How are they doing so well now?

I think the reason these people have become successful is because of the qualities they have that gets them to question their situation & do something about it. They have the strength. The weak ones stay, getting their brains fully washed day in & day out. Think about what kind of people they might have become if it weren't for the handicap of scientology. Aaron & Collin Smith-Levin (I think their names were) seemed like brilliant, handsome young men who could have written their own ticket.

Is it really that easy for a former cult member without education or references to get a high-paying job, buy a house and a car and raise a fairy tale family?! I really don't get it.

I was wondering the same thing. They talk about having to spend a quarter million dollars apiece and how everyone has to drive crap cars and not have savings and spend all their money on the church, and everyone who has gotten out on the show has huge houses and nice cars and so on it seems. Maybe it is like the reply said, and also they are smart people and were able to get a great job. Also if their kids are in the church still and they don't have to provide for them, it's sad but true that could help them financially. I wish they would show some more families who have lost everything and haven't recovered as well to show the effects of Scientology. Bc the church could say these people have gotten rich off of bashing the church and made it their job, and may make people question their validity. Maybe that's a stretch but it did go through my head that if these people are getting rich off of exposing the church, it gives the church ammo. I don't know what these people do now for a job. Idk if they said it and I missed it or if they didn't say.

Most of them have written books, right? That would be some money. Plus, the ones coming out of the Sea Org wouldn't have any debt. They all moved in with family or friends when they left. A couple both working with no debt can make a decent living.

For years they talked people into Scientology I'm sure they'd make persuasive salesmen.

It's takes a very strong-willed person to break away from such a powerful cult. That same strength could lead to a person being pretty successful out in the real world.

I didn't get the impression Tom DeVocht was living high at all. I saw what looked like a cramp living space that was tidied up for the cameras. But I get your point about the ex-$cientologists generally.

I'm most curious about Rinder and the Headleys. Last night's guy, Mr. Smith-Levin, was working for a $cientologist-owned company and so was his wife, so they left with money-making skills of some sort. Rinder's situation is never really explained, and neither is the Headleys' (they have quite a nice house in a beautiful neighborhood).

I'm guessing family money comes into play here. Marc Headley, you'll recall, went to his non-$cientologist dad when he left the Sea Org. Maybe the Headley family has a successful business. Similar situations might apply to some others.

The people speaking out are, generally speaking, going to be people who have resources. Standing up to the cult can trigger costly harassment (surveillance, visits to neighbors and employers, legal harassment); a person isn't likely to do it unless she or he has some money to fight back and/or use as rainy-day fund when the cult ruins employment prospects.

Most of the stories told involved the ones that escaped going off to other family members. So I'm sure that helped. Remember, many of these people came from middle class or upper middle class families.

Also, when you are in the Sea Org your tech and audits are free. Sea Org is like living in a monastery to become a clergyman. Everything is included but you are expected to stay and work off your debt.

Finally, I think many earn their GED and earn a living doing similar jobs on the outside.

Some of the ex-scientologists featured have been out for years, so they have had time to rebuild their lives.

Jeff Hawkins recounts in "Counterfeit Dreams" his struggles. After more than 30 years in he left with the clothes on his back, $500 "severance" from Scientology, and some money he inherited from his mother (he says only enough to live on for a few months.)

In his years in Scientology, he had experience in graphic design, publishing, and marketing, and landed a job at a small local California magazine, where they were astonished that he had little concept of taking time off, and even had to tell him to slow down in some instances. Eventually he worked his way up to start his own graphic design business.

In Scientology, Marc Headley became an expert in audio/visual equipment and gained much experience in audio/video production. He estimates that overall, he earned about 40¢/hour.

But perhaps they were the lucky ones, gaining experience that was able to used in the real world. Others may not be so able to translate their skills to a real-world job. But if there is one thing that being a staff member or Sea Org member has taught them, it is how to work incredibly hard. And that has value.

Then they manage to break away, they leave, sometimes secretly. All they have is what they are wearing and maybe a few more things and (if they are lucky) a few hundred bucks in their pocket. They have no formal education, none or very few friends on the outside, no bank account, pretty much nothing. At the age of 35-40 or so.