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    Beyond Belief: My Secret Life Inside Scientology and My Harrowing Escape
    Beyond Belief: My Secret Life Inside Scientology and My Harrowing Escape
    Beyond Belief: My Secret Life Inside Scientology and My Harrowing Escape
    Audiobook11 hours

    Beyond Belief: My Secret Life Inside Scientology and My Harrowing Escape

    Written by Jenna Miscavige Hill

    Narrated by Sandy Rustin

    4/5

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    About this audiobook

    Jenna Miscavige Hill, niece of Church of Scientology leader David Miscavige, was raised as a Scientologist but left the controversial religion in 2005. In Beyond Belief, she shares her true story of life inside the upper ranks of the sect, details her experiences as a member Sea Org—the church's highest ministry, speaks of her "disconnection" from family outside of the organization, and tells the story of her ultimate escape.

    In this tell-all memoir, complete with family photographs from her time in the Church, Jenna Miscavige Hill, a prominent critic of Scientology who now helps others leave the organization, offers an insider's profile of the beliefs, rituals, and secrets of the religion that has captured the fascination of millions, including some of Hollywood's brightest stars such as Tom Cruise and John Travolta.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperAudio
    Release dateFeb 5, 2013
    ISBN9780062262479
    Author

    Jenna Miscavige Hill

    Jenna Miscavige Hill was raised as a Scientologist. Since leaving the organization in 2005, she cofounded the website www.exscientologykids.com, which features the stories of current and former Scientologists and supports those who choose to leave the organization. She lives in Southern California.

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    Reviews for Beyond Belief

    4/5

    702 ratings67 reviews

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    • 4/5
      The content was good and very interesting but there is an annoying background squeak to the narration. Most people may not notice but once you’ve “tuned in” it’s difficult not to hear it.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      Absolutely fascinating! Would thoroughly recommend this book to anyone. Five stars!

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      An excellent look into the world of scientology. More messed up than I imagined.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      I knew a little bit about Scientology before reading Jenna's book and what little knowledge I had really helped in understanding what was going on. Jenna did a great job explaining everything she could, but having some knowledge before coming into this helped a bunch too. Reading this only solidifies my belief that Scientology is just absolutely batshit crazy and I deeply feel for those who are trapped inside. Jenna's story is worth the time to read for a better understanding of cult behaviors and Scientology itself, considering it's still ongoing. My heart aches knowing how much time Jenna was robbed due to Scientology and my heart aches for those who are trapped and have no idea what freedom really is.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      Incredibly fascinating view inside of a cult, their retribution system, and just downright odd practices.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 1/5
      The audio quality is unbearable, couldn't get past the very beginning. There's a sharp-sounding edge, maybe some kind of feedback, as the narrator speaks -- not sure if it's when she hits certain pitches or certain letters, but it's pretty consistent.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 1/5
      Good god the minutiae! The sharing of unnecessary details almost make me want to join the Scientology cult just to be protected from the descriptions of the bows she wore in her hair or the sandwiches she preferred. One gasps at the possible internal debates she entertained in choosing between a vanilla or chocolate ice cream cone
    • 5/5
      Just wow! The pure honesty the mistakes admissions the smoothness of the story timeline! I lived this book.
    • 4/5
      Scientology is fascinating, sci fi mixed with money making scheme mixed with bureaucracy mixed with religion, some great villains, and usually a good deconversion story as well. Nicely written and read, & I couldn't hear the noise some have complained about.
    • 5/5
      I felt the story was actually happening. As it was written so well and told by the reader with such great depth that I could not stop listening to the audiobook.
    • 5/5
      Well written account of Jenna’s experiences from age two into her twenties in Scientology. It is a stunning account of physical and emotional neglect and abuse and of resistance and resiliency. I could not put it down.
    • 5/5
      Very eye opening! I know this should prevent more joining!! Thank you for being so brave!
    • 5/5
      What an amazing book. Jenna takes you on a journey of being raised in Scientolog y and all that that entailed, to her escape, and her reflections post-Scientology. I couldn’t put it down. Her story is harrowing one, but it needs to be told so that the truth of this evil, self-serving cult can be exposed for what it is. The narrator was probably the best I’ve heard - she really brought the story to life and really injected emotion into her storytelling.
    • 3/5
      I think it helped me to have listened to "Going Clear" by Lawrence Wright before I read this. Learning the general history and doctrine of Scientology helped me better appreciate Jenna's personal experience. If I hadn't, I think her story would have come off a bit confusing and scattershot. Other than that, it is a compelling read and not heavy, although distressing.
    • 5/5
      Put simply, this is an amazing book. It's rare for me to read biographies, but because it was about escaping Scientology, something I know little about, it intrigued me. I'd always pegged Scientology as a misguided and strange, but essentially harmless "religion." But reading this filled me with horror at the abuse of human rights that go on, all under the banner of this "religion." The scary thing about this book is that it's real, but it seems like something out of a movie or sci-fi novel. The brainwashing, degradation, intentional splitting of families, lack of personal freedom (physically or mentally), abuse, Big Brother-style surveillance and suspicion...it doesn't seem real. And yet it is. And hundreds of people, often children, suffer under these conditions, hidden away under the flag of "religion." It's hard when it happens to adults who go into the Church of Scientology, but they had a choice. for kids being raised in it, the ability to see what's going on and then stand up to escape it is much more difficult, since there's nothing to compare it against. As Mrs. Hill herself says in her book, "Turning people into robots, especially children, is a crime against nature itself." I am very, very grateful to have read this book, to be aware of what others are going through or have gone through, and to be grateful for the life that has allowed me to make my own choices. After reading this book, I think that, "No," is probably the most beautiful word in the English language.
    • 5/5
      Well written. If you want to know about Scientology search no more.
    • 5/5
      Very well written, very well read.

