The Apocalypse of David Miscavige: Part 2

The first part of this work introduces the concept of Millennialism and sets the groundwork in establishing its relevance to motivational and persuasive rhetoric to a wide audience. This article deals directly with Mr. Miscavige's use of apocalyptic symbology while reviewing the Scientology "2006 Global Campaign for the Obliteration of Psychiatry". It in no way is intended as a critical or supportive piece for either Mr. Miscavige or Scientology.

The first part of this series can be found at: The Apocalypse of David Miscavige: Part 1

The video footage used for this analysis can be found at:

You Tube footage

Vimeo footage

David Miscavige

"To quickly recap, those campaigns were specifically engineered to halt the dwindling spiral, or more technically, to literally audit this planet from three feet behind society's head, and thereby remove the surface charge before it builds up and blows the whole works. So yes, indeed, as a combined whole you can label those strategies as planetary salvage, embracing all pivotal programs from the very top, in the creation of new ideal orgs, to the very bottom...in eradicating the virus of aberration at its source."

Mr. Miscavige opens the conspiracy overtone in Scientology's struggle against psychiatry here, referring to a danger already in existence, "the surface charge before it builds and blows the whole works". Scientology is cast as the heroic figure in this rhetoric, drawing upon ideals of reason, scientific expertise, rationality, progress and advanced technology used for the power of healing the entire world.

Note the references, "specifically engineered", "strategies", "campaigns", "pivotal programs", "creation of new ideal orgs" used as virtues and assets of Scientology. "Audit the planet", "embracing all pivotal programs", "eradicating the virus of aberration", "planetary salvage" states its symbols as a healing force for the whole of the world. Other phrases cast the target of Scientology's adversary- psychiatry; "dwindling spiral", "builds up and blows the whole works", "the virus of aberration". In this rhetoric, Mr. Miscavige expresses a demonizing view of psychiatry while hinting at a secret conspiracy behind the scenes "from three feet behind society's head" where the battle between Scientology and psychiatry is staged.

David Miscavige

"Accordingly, if not poetically, we're better to begin our year-end review with the 2006 campaign...to break the Dark Spell which has been cast across this earth...by psychiatry. By way of a recap, that campaign was expressly, maybe even diabolically, engineered to ignite both government action and media blizzard. Its also got an internal kicker; our "Mental Health Budget Adjustment Kit" which essentially works like a smart bomb in that it sniffs out psyche fuel lines and blows the funding mechanism. And in that way, to put it bluntly, we booby-trapped the whole psychiatric ecosystem."

Here Mr. Miscavige demonizes the adversary by ascribing to psychiatry an evil, deliberate intent, as well as hinting at supernatural forces. Subtly psychiatry is recast away from a science and made into a practice of superstition. He paints Scientology as a tactically minded, logical and superior organization utilizing subtle and advanced strategies to alert the world of the "true intent" of their adversary. In apocalyptic symbology, Mr. Miscavige could be viewed as a prophetic force within Scientology, the vessel and voice of divine warning to a deceived world.

Altered to fit a more secular narrative, it speaks on two separate levels to different listeners. To the listener who identifies himself as logical and rational, this symbol invokes a litany of scientific achievement through the middle ages, ushering in the Renaissance and an "Age of Enlightenment" from a dark and superstitious medieval era. In this picture, Mr. Miscavige becomes the voice of reason in a superstitious world, like da Vinci or Galileo, bright intellectuals in a world unable to understand their genius or vision.

To the "True Believer" such language entices a "prophet image" such as John the Baptist, Ezekiel or Isaiah, boldly striking out against a powerful and corrupt institution with open criticism in the face against common, conventional wisdom of the times. In this narrative, Mr. Miscavige is the divinely inspired prophet who receives his wisdom from a higher authority and suffers for his message. The unpopularity of his message, as well as any criticism it receives by the outside world lends more authority to his message as being genuinely inspired and truthful. Efforts to dissuade the "true believer" or the "rational listener" act instead to reinforce their belief in the message as well as providing evidence of a dark conspiracy moving against the central hero, deceiving the world around them.

As both listeners relate to one another, they can use similar language to describe Mr. Miscavige and reinforce each other's beliefs without conflict, even though both pictures are significantly different from each other. Even more potent is the synthesis of the two images, cast together as a prophetic, spiritual genius, ahead of his time, bringing the light of reason and divine justice to a dark and superstitious world.

