AFP - The Church of Scientology has lashed out at a new book by its leader's niece, which recounts a stolen childhood and how she was brainwashed and cut off from her family before eventually escaping.
In "Beyond Belief: My Secret Life Inside Scientology And My Harrowing Escape," Jenna Miscavige-Hill -- whose uncle David Miscavige runs the secretive group -- also claims she was forced to work as a child.
But a spokesman for the Church said her claims were "false" and denounced "efforts to exploit Mr Miscavige's name."
"The Church has long respected the family unit while accommodating and helping those raising children," Karin Pouw, spokeswoman for the Church of Scientology International, told AFP.
"The Church does not engage in any activities that mistreat, neglect or force children to engage in manual labor. The Church follows all laws with respect to children," she said, accusing Miscavige-Hill of "apostate behavior."
In the book, published in February, the 29-year-old tells of hard labour she and other children were forced to do in the 1990s in the Ranch, in a remote part of the California desert.
Quote: kevindavis wrote in post #2She is so sued..
The niece is not the first person to make these kind of accusations. The Scientologist have their "spiritual" headquarters in Clearwater, Florida. The St. Petersburg Times has gone after the Church big time over the years with series after series of articles with direct information from former members. The Church is one nasty organization and what the niece is now saying is nothing new !! SADLY, the church is a cult soaking the rich and famous and the followers without money get the shaft working as slaves !! The abuse she claims is REAL...it is just terrible and nothing is ever done !!