Scientology Leader David Miscavige's Father Speaks Out About Him – as His Son Threatens to Sue

The father of Scientology leader David Miscavige has written a book about his son provocatively titled Ruthless: Scientology, My Son David Miscavige, and Me – and David Miscavige has threatened to sue over the book, which its U.K. publisher says details the younger Miscavige's "brutal approach to running the organization." In the first excerpts from an interview Ron Miscavige did with ABC, he talks about his estranged son's childhood and says he "wasn't always that way."

Scientology Leader David Miscavige's Father Writes 'Ruthless' Memoir About Son, Gets Sued by Church

I really think their time is coming soon, really.

Ron Miscavige, the father of Scientology Leader David Miscavige is speaking out about his son and his childhood years prior to joining the church. In addition to authoring a published memoir detailing the Scientology CEO's childhood, Ron Miscavige is also appearing this Friday (April 29th) on ABC's 20/20 to promote his memoir.

"When he was a kid, I am telling you, he was a lovable kid," Ron Miscavige, who introduced David and other family members to Scientology in the '60s, tells ABC's 20/20 in an interview airing this Friday in advance of the memoir, due out May 3.

According to the publisher's description of the book, the elder Miscavige opens up about his son's rise to prominence within the controversial church, which counts celebrities including Tom Cruise, John Travolta and Kirstie Alley among its members. As a young man, Miscavige worked directly with Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard, and eventually assumed control of the church following Hubbard's death in 1986.

Ron, who admits his son grew up in a dysfunctional household, says David began getting into fistfights in the first grade and grappled with severe asthma attacks.

"He enjoyed having a fight," he says. "And I'm sure he instigated it ... He's a tough kid. I mean, for his size, he's like a stick of dynamite." Ron also said that young David had a tendency to complain about other people: "He would come home and start complaining about somebody and I would say, 'Hey, come on, you're like Little Bad News, what the hell is this?' ... and then he would knock it off."

As you can probably imagine, the CEO of the church (ponzi scheme) isn't too thrilled about it.

Although David Miscavige has not commented on the book directly, Monique Yingling, an attorney representing the church, spoke to 20/20 and called Ron Miscavige's book "a literary forgery."

"On a personal level, I think he [David] is probably very, very sad that his father would do this," she also said.

"There seems to be no explanation except that his father is trying to make a buck off his name," she continued. "So I think there's that level of sadness and I'm sure a sense of betrayal."

Attorneys working on behalf of the Scientology leader contacted Silvertail Books, which is publishing his father's memoir in London, threatening to sue if the book is published next month.

"You are now on notice of the highly defamatory content of the subject book," according the letter, which was first published by noted Scientology reporter Tony Ortega.

In other news this week, officials in Russia arrested a Scientologist for stealing $2 million and giving it to the church.

I've been following Scientology since I was a teenager, ever since I learned that L Ron Hubbard was a student & disciple of Aliester Crowley. I was never a member nor have I ever even considered joining. When I was in college one of my best friend's neighbors revealed to me that he had been a member of the church for 20 years. He went on to tell me that after making his flamboyant exit, he was declared a Suppressive Person and that his wife and children were strictly forbidden to speak to him. This totally piqued my curiosity, mainly because I had known this person for almost two years by then and was totally shocked to hear that he had even been in Scientology at all, let alone for 20 years! He went on to tell me that David Miscavige is relentlessly violent to anyone in the church that doesn't obey. He mentioned how their modus operandi for disinformation is straight out of the CIA, and how they have the best surveillance technology that money can buy. I learned that the E-Meter is nothing more than an overly sophisticated polygraph machine. He even told me how the church has been known to buy out online news sources that speak negatively about the church, only to use them for tracking IP Addresses of suppressive persons.

After a while I began researching all I could on Scientology and I could write 20 different threads on its convoluted history and still not be finished. I also suspect that the church was responsible for John Travolta's son's death. Some have even alleged that the church is responsible for hundreds of mysterious deaths, all of which conveniently benefited the church in some way.

For those of you in the states who have HBO I suggest you watch Going Clear: Scientoloy & The Prison of Belief, which is a feature length documentary based on the non-fiction book of the same name. It's pretty damning.

"In the event that you proceed ... our client will be left with no alternative but to seek the protection of UK/Irish defamation and other laws. Accordingly, even at this late stage, we would urge you to reconsider your decision to proceed ... [with] what clearly will be a totally unjustified, premeditated attack on our client's reputation and character."

The letter reportedly indicated that the U.S. publisher, St. Martin's Press, received a similar letter.

Silvertail Books publisher Humfrey Hunter told The Hollywood Reporter that the book is still expected to be released on schedule.