      The story? "Crimes against humanity"
    • 3/5
      This book was Informative but I felt it was an little long winded, an easy listen and an eye opener to the world of Scientology
    • 3/5
      An interesting look into one girl's life growing up in the cult of Scientology. 95% of the book was a recounting of the events in her life growing up in Sea Org, separated from her parents, and how she was indoctrinated into the world of Scientology. The final 5% is about her "escape", which wasn't so much harrowing as it was anticlimactic. Her experiences, while horrible and I wouldn't wish them on any child, were clearly not as bad as some of the others growing up around her, and I would love to read another insider perspective as well.
    • 4/5
      Super interesting. This book gives you an inside look into Scientology. The only thing that bugged me was some use of improper grammar. I’m assuming it’s supposed to be that way?
    • 4/5
      Very interesting book.. loved the narrator …. I can’t fathom how a parent could just leave their child to be raised by random other people. And the psychological damage done has to be permanent. Bless her heart.
    • 4/5
      Enthralling and, as promised, harrowing. The narration was effective and expressive.
    • 5/5
      Very compelling story about how Scientology deal with it's members.
    • 5/5
      Great book and a story consostent with what I have heart if other victims.
    • 5/5
      Amazing, shocking, disgusting and unbelievable are just some of the words I would use to describe the criminal actions of "the church". A must read for anyone who has ever heard the word "Scientology".
    • 3/5
      I started this book because I love a juicy tell all about cults, and with one as mysterious as Scientology , it was a sure sell. I was certainly hooked to the complete description of life and hierarchy and the cuckoo things they do on a daily basis.However, this book could have used a much better editor and ghost writer.

      The writing is very immature and unformed, the chronology and sequence of events is all over the place and many things could have been edited better .. more crisply.
    • 2/5
      Waaaaaay too long and detailed, but in select parts very interesting.

      Writing: 2/5
      Narration: 1/5
      Content: 3/5

      Writing: Was the author or ghostwriter paid per word? Couldn't she have trimmed it down to the most important facts? She doesn't describe what anyone looks like, but goes into great detail about their clothing.

      Narration: I give up after trying to fall asleep with chapter twenty. I find the pitch and speed (even at X.8) really aesthetically (and therefore emotionally) annoying. Stopping for breathing between sentences was, I kid you not, for one second each time. The mind needs time to absorb the mood and images created. The narrator completely failed.

      Content: I learned a lot about Scientology from the inside.

      Conclusion: I might go back, because I want to see of she ever learns the finances and politics of the 'church' but sooooo much filler. She skirts the subject of sex too.
    • 5/5
      Really interesting account of Scientology experiences, relatable and easy listen.
    • 5/5
      Sounds like communism disguised as religion. The treatment is like citizens that live in a dictatorship like Cuba but within the United States. Great audio book I couldn’t wait to listen to it on my commute .
    • 5/5
      “It’s Easier to Fool People Than It Is to Convince Them That They Have Been Fooled.” – Mark Twain