In casting this campaign as "maybe even diabolically engineered", it takes on classical and destructive elements of millennialism, advocating using the same "dark" tactics and methods against their adversary that they ascribe to it. In this way, any crime or evil can be painted onto the devil of their adversary, and then in turn justify any action against their adversary as "turning the tables". As more and more supernatural and conspiratorial elements come into play, the easier it is to convincingly ascribe the setbacks and trials of one's individual life to a widening conspiracy to destroy the Millennialist organization and end its just cause.

The use of these tactics in this passage invokes the image of smart bombs exploding with devastating effect while leaving the innocent victims of psychiatry unharmed, perhaps even receiving the benefits of its "Budget Adjustment Kit". The use of phrases and words like "ignite", "blizzard" and "fuel lines" invokes powerful, explosive images as well as lending the movement the power of natural forces, while words such as "bomb", "funding mechanism" and "booby trap" invokes fears from the current world crisis of terrorism and warfare. Its implicit admission of these tactics justifies to the listener that any action taken against the adversary is advocated. It is the secular version of promised absolution of sins committed during the course of Crusade or Jihad. The promise of victory motivates members to more bold and daring acts as the impending fall of the adversary means that no repercussions will be forthcoming for their actions.

David Miscavige

"So while only nine weeks have passed since global activation, here's the preliminary action report. CCHR Central has a tracking board designed to measure collateral damage from our campaign rollout. It monitors both incoming complaints of psych abuse and outgoing psych alerts to state and federal prosecutors. And while it's sometimes difficult to determine just who's bomb hit the ammo dump, this much is blazingly clear:

While it takes a psych eight years to earn his license, we've already yanked 21 in the last four weeks."

Again, Mr. Miscavige lists the core virtues of Scientology in action against the corruption of the perceived adversary. Using the impression of control centers, high tech methods and militaristic language to give a sense of ongoing, military conflict. Of particular note here and throughout the speech is his use of specialized language in referring to the adversary as a "psych". In shortening the term "psychiatrist" it belittles the traditionally professional title, stripping it of it's normal prestige, as well as carrying the double meaning "psych" as in to deceive or undermine the confidence of another in a "psych out", as well as incidentally associating psychiatry with supernatural forces, tangentially stripping the difference between a "psychiatrist" and a "psychic". To the more secular listener, this places the profession on a level with superstition, while to a "true believer" it ascribes possible supernatural ability. This dual-indictment reinforces in the minds of both listeners the idea that the adversary cannot, nor should be, understood or identified with as rational or possibly even human.

David Miscavige

"Then there is all our campaign represents as a high pressure system for an anti-psych climate, at which the best barometer is the anti-psych media index. And while CCHR trackers described the last four weeks as "highest ever", the psyches themselves have a somewhat more descriptive name for it, "Apocalypse Now!"

And here's the satellite view..".

It is ironic that Mr. Miscavige would reference this movie directly for a number of reasons. The first, and probably his actual intent is the apocalyptic overtones which he has employed in his speech and, from this writers limited perspective, most of his career. My first impression was that this quote might have been embellishment on Mr. Miscavige's part. I've seen nothing to indicate this view on the part of psychiatry, nor any quotes in the media by anyone in the profession. If this is embellishment by Mr. Miscavige, it is not a well thought out one. The movie "Apocalypse Now!" features Marlon Brando in the role of charismatic Colonel Walter Kurtz, an AWOL Green Beret officer who goes insane and starts a militant quasi-religious cult comprised of local natives. Due to the ongoing controversy surrounding Scientology, which tends to cast it very close to this image, the quote could genuinely be from psychiatrists, even if it is not one reported in the media. The reaction from Mr. Miscavige's audience leads me to believe this point may either be lost on them, or maybe simply accepted with humor.

