hand, exposing the damaging parenting techniques that parents in the church are compelled to use on their children through her own firsthand stories would have been pretty powerful. So true. I will check back in regarding this after I finish reading the book. I bet she goes the protect the daughter's privacy route as you suggested, but who knows. I haven't heard anything regarding this subject during Leah's press tour either.
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