Why Scientology's Cone of Silence Shattered - 2015-03-25

Why Scientology's Cone of Silence Shattered March 25, 2015, Jacob Siegel, Daily Beast

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"The 'Net changed everything and from all accounts has had a major impact on membership," said Mark Bunker, a TV journalist and longtime anti-Scientology activist.

The Internet, of course.

Still, it's a bit more complicated than that, Kent said. "It's not just the Internet," he said. Much of the momentum in the anti-Scientology movement that has culminated in the new HBO documentary comes from ex-members of the church, he said. The Internet gave them a chance to meet each other and trade stories, creating an echo effect that amplified their voices. "Former members became emboldened enough to start speaking on the Internet" about abuses they had allegedly witnessed and, Kent said, that in turn led to more defections and more ex-members speaking out.

Wikipedia cite:

{{cite news | first = Jacob | last = Siegel | title = Why Scientology's Cone of Silence Shattered | url = http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/03/25/why-scientology-s-cone-of-silence-shattered.html | work = Daily Beast | date = March 25, 2015 | accessdate = January 14, 2017 }}