David Miscavige

"The first of four plagues to visit psychiatrists in the wake of our campaign was a veritable storm of British press, more than 800 column mentions mushrooming up from our launch site in England. Then came the 2600 newspaper, magazine and e-news articles like a cloud of locusts from elsewhere around the world. Followed by a third swarm of news clips, documentaries and televised forums. Then, just when the psyches thought the seas had parted and they could safely enjoy this holiday season, it all rained down. "

Here the apocalyptic imagery is well underway and overt. It's Chiliast source is barely masked as metaphor as Mr. Miscavige references divine judgment directly by "four plagues", four being the biblical number of all of creation ("four corners" of the world). His nuclear holocaust references invoke old 1970-1980 apocalyptic interpretations in which divine judgment comes in the form of nuclear exchange, destroying decadent nations in hellfire like Sodom and Gomorrah. Locust swarms so dense as to blot out the sun are common Old Testament divine judgment themes, especially pertaining to the plagues which strike Egypt, the biblical symbol for slavery. The image is reinforced by the biblical image of Moses parting the sea, allowing escape for God's chosen from the wrath of Pharaoh's pursuing army. This juxtaposition in roles is glibly accepted, as there is no escape for Scientology's adversary. This switching of roles between traditionally accepted good/evil symbols is a subtle example of a secular absolution of activities undertaken during Crusade, and an implied immunity from judgment.

David Miscavige

"Because what with CCHR inspired hearings on the menace of new generation psyche drugs, the age old secrets of how psyches cut deals with the FDA have finally come to light. And since the FDA can't get the toothpaste back in the tube, they just agreed to smear new black-box warnings, all over the antidepressant line-up, which in turn fueled an anti-psych media fest like something out of Revelations, and it looks something like this:

The Washington Post

The Washington Times

The New York Times

Chicago Tribune

Herald Tribune

USA Today

Associated Press"

Here Mr. Miscavige calls upon direct accusations of conspiracy and complicity, psychiatry as an ancient, secret adversary enabled by a corrupt secular branch of the government. His reference to "age old secrets" "finally come to light" invokes powerful ideas of justice and enlightenment as the adversary is caught in public spectacle which should be plain for the whole world to see. He is assuming a great victory in the conflict, sharing the ramifications and embarrassment of psychiatry with the "insiders", the biblical "elect", who are not deceived by the lies of the enemy. Again, his apocalyptic language is only barely disguised as metaphorical, yet enjoys the full benefit of providing the satisfaction of seeing divine or natural judgment unfold against psychiatry for fellow Scientologists.

Should the revelation of psychiatry's conspiracy be unheeded, the imagery invoked insulates the listener from possibly concluding that none of this has anything to do with divine wrath or natural justice. Mr. Miscavige sets up the scenario of warning the world to the evils or abuses of psychiatry, a world that has already fallen for the lies of a greater conspiracy. True to the role of the biblical prophet, a warned populace who does not heed the prophet's divine message becomes complicit and indistinguishable from Scientology's adversary. No matter what the eventual outcome is, the listener is safe from doubt and assured that his place in the conflict remains righteous.

David Miscavige

"...and all over network news, until as of tonight... well...

Let me put it like this...

At IAS Celebration Anniversary Celebration I told you psyches were about to believe in the divine wrath of God, and sure enough, they now know that wrath is swift and certain, because in just the last eight weeks came 37,8224 column inches of anti-psych press to mess them up but good.

And that's our 2006 campaign for the global obliteration of psychiatry."

Mr. Miscavige claims the role of the divine messenger directly in secular terms by referencing his own prediction earlier, and then by revealing its fulfillment in this speech in detail. To the "reasonable" listener mentioned above, secular Millennialist notions make this conclusion a direct and logical outcome of the adversary's own actions. To this listener, it is simply the logical way of the world, that evil will suffer from it's own activities. This listener is invited to share in Mr. Miscavige's genius and vision of a better world that operates according to logical and just laws.

To the "True Believer" this is the direct hand of divinity interceding on behalf of the righteous, and reward for its struggle against evil. Mr. Miscavige is the messenger of divine influence as well as its warrior, winning in a titanic struggle against psychiatry. This listener is invited to share in the accomplishment simply for being part of an elect, privileged chosen group on the side of good, even if one does nothing more than agree in the righteousness of its cause.

Like above, both listeners may afterward share their experience of the speech and come to a consensus, even though their internal impressions of Mr. Miscavige's emphasis may be widely different. Also, in sharing both views, each may take away from the experience the sense of both images of Mr. Miscavige, both as a spiritual messenger as well as a visionary genius and benefactor to the world.

As stated before, it is not within the scope of this article to provide any ethical or moral dialogue concerning Mr. Miscavige's use of Chiliast symbology as a tool of identification and persuasion, but to bring to the forefront the symbols that he utilizes in his speech. These symbols are not part of secret societies, nor are they arcane or supernatural. They are, however, extremely powerful to all of us, especially within the United States, which has been described as obsessed with Millennialist symbology by many academic works on the subject.

