A Scientologist is an adherent of the doctrines and beliefs of Scientology and who is affiliated with the Church of Scientology. Even though some adherents of Scientology beliefs who operate independently from the Church of Scientology call themselves "scientologists", the Church of Scientology claims "SCIENTOLOGIST is a collective membership mark indicating membership in a church and church membership services of the affiliated Scientology churches and missions."[1]
Scientologists not in trouble with the ethics department are considered "in good standing" and are allowed to be on Church of Scientology premises, receive services, and attend events.
Public Scientologists are those individuals who are not staff. They pay the Church of Scientology for training or auditing services, and live and work independent of the organization. Collectively, non-staff Scientologists may be referred to as "members", the "public", or the "field".
Even though public members are not employed by the organization, they are ranked within the entire chain of command and defer to all staff personnel, who are seen as their seniors. Members are frequently pressed into service for clerical or promotional tasks or to recruit new members. Members who recruit people for Scientology services are called "field staff members" (FSM) and are paid a commission of 10%–15% of the amount their recruit pays for a service.[2]
The lists below contain names of public Scientologists. For Scientologists who are, or were, on staff, see .
This table includes members who were still Scientologists in the Church of Scientology at the time of their death.
This table represents individuals who were previously Scientologists, but who have since left the Church of Scientology.
| Name | Lifetime | Left | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1952– | 2009 | Actor, star of , left the church in 2009 and requested his money back.[115] | ||
| 1946– | 1981 | Former Sea Org member for ten years and involved in a series of Scientology related lawsuits, collectively Church of Scientology of California v. Armstrong.[116] | ||
| 1955– | 1983 | Whistleblower and noted critic of the church. | ||
| 1968– | 2000 | Playwright and acting teacher who would later become an outspoken critic of the church.[117] | ||
| 1960– | 2007 | Actor, rose to Operating Thetan level V (OT V), left Scientology and subsequently spoke out publicly against the church in 2008.[118] [119] He joined the church through Milton Katselas' acting class, connecting with Bodhi Elfman and Mary Thompson.[120] | ||
| 1974– | 2017 | Musician.[121] | ||
| 1980– | Actress.[122] her mother was a Scientologist.[123] | |||
| 1948– | 1981 | Transgender author, playwright, performance artist and gender theorist. Was previously a spokesperson for Scientology.[124] | ||
| 1935– | American football player;[125] credited Dianetics with his recovery from a sports injury; left after some of his friends "were expelled and harassed during a power struggle with church management" | |||
| 1952– | 1989 | Former managing editor of Freedom magazine and a Scientologist for over twenty years. She has since become president of the Lisa McPherson Trust and an expert witness in many high-profile Scientology lawsuits.[126] [127] [128] | ||
| 1914–1997 | 1960s | Author and poet. Joined and left the church during the 1960s.[129] In talking about the experience, he claimed that the techniques and philosophy of Scientology helped him and that he felt that further study into Scientology would produce great results. He was skeptical of the church itself, and felt that it fostered an environment that did not accept critical discussion.[130] His subsequent critical writings about the church and his review of Inside Scientology by Robert Kaufman led to a battle of letters between Burroughs and Scientology supporters in the pages of Rolling Stone magazine. He wrote the book .[131] [132] | ||
| 1953– | 1993 | Actress;[133] critical of Scientology's "straightforward" desire for money.[134] [135] | ||
| 1947– | 2000 | Whistleblower and noted critic of the church.[136] | ||
| 1935– | With wife, Marry Anne DeGrimston, founder of The Process Church of The Final Judgment.[137] | |||
| 1922–2009 | 1954 | Author and journalist; at one point a personal assistant to L. Ron Hubbard.[138] | ||
| 1963– | Whistleblower and noted critic of the church.[139] | |||
| 19xx– | 1982 | Former high-ranking official in the church and later critic of Scientology who joined the alt.religion.scientology discussion group on Usenet in late July 1994.[140] | ||
| 1934– | 2011 | Actor[141] | ||
| 1960– | Novelist, graphic novelist, and screenwriter. Son of David Gaiman, raised Scientologist in East Grinstead. Has left the church, although prefers not to speak publicly about it.[142] | |||
| 1978–1998 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology student and primary developer of EarthLink's innovative ISP software; died by suicide in 1998.[143] | |||
| 1953– | 2009 | Film director, Academy Award winner; Left in response to the San Diego branch's public support of California Proposition 8 and other factors.[144] He progressed up to OT VII in the 1980s where he remained until he left the church. | ||
| 1970– | 2019 | Musician who promoted Scientology as a member for many years. Stated in a 2019 interview that he is not a Scientologist and that he doesn't "have any connection or affiliation with it".[145] | ||
| 1974– | 2005 | Whistleblower and critic of the church. | ||
| 1978– | 2012 | Actress and formerly married to Scientologist Tom Cruise.[146] | ||
| 1933– | 1981 | Self-published author and founder of the Genesis II Church[147] [148] | ||
| 1941–2019 | 1999 | Lyricist for the Grateful Dead.[149] | ||
| Mark Janicello | 1962 | 2003 | Actor, Singer and Dramatist. Author of Naked in the Spotlight: My Life with Sex, Singing, and Scientology in German and in English[150] | |
| 1967– | 1992 | Actress; Tom Cruise's ex-wife[151] | ||
| 1970– | 2016 | Actor[152] [153] [154] | ||
| 1950–2018 | 1977 | Son of a high-ranking member. Critic of Scientology who posted the Fishman Affidavit, including the Xenu story, to the Internet via the Usenet newsgroup alt.religion.scientology. | ||
| 1983–2012 | Actor[155] | |||
| 1973– | 2021 | Actress[156] [157] | ||
| 1934–2017 | Identified as a Scientologist during his time in prison.[158] [159] [160] [161] He ordered Manson Family member