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'''David Miscavige''' (born April 30, 1960) is the leader of the [[Church of Scientology]] and affiliated organizations. His title is Chairman of the Board of [[Religious Technology Center]] (RTC), a corporation that controls the trademarked names and symbols of [[Dianetics]] and [[Scientology]]. Miscavige was an assistant to Hubbard (a "Commodore's messenger") while a teenager.<ref name="christensen" /> He rose to a leadership position within the organization by the early 1980s and was named Chairman of the Board of RTC.<ref>{{cite journal| last = Young | first = Robert Vaughn| title =Scientology from inside out | journal =Quill magazine |volume=81|issue=9 | date =November/December 1993 }}</ref> Miscavige's mandate is to protect the works of [[L. Ron Hubbard]] from distortion or misuse,<ref name="christensen">{{Cite book| last = Christensen | first = Dorthe Reflsund |chapter= Inventing L. Ron Hubbard | editor= James R. Lewis (scholar) | title = Controversial New Religions | publisher = [[Oxford University Press]] | year = 2004 | isbn = 0195156838 |page= 247}}</ref> and to serve as ecclesiastical head of Scientology.<ref name="Behar">{{cite news| last =Behar | first = Richard|authorlink=Richard Behar | title = The Thriving Cult of Greed and Power | work =[[Time Magazine]] | publisher = Time, Inc | date = May 6, 1991| url = http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,972865,00.html | accessdate =2010-10-12 }}</ref><ref name="zellner">{{Cite book| last =Zellner|first=William W.|coauthors=Richard T. Schaefer |chapter= David Miscavige | editor= William W. Zellner | title = Extraordinary Groups: An Examination of Unconventional Lifestyles | publisher = Worth Publishers, 8th Edition | year = 2007 | isbn = 0716770342 | pages= 285–286}}</ref>
Since assuming his leadership position, Miscavige has occasionally been faced with press accounts sourced from disgruntled former parishioners alleging illegal and unethical practices, both personally and through his organizational management. These include reports of forced separation of family members, coercive fundraising practices, harassment of journalists and church critics, and public humiliation of church staff members, including physical assaults by Miscavige.<ref name="TruthRunDown">{{Cite web| first = Thomas C. Tobin| last = Joe Childs | title =The Truth Run Down | url = http://www.tampabay.com/news/article1012148.ece | work = | publisher = [[St Petersburg Times]] | date = June 23, 2009 | accessdate = 2009-06-23 }}</ref ><ref name="Inside Scientology">{{Cite web| first = Thomas C. Tobin| last = Joe Childs | title =Inside Scientology: A Times Investigation | url = http://www.tampabay.com/specials/2009/reports/project/ | work = | publisher = [[St Petersburg Times]] | date = June 23, 2009 | accessdate = 2012-01-21 }}</ref > Miscavige and church spokespeople have consistently refuteddenied these charges, often alsoraising authoring [[Exposé (journalism)|exposés]]counter-charges that have served to weakenattack the credibility of the journalists and sources ofresponsible for the impliedcritical disparagementaccounts.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://articles.cnn.com/2010-03-31/us/scientology.violence_1_marty-rathbun-scientology-david-miscavige?_s=PM:US | work=CNN | title=Ex-members spar with Scientology over beating allegations | date=March 30, 2010}}</ref><ref name="DMLetter">{{Cite web| first = Thomas C. Tobin| last = Joe Childs | title =A letter from David Miscavige | url =http://www.tampabay.com/news/article1012140.ece | work = | publisher = [[St Petersburg Times]] | date = June 23, 2009 | accessdate = June 23, 2009 }}</ref><ref name="cruiseand" /> He has no criminal record and throughout his life has not been the subject of any adverse judicial or law enforcement findings, [[civil penalty|civil]] or otherwise.
