In Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood, and the Prison of Belief by Lawrence Wright, we learn about Scientology’s complicated cosmology and special language. We see the ways in which the church pursues celebrities, such as Tom Cruise and John Travolta, and how such stars are used to advance the church’s goals. And we meet the young idealists who have joined the Sea Org, the church’s clergy, signing up with a billion-year contract.
Lawrence Wright is a staff writer for The New Yorker, and the author of one novel, God’s Favorite, and six previous books of nonfiction, including The Looming Tower, which was the recipient of The Pulitzer Prize.
Originally aired on 2/1/13.