"My plans for the book haven't changed at all since I received the letter. Full legal due diligence has been carried out on the manuscript and I am both confident in its integrity and very proud that Silvertail is publishing it. Ron's story is an important one, and he is a brave man to be telling it."

Anyways I think I will have to stop here, as I could go on and on. Read the article, maybe buy the book, and definitely watch the documentary.

Here's 74 interesting facts about Scientology.

I wonder what grounds the son is going to use for the lawsuit? My guess is he is going to claim defamation of character. Or maybe he reveals some kind of secret that is protected by law that I am unaware of. I would like to see the paperwork.

I did notice that the thread title and the article dont seem to match information.

Scientology Leader David Miscavige's Father Writes Memoir About Son, Get's Sued by Church

Gets sued implying the lawsuit was already started.

David Miscavige has threatened to sue over the book

This quote taken from the first paragraph you quoted implys it was only a threat. While I do not doubt it, I am simply posing a question based on this information. Could his claim be ploy to help his book sales? I personally would not find the book an interesting read, nor would the people I know very well.

That being said I am fully aware that my circle of people I know well enough to know what books they would or would not read dont account for a large percentage of the worlds populace.

a reply to: DeviantMortal

You are correct that currently the lawsuit hasn't been filed. The reason I did that was because I ran out of characters in the title, so I had to shorten it. I had no intention of deceiving anybody. Plus I'm 99% positive that they will get sued, considering the church's litigious history.

Kudos for your astuteness.

That being said I am fully aware that my circle of people I know well enough to know what books they would or would not read dont account for a large percentage of the worlds populace.

I would read it. Although I'm suspicious that Ron is colluding with David to launder more money to the church, seeing as they are going broke in many countries. At the moment I am unable to link the publisher to the church.

This being a conspiracy forum i would like to throw my random though, not putting this out as fact just a random thought.

Imagine the father wants money.
The son wants more follows.
How do you do both when the father is not a follower?
Father writes the book, son threatens or father lies and claims he did.
Book sales go up, people get more curious about Scientology and some get duped into joining.
Both faher and son win.
Next, what seems more likely? They planned it that way, or thats just how the cards fall?

a reply to: ColdWisdom

The reason I did that was because I ran out of characters in the title, so I had to shorten it.

You could have left the apostrophe out of gets. It is not a contraction.

a reply to: Phage

Thanks. I make that mistake frequently. Although one character still wouldn't have saved it.

a reply to: Phage

I think its a valid reason, leaving one character out would not be enough to change his title closer to the article. (I dont think anyway)

a reply to: ColdWisdom

So, let me get this straight... The father of the current leader of a band of false prophets and blasphemers, thieves and charlatans, writes a memoir about how his son apparently changed over the years, but alleges that his son was quite a fighty youngster?

Now, I have no problem believing that the fellow was a handy lad when he was small, if the more underhanded things of which the COS has been accused are true. Let's face it, psychopathic individuals seek power structures that suit their natures, and by all accounts, Scientology fits that profile like a spandex onesie.

But is it not the case that Ron, the father, introduced his son to the idea of Scientology in the first place? If so, will this memoir be anything other than a long list of parenting mistakes made by that gentleman, more than it is anything else?

In Montreal, QC, the Church of ScienIdiology is about to get their building on Ste-Catherine Street seized and sold by the city for a debt of about $90,000 in back taxes.

I'm happy to see these CIA wannabe cranks (check the surveillance methods they use) finally loosing momentum...

Church of Scientology building in Montreal at risk of being seized by City

a reply to: TrueBrit

like a spandex onesie. 

Ewww. I applaud you on that metaphor. I love unique metaphors, and that one is about as unique as it gets.
I did not know his father might have given him the idea, ColdWisdom, you did a lot of research on this subject according your OP, have you ever heard of this?

I'm still interested in whatever happened to Shelly Miscavige, David Miscavige's wife, since Leah Remini brought it up at Tom Cruise's wedding in 2006. She hasn't been seen since August 2007 and the LAPD closed the missing persons report since they say they talked to her. I'm not saying she was killed, but I suspect she is being held against her will.

