Meet David Miscavige, Head of the Church of Scientology

Many of us are familiar with the Church of Scientology and we usually associate the Church of Scientology with L. Ron Hubbard or the plethora of Scientology celebrities that seem to constantly make the news. The "head" of the Church of Scientology however, is a man named David Miscavige.

Who is David Miscavige and why do so many former Scientologists have "issues" with him? Those were the questions that prompted this article.

David Miscavige was born on born April 30, 1960 in Philadelphia. Mr. Miscavige is the youngest of four children.

In 1976 he dropped out of school and joined the Church of Scientology's Sea Organization, usually referred to as the Sea Org. While working in the Sea Org. as one of the Commodore's messengers Miscavige, who was still a teenager, became one of L. Ron Hubbard's assistants. During his tenure with the Commodore's Messenger Organization, Miscavige advanced to the position of Action Chief.

In 1981 at the age of 21, Miscavige who had never even completed high school, persuaded Mary Sue Hubbard, L. Ron Hubbard's current wife and second in command, to resign her position with the Church due to pending legal action against her, Thus beginning his slow assent to the head of the church.

Much controversy surrounds David Miscavige including accuasations in 1982 by L. Ron Hubbard's son Ron DeWolf, that Miscavige embezzled from and manipulated his father.

In 1983, Jesse Prince alleged that Miscavige ordered the registration of many of L. Ron Hubbards "works" with the U.S. copyright office even though the majority of those "works" were considered public domain by accepted standards.

Many Former Scientologists accuse the high school dropout of manipulation, fraud, and embezzlement pointing to things like the fact that David Miscavige is the only member of The RTC (Religious Technology Center ) board of directors listed on Scientology websites as well as mulitple "revisions" to Hubbards "Tech". The "tech" is policy written by L. Ron Hubbard and followed by Scientology members.

David Miscavige has also publicly made claims that many find outrageous.

David Miscavige

Credit: ROBIN DONINA SERNE

Copyright: St. Petersburg Times, published October 25, 1998