“From the very beginning, when you go into Scientology your world narrows down very quickly.” WorldScientology Author:Lawrence Wright
“Hubbard set up the Church of Scientology in Hollywood in 1954 for a reason. He understood that celebrity was increasingly a feature of American public life, and celebrities themselves were going to be worshipped as minor deities were in the ancient world. The idea was: if you could get them, think how many people would follow.” PeopleIfsThinkingWorldIdeasReasonChurchUnderstoodHollywoodAncientFeaturesMinorsDeitiesPublic LifeScientologyAncient World Author:Lawrence Wright
“When I went to Egypt right after 9/11 I was very upset. I used to live in Egypt. I had a lot of friends there. I spent two years teaching there. I had very fond feelings for that part of the world, and the fact that a culture I liked so much had attacked my own culture was really very upsetting to me.” WorldYearsTwoFactsFeelingsUsedCultureMy OwnTeachingUpsetTwo YearsEgyptLots Of Friends Author:Lawrence Wright
“Churches are tax exempt because they are supposed to provide a public good. To prove that good to the IRS, churches arent supposed to hoard their money. They are supposed to spend it on goods and services for the faithful. Under this pretense, the church has made massive investments in tax free real estate all over the world. And when it comes to labor costs, they are almost free.” WorldMadeRealChurchCostProveTaxesLaborInvestmentFaithfulMassiveGoodsEstatesPretenseIrsPublic GoodGoods And Services Author:Lawrence Wright
“When I'm writing about complicated subjects, it usually involves a world. It could be the world of Scientology or the world of Al Qaeda, or the world of counter-terrorism.I look for emblematic beasts of burden - what I call "donkeys" - who can carry the reader through this world. They serve a different purpose. Donkeys are not especially interesting or likeable, but they are serviceable. They will take you into this world. The distinction I'm trying to make is: It's not about them. It's about the world.” WorldWritingTryingDifferentPurposeInterestingBurdenComplicatedBeastAl QaedaDonkeyLikeable Author:Lawrence Wright
“Science fiction invites the writer to grandly explore alternative worlds and pose questions about meaning and destiny.” WorldFictionDestinyScience FictionAlternativesInvites Author:Lawrence Wright