Missing-person reports have been filed with the Los Angeles Police Department concerning Miscavige. At least two such reports have been filed; one is reported by Lawrence Wright, though he does not state who submitted it,[16] while another was filed in August 2013 by the actress Leah Remini.[17] Detective Gus Villanueva, in response to the missing person report, said: "The LAPD has classified the report as unfounded, indicating that Shelly is not missing."[3] In August 2013, the Los Angeles Police Department confirmed that detectives met with her in person following a missing-persons report filed by actress Remini.[18] The Church of Scientology will not comment on Miscavige's location,[19] though its former spokesman Tommy Davis said he knew her whereabouts and refused to reveal her location.[20] In July 2012, responding to press accounts of speculation on Miscavige's whereabouts, two UK newspapers were informed by lawyers indicating they represented Mrs. Miscavige "that she is not missing and devotes her time to the work of the Church of Scientology."[21][22] Former members of the Sea Org have said that they believe Miscavige is at the compound of the Church of Spiritual Technology – a Scientology corporation – at Running Springs in San Bernardino County, California.[11] According to Noriyuki Matsumaru, who worked for David Miscavige as a finance officer in the Religious Technology Center, her husband sent her a sweater and gloves for Christmas one year.[2]

en.wikipedia.org...

I care not who they sue or what they do as much as I wish by all that is Holy that they would take the Science part out . Call it the New Church of Mysticism , anything . Just get science the hell outta the name.

a reply to: DeviantMortal

I did not know his father might have given him the idea, ColdWisdom, you did a lot of research on this subject according your OP, have you ever heard of this?

Well actually not much is known about David's youth other than what is passed on secondhand by the church to its members. I did know that Ron had introduced his children to the church but this would be the first time one of David's parents have spoken publicly about David's childhood.

So we will see how it plays out. I'm gonna wait for the book. Even if I read it and it's obviously all hogwash then it will still be worth it just to know that it's all hogwash for myself.

Oh and by the way:

Ewww. I applaud you on that metaphor. I love unique metaphors, and that one is about as unique as it gets.

Technically it's a Simile, not a metaphor. A simile is a comparison using like or as so in this case:

like a spandex onesie.

Because the word like is used. Phage corrected me so... you know just paying it forward.

a reply to: UnBreakable

I'm pretty sure she is still alive and just in hiding on her own will. I don't think she is being held against her will (anymore).

But yea, without any confirmation it's still just one of those things about the Church. They go out of their way to make sure that their members don't know or suspect anything about Shelly. They obviously forbid church members from watching Going Clear. They use the e-meters to exhibit influence over their members. In the auditing session where it is used, often times they will ask them point blank something like "have you seen the suppressive documentary Going Clear?" or something like "Have you been in contact with any family member that is considered by the church to be a suppressive person?" So because it works like a polygraph, they will catch people in lies and then they'll force them to read more Hubbard books or something. Whatever their punishment for lying it ends up costing them money more than anything. Auditing sessions are always recorded, and anyone that defects from the church and speaks out against its policies will be the victim of public shaming & defamation of character. They'll take anything embarrassing or even possibly incriminating that they recorded from your auditing sessions and use it against you.

David's feistiness and power trip may be due to "small man syndrome." He is 5'1" and is even shorter than Tom Cruise.

a reply to: pteridine

Napoleon Syndrome*

a reply to: ColdWisdom

He raised the guy. I think it’s pretty pedestrian and mercenary for a father to write a book castigating his own son.

originally posted by: ColdWisdom
a reply to: pteridine

Napoleon Syndrome*

Actually, it has been reported that Napoleon was about 5' 6 1/2" when French measurements are converted to English, which was a normal height for the time.

Well it looks like there is another bizarre twist on the update of Shelly Miscaviage:

SOURCE

Scientology leader David Miscavige is FINALLY pictured with wife Shelly who has not been seen in public since 2007 and was reported missing by Leah Remini in photo released by father Ron

- Scientology leader David Miscavige and his wife Shelly are seen together in a newly released photo
- The picture was shared by David's father Ron Miscavige and also shows his brother Ron Jr., his sister Lori and their children
- Shelly has not been seen in public since 2007 and in 2013 her friend Leah Remini filed a missing-person report
- Shelly spoke with members of the Los Angeles Police Department at that point and said she was not missing
- A 2014 report claimed Shelly was sent away to a secret Church facility in 2006 after making executive decisions behind her husband David's back

A never-before-seen photo released by the father of David Miscavige shows the controversial Scientology leader posing with his family - including his wife Shelly who has been reported missing multiple times over the past few years.
Ron Miscavige appeared on Good Morning America Monday to promote his upcoming book about the Church, Ruthless, and shared a family photo with his wife, children and grandchildren from when they were all still members of Scientology.
Since that time Ron and his wife have left the Church, as has his oldest son Ron Miscavige Jr. and his family.
Everyone else remains in Scientology including Shelly, who was the subject of a 2013 missing-person report filed by her friend Leah Remini after she had not been seen in several years.

Ron Miscavige is appearing more aloof by the minute... I'm starting to think he's working with his son on this book deal.

It would be interesting to see some other ATS followers do their due diligence (as I am doing) to keep this story fresh on the top pages.