Exclusive: I Wasn’t Just in a Cult—Scientology Bewitched Me

For 15 years, I was dedicated to Scientology. I trained as a Class V auditor, raised millions of dollars, and gave nearly $2 million of my own money to climb the “Bridge to Total Freedom.” From the outside, I looked successful. I had walked red carpets, topped music charts, and was praised within the Church. But inside?

I was silently breaking.

What I didn’t realize then—but now see with clarity—is this:

Scientology is not just controlling. It’s built on the structure and spirit of witchcraft.

It Didn’t Start Evil—It Started as “Help”

When I first got involved, I was in pain. Coming out of a toxic lifestyle of sex, drugs, and survival mode, I wanted change. Scientology offered me purpose, community, and a path to “clear out” the pain. They called it auditing.

Holding metal cans and digging into painful memories felt powerful. But over time, it started to feel off. I would forget what happened in session. I couldn’t even recall the auditor’s face. My mind was foggy, like I was being put under a spell.

I later learned that hypnotic suggestion is deeply woven into Scientology’s roots. In fact, L. Ron Hubbard once wrote:

“Processing is not hypnotism, it is the exact opposite. Hypnotism implants, Scientology removes.”
— L. Ron Hubbard, “The Creation of Human Ability”

But in practice, that wasn’t true. It felt exactly like hypnosis. Trancelike states. Memory gaps. Confession rituals. And a deep sense of being watched.

The Feeling of Being Watched

I couldn’t shake it. Even alone in my room, I felt like I was under surveillance—by something unseen. At first, I thought it was paranoia. But I now believe it was spiritual discernment.

The pressure to report my thoughts, my “withholds,” and my emotions created a mental cage. If I cried, I was told it was “dramatization.” If I had doubts, I had to “write it up.” If I spoke out, I was warned about being labeled “PTS” or “Suppressive.”

I was becoming emotionally numb, spiritually tormented, and constantly anxious. And I didn’t understand why.

The Occult Roots I Found Later

After I left, I started researching. That’s when I discovered what I’d been part of all along.

L. Ron Hubbard, before creating Scientology, was involved in ceremonial "sex magick" with Jack Parsons, a known disciple of Aleister Crowley. Together, they performed a ritual called “The Babalon Working”, intended to summon a goddess from another realm—literally a witchcraft spell.

Crowley’s religion, Thelema, is openly Luciferian, promoting self-deification and ritual magic. Hubbard took those same structures and repurposed them into Scientology.

And it shows.

Scientology’s Teachings = Occult Parallels

Here are direct examples of how Scientology reflects witchcraft and Luciferianism:

1. “Man is his own salvation.”

“Neither Lord Buddha nor Jesus Christ were OTs... The basic tenets of Scientology are that man is basically good, that he is a spiritual being, and that he can become his own salvation.”
— Church of Scientology's Creed and FAQs

Biblical truth: Salvation is only through Jesus (John 14:6). This doctrine denies grace and promotes the Luciferian idea of self-deification.

2. Auditing = Ritual Confession with Occult Tools
Hubbard described auditing as a path to spiritual purification, using an E-meter to “locate and discharge engrams” (traumas). This process mimics scrying, divination, and psychic cleansing rituals found in witchcraft.

“The E-meter is never wrong. It sees all. It knows all.”
— HCO Bulletin of 23 October 1971

That’s not science. That’s spiritual manipulation—treating a machine as all-knowing.

3. Operating Thetan Levels = Promised Godlike Powers
OTs are said to have telepathy, control over time and space, even power over the physical world.

“The goal of Scientology is to make the individual capable of controlling or operating independently of the physical universe.”
— L. Ron Hubbard, “Scientology: The Fundamentals of Thought”

This is pure sorcery—a desire for supernatural power apart from God, echoing the lie from Genesis 3: “You will be like God.”

4. OT III Denies Jesus Entirely
Though I didn’t do OT III myself, the level often referred to as "The Wall of Fire", one of the most dangerous levels of the educational tracks, I later found the materials and was stunned. Hubbard wrote:

“The Christian Church used [Xenu's story] to invent Christ... a false memory implant.”
— Confidential OT III materials, as leaked in court and online

This isn’t just deception. It’s blasphemy.

The Night Everything Changed

I had finally gotten some space—physically out of the Church, but not spiritually free. I was in Florida, alone, anxious, exhausted. I had tried tarot, crystals, yoga, energy work—everything to find peace.

And one night, lying awake in a spiral of panic and fear, I broke down and cried out:

“Jesus, help me.”

That’s all I said.

I wasn’t asking if He was real. I knew He was. I just needed Him to step in.

No dramatic vision. No thunder. Just stillness. A wave of peace. My breathing slowed. My heart settled. And something lifted off of me.

The buzzing in my head… quieted. The fear… let go.

That night was the beginning of my healing.

The Healing That Scientology Could Never Give Me

It didn’t happen overnight. But the panic attacks faded. The obsessive thoughts stopped. The suicidal whispers disappeared.

Jesus didn’t demand anything. He didn’t make me “confess” into a machine or disconnect from loved ones. He just loved me. He met me where I was. And He began to rebuild me from the inside out.

Scientology Isn’t Just Wrong—It’s Spiritual Warfare

Let’s be honest. It isn’t just a weird self-help movement. It’s a dangerous system built on occult ideas that:

Final Thoughts

I gave my all to Scientology. And it nearly destroyed me.

I thought I was climbing to spiritual freedom. In reality, I was under spiritual bondage. And the moment I cried out to Jesus, He set me free.

If you’re in Scientology or coming out—you are not alone. You are not crazy. And you can find real peace.

I’m sharing this because I want to expose the truth. Not just the mental manipulation—but the spiritual darkness underneath. This isn’t just a story about leaving a cult. It’s about finding freedom through Christ, and letting go of every lie that once held me captive.

Read more in my new memoir, From Scientology to Christ: The Escape They Never Wanted Me to Make, available October 11th, 2025 on Amazon. You can pre-order it now!

Joy Villa is a bestselling artist, award-winning actress, and #1 Billboard chart-topping singer-songwriter known for her bold voice in pop culture, crypto, and health advocacy. As a columnist for Liberty Affair, she brings her fearless perspective to cultural shifts, blockchain innovation, and wellness trends. Follow her on X: @theJoyVilla