Earlier in this article I ascribed certain elements of Mr. Miscavige's use of Chiliast symbology as "destructive" without explaining exactly the alternatives that are used by other movements driven by Millennialist values. Secular absolution of activities carried out by Scientology against its adversary is a potent and potentially destructive moral value within Scientology which can lead to inflamed or explosive acts of violence should the conflict between Scientology and the outside world escalate. Even though Scientology claims its "Fair Game" policy is propaganda and misrepresentation by its critics, this recent address by its central figure of authority represents a deep, ingrained cultural value that is indistinguishable to the outsider from this same policy. It is entirely conceivable that a Scientologist may view its tactics against its adversaries as significantly different than how the outside world views the controversial "Fair Game" policy.

It cannot be denied, however, that other Millennialist movements which have advocated the demonizing of its adversaries have led to varying levels of brutality, inhuman cruelty and ecstatic levels of violence, while remaining internally justified in all their actions. An example of the potentially destructive nature of this value is the Fourth Crusade, which sacked Constantinople instead of reaching its intended target of Jerusalem. While its Catholic origin could argue against Millennialist motivations for the Fourth Crusade, the justification in sacking Constantinople to pay the Venetian passage into the Holy Land lies in the "Absolution During Crusade" value, in which any action taken by the Crusaders in its goal for the Holy Land is absolved.

Other destructive examples include the confrontations at Ruby Ridge and Waco, the Oklahoma City Bombing, the Spanish Inquisition, the Salem Witch Trials and the rise and fall of Hitler's Third Reich. In each instance the demonizing of each Millennialist motivated movement was encouraged and accepted. I choose these examples specifically as they vary in success, environment, structure and scope, while still holding common themes of Millennialist roots and the demonizing of their adversaries.

Constructive Millennialist movements, conversely, discourages demonizing, scapegoating and avoids attributing its adversaries as engaging in conspiracies behind the scenes. Because of the inflammatory nature of Millennialist movements, this can be a taxing effort on its own, especially if the adversary in these movements focus on a group of people instead of an unwanted ideal or belief. The Civil Rights Movement, Women's Suffrage and Mahatma Gandhi's Civil Disobedience movements serve as more ideal examples of constructive Millennialism in which demonizing is heavily discouraged (though not always successfully). Examples of mixed Millennialist movements with elements of both idealism and demonizing include The American Revolution, The Protests of the Vietnam War and current Pro-Life movements. In these examples, we can see a correlation in how the chosen adversary is portrayed in a movement directly determines the outcome of the movement in terms of violence and cruelty (although no Millennialist movement completely escapes violence or confrontation).

It should be noted that this speech was given by Mr. Miscavige to members who are established or new members to Scientology, and share the same perceptions on psychiatry as a deceptive and evil adversary (or who are being initiated into such beliefs). Mr. Miscavige's language may seem alarming to outsiders who view psychiatry as a professional and prestigious occupation and his view may seem extreme or even insane. To members seeking answers, or who have been already initiated and convinced of psychiatry's role as the Scientologist's adversary, these are reasonable and even justified claims. Consider that psychiatric abuse is a real social issue within our culture and the claims of the Scientologist become more reasonable, even if one disagrees with the overall message and methods.

It is the purpose of this article to bring those outside of Scientology's initiated ranks to a common ground by which the reactions and motivations of the Scientologist can be easier understood, and even identified with. Without this common ground, the view of the Scientologist from outside its insular ranks can only be seen as inscrutable and inexplicable, and therefore paints the Scientologist as an intractable fanatic, not operating under the same values or reasoning. This is itself demonizing and marginalizes the Scientologist, casting them as someone who reasonable dialogue cannot be engaged with.

For the Scientologist, it explains in concrete terms notions that may have only be vaguely understood, and allows the Scientologist to more critically define his or her role within the organization. It challenges the Scientologist to understand that their desire for divine or natural justice is shared by the entire culture around it. It allows the Scientologist to choose individually, his or her own adversary in the cause against psychiatric abuse, and whether to define that adversary as a personal demon to be destroyed, or as an unwanted ideal in our society which can be constructively confronted and changed.

Next: Conservative Analysis, 1992 Nightline Interview with Ted Koppel