==Early life==
To announce the settlement with the IRS, Miscavige gathered a reported 10,000 members of Scientology in the Los Angeles Sports Arena, where he delivered a two-and-a-half-hour address and proclaimed, "The war is over!".<ref name="zellner" /> <ref name="query.nytimes" /> The crowd gave Miscavige an ovation that lasted more than ten minutes. <ref name="manbehindpart4"/>
===Media coverage and criticism===
===External performance appraisal===
Occasionally sinceSince assuming his leadership role, Miscavige has been faced with challengespress allegingaccounts theregarding existencealleged ofillegal and unethical practices indulged byof the Church of Scientology or himselfby personallyMiscavige himself. A hyperbolic [[The Thriving Cult of Greed and Power|1991 ''Time'' magazine cover story]] on histhe faithchurch taggeddescribed Miscavige with the epithetas "ringleader" of what is proposed to label a "hugely profitable global [[Racket (crime)|racket]] that survives by intimidating members and critics in a Mafia-like manner."<ref name="Behar" />
In 2009, the ''[[St Petersburg Times]]'' published ultimately untested allegations by former high-ranking executives of Scientology that Miscavige routinely humiliates and physically beats his staff.<ref name="TruthRunDown"/> This included self-controverting testimoniestestimony from both [[Mike Rinder]], former director of the organization's [[Office of Special Affairs]] who for years had been the official spokesperson for Scientology, and [[Mark Rathbun]], the former Inspector General of the [[Religious Technology Center]]. According to Rathbun, whoMiscavige hasis elsewhere"constantly plainly related his own exploits in verballydenigrating and physicallybeating abusingon co-workers, subordinates and employed service personnelpeople."<ref>http://articles.cnn.com/2010-03-30/us/scientology.violence_1_marty-rathbun-scientology-david-miscavige?_s name=PM:US"TruthRunDown" Ex-members spar with Scientology over beating allegations</ref>
, Miscavige was "constantly denigrating and beating on people."<ref name="TruthRunDown" />
WithoutSimilar leadingcharges to any [[criminal charge|charge]]s or formal findings similar allegations hadhave been floatedreported in earlierprevious timesyears.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Selling Scientology: A Former Scientologist Marketing Guru Turns Against the Church|first=Matt|last=Davis|date=August 7, 2008|url=http://www.portlandmercury.com/news/selling_scientology/Content?oid=862344|accessdate=August 10, 2008}}</ref> In a 1995 interview for [[ITV]], [[Stacy Brooks Young|Stacy Young]], Miscavige's former secretary and the ex-wife of Hubbard's former [[public relations]] spokesman, [[Robert Vaughn Young]], had previously uttered self-contradicting statementsasserted that Miscavige emotionally tormented staff members on a regular basis. "His viciousness and his cruelty to staff was unlike anything that I had ever experienced in my life," she said. "He just loved to degrade the staff."<ref>{{Cite news| title = Inside the Cult | work = The Big Story | publisher =[[ITV]] | year =1995 }}</ref> Jeff Hawkins, a former marketing guru for Scientology, claimed to have attended a meeting where Miscavige "He jumped up on the conference room table, like with his feet right on the conference room table, launched himself across the table at me. I was standing, battered my face, and then shoved me down on the floor. "<ref>[http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1003/30/acd.01.html], ''CNN'', 30 March, 2010</ref> Church executive David Bloomberg confirmed that there was a physical confrontation during the meeting but stated that it was Hawkins who became belligerent and attacked Miscavige. In the confrontation Hawkins fell out of his chair and ended up putting a scissor lock on Miscavige's legs. Bloomberg stated "Mr. Miscavige did not touch Jeff Hawkins."<ref>{{Cite news|title=Scientology: Ecclesiastical Justice, Part 3 of 3 in a special report on the Church of Scientology|first1=Thomas|last1=Tobin|first2=Joe|last2=Childs|date=June 23, 2009|url=http://www.tampabay.com/news/scientology/article1012575.ece|accessdate=December 11, 2011}}</ref>
Church representatives have consistently refuteddenied such accusations, highlightinginsisting howthat the allegations have invariably been sourced come from [[apostate]]sapostates motivated by bitterness and/or engaged in attemptsattempting to extract money from the church.<ref name="TruthRunDown"/> <ref> {{cite web | url = http://www.sptimes.com/TampaBay/102598/scientologypart3.html. | title = The man behind Scientology | accessdate = 2011-04-09}}</ref><ref> {{cite web | url = http://www.tampabay.com/news/article1012139.ece | title = Scientology: Origins, celebrities and holdings | accessdate = 2011-04-09}}</ref> An issue of the church's "Freedom" magazine was dedicated to praising Miscavige and attacking the "Truth Rundown" series, featuring articles titled "Merchants of Chaos: Journalistic Double-dealing at the ''St. Petersburg Times.''" and "The Bigotry Behind the ''Times’'' Facade of Responsible Journalism."<ref name=freedommag>{{Cite news| title=Special Report: Inside the S.P. Times|last=no author credited|work=[[Freedom Magazine]]|date = no date, 2009}}</ref> Miscavige sent an open letter to the newspaper challenging the integrity of the reporters and labeling their sources as "lying" after the persons in question had been removed from the organization for "fundamental crimes against the Scientology religion."<ref name="DMLetter" /> The church also commissioned an independent review of the ''St. Petersburg Times'''s reporting, but have not, to date, released those findings.<ref name=wusf>{{Cite news|title=Scientology Hires Reporters to Investigate St. Petersburg Times|first=Scott|last=Finn|publisher=[[WUSF (FM)|WUSF Public Media]]|date = February 25, 2010 |url=http://www.wusf.usf.edu/news/2010/02/25/scientology_hires_reporters_to_investigate_st._petersburg_times |accessdate =2010-10-18}}</ref><ref name=reldis /><ref name="wusf" /> <ref name=reldis>{{Cite news| title=The Rundown Truth: Scientology Changes Strategy in War with Media|first=Hugh B.|last=Urban|work=[[Religion Dispatches]]|date = March 17, 2010|url= http://www.religiondispatches.org/archive/atheologies/2358/the_rundown_truth:_scientology_changes_strategy_in_war_with_media_ |accessdate =2010-10-18}}</ref><ref name="wusf" />
"Inside Scientology: The Truth Rundown" was recognized with journalistic honors, including the 2010 Gold Medal for Public Service award from the Florida Society of News Editors.<ref>{{Cite news| last = Sentinel Staff Report | title = Orlando Sentinel wins 17 awards from Florida Society of News Editors | work = Orlando Sentinel| location = Florida | publisher = www.orlandosentinel.com | date = June 18, 2010| url = http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/breakingnews/os-orlando-sentinel-fsne-awards-20100618,0,3887288.story | accessdate = 2010-06-18 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news| last = Florida Society of News Editors | title =FSNE Gold Medal for Public Service | work = FSNE 2010 Journalism Awards | location = Florida | publisher = fsne.org | date =June 18, 2010 | url = http://fsne.org/2010awards/| accessdate =2010-06-18 |quote=Inside Scientology - The ''St. Petersburg Times'' reporting on the Church of Scientology is in the finest traditions of American journalism. The reporting by Joseph Childs and Thomas Tobin stands out for the ways in which it held accountable the powerful. }}</ref> <ref>{{Cite news| title =Winners of 76th Annual National Headliner Awards | work = [[The New York Times]] | publisher = [[The New York Times Company]] | date = March 24, 2010 | url = http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2010/03/24/us/AP-US-Headliner-Awards-List.html?ref=news | accessdate =2010-03-25 }} {{Dead link|date=September 2010|bot=RjwilmsiBot}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news| title = Print Division - Daily Newspapers and News Syndicates - Writing & Reporting | work = National Headliner Awards | language = | publisher = www.nationalheadlinerawards.com | page = | date = | url =http://www.nationalheadlinerawards.com/Winners2010Print.html | accessdate =2010-03-25 }}</ref> The series was cited as a basis for subsequent journalistic investigations, including a weeklong series hosted on the CNN network by [[Anderson Cooper]].
Though he and the Scientology organization have been the subject of much press attention, Miscavige has rarely spoken directly to the press. Exceptions include a televised 1992 interview by [[Ted Koppel]] of [[ABC News]],<ref name="Nightline">{{cite news| last =Koppel | first = Ted|authorlink=Ted Koppel | coauthors = | title = David Miscavige interview | work = [[Nightline (US news program)|Nightline]] | publisher = [[ABC News]] | date = February 14, 1992 | url = http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/story?id=2664713&page=1 | accessdate = 2010-10-12}}</ref> a 1998 newspaper interview with the ''[[St. Petersburg Times]],''<ref name="manbehind">{{Cite web| first = Thomas C. | last = Tobin | title = The Man Behind Scientology | url = http://www.sptimes.com/TampaBay/102598/scientologypart1.html | work = | publisher = [[St. Petersburg Times]] | date = October 25, 1998 | accessdate = January 22, 2008 }}</ref> and a 1998 appearance in an [[A&E Network|A&E]] ''Investigative Reports'' installment called "Inside Scientology." <ref>{{cite news | title = Inside Scientology | work = Investigative Reports | publisher =A & E | page = | date =December 14, 1998}}</ref>
===Current role in Scientology===
===Success as chief executive ===
As Chairman of the Board of the Religious Technology Center, David Miscavige works primarily from Scientology's [[Gold Base]] near [[Hemet, California]].<ref name="spdavidmiscavigebio">{{cite news| last = Times Staff Writer | title =David Miscavige bio, and bios of Scientology officials who defected | work = [[St. Petersburg Times]] | publisher = www.tampabay.com | date = June 20, 2009 | url = http://www.tampabay.com/news/article1012137.ece | accessdate = 2010-10-12 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal| last =Reitman | first = Janet | coauthors = | title = Inside Scientology | journal =[[Rolling Stone]] | publisher = www.rollingstone.com | date =March 9, 2006|page=57|issue=995 | url =http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/9363363/inside_scientology | accessdate = 2010-10-12 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book| last = Streeter | first = Michael | title = Behind Closed Doors | publisher =New Holland Publishers (UK) Ltd | year =2008 | page =230 | isbn =1845379373 }}</ref> Scientologists often refer to him as "DM", or "C.O.B.", for chairman of the board.<ref name="Man in Control" /><ref name=Frenschkowski>{{Cite journal
| last = Frenschkowski
| accessdate = 2011-01-13}}</ref> In their 2007 book, ''Extraordinary Groups: An Examination of Unconventional Lifestyles,'' W. W. Zellner and Richard T. Schaefer noted that "David Miscavige has been the driving force behind the Church of Scientology for the past two decades" and that "Miscavige's biography and speeches are second only to Hubbard in dominating the official Scientology Web site. [...] He is acknowledged as the ultimate ecclesiastical authority regarding the standard and pure application of L. Ron Hubbard's religious theories."<ref name="zellner" />
Miscavige's is acknowledged humblyportrayed within Scientology as "a servant of Hubbard's message, not an agent in his own right."<ref name="invention">{{cite book | last = Lewis | first = James R. | authorlink = James R. Lewis (scholar) | coauthors = [[Olav Hammer]] | title = The Invention of Sacred Tradition | publisher = [[Cambridge University Press]] | year = 2007 | isbn =0521864798|page=36 }}</ref> Miscavige uses church publications as well as professionally produced videos of gala events, at which he acts as [[master of ceremonies]], to communicate with Scientologists worldwide.<ref name="manbehindpart4" />
David Miscavige initiated a strategy in 2003 to build new Churches of Scientology in every major city in the world. Since then, no less than twenty-nine new Churches have been opened, a number of them in the world's cultural capitals, including Madrid, New York, London, and Berlin.<ref> {{cite web | url = www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article1975105.ece | title = 'Church' that yearns for respectability | accessdate = 2011-04-27}}</ref><ref> {{cite web | url = http://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/2010/07/12/scientology-opens-new-national-organization-mexico-city-palaces/#ixzz1KcD863d3 | title = Scientology Opens New National Organization for Mexico in The City Of Palaces | accessdate = 2011-04-27}}</ref> Further, inIn 2011, five new Churches opened, including Melbourne, Moscow, Tampa, Twin Cities and in Inglewood a new church and community center.<ref> {{cite web | url = http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/dpp/news/local/hillsborough/church-of-scientology-restores-factory-032111 | title = Video Photo Map Marketplace Advertisement Scientologists show off restored cigar factory | accessdate = 2011-12-07}}</ref><ref> {{cite web | url = http://www.myfoxtwincities.com/dpp/news/minnesota/st-paul-scientology-church-gives-exclusive-tour-oct-24-2011 | title = EXCLUSIVE: St. Paul Scientology Church Gives Tour | accessdate = 2011-12-07}}</ref><ref> {{cite web | url = http://www.dailybreeze.com/news/ci_19330594 | title = Church of Scientology moves to Inglewood | accessdate = 2011-12-07}}</ref> Just in January 2012, New Ideal Churches opened in Hamburg, Germany and in the California State Capitol Sacramento.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://news.yahoo.com/video/sacramentocbs13-15751210/scientology-offers-open-house-for-new-downtown-sacramento-building-28086575.html | title = Email Print Scientology Offers Open House For New Downtown Sacramento Building | accessdate = 2012-02-09}}</ref> Another 60 Churches are in design, planning or construction phases, including over a quarter of a million square feet under construction in Tel Aviv, Cincinnati, Copenhagen, Pretoria, Santa Ana in California and Harlem in New York. <ref> {{cite web | url = http://www.tampabay.com/news/scientology/church-of-scientology-responds-parishioners-donate-because-they/1202000 | title = Church of Scientology responds: Parishioners donate 'because they enthusiastically support their chosen faith' | accessdate = 2011-12-07}}</ref> Within Scientology, Miscavige has spearheaded and devoted himself to a large-scale, 25-year project of issuing unreleased, expanded and corrected editions of Hubbard's books and lectures, including translating many works into other languages:. Miscavige's work widelyhas been acknowledgeddescribed amongby Scientologists as "bringing about a [[renaissance]] of Scientology materials".<ref>{{cite news | url = http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/01/08/national/main6071296.shtml | title = New Recordings of L. Ron Hubbard Released | accessdate = 2011-06-06 | work=CBS News | date=January 8, 2010}}</ref>
==Family and personal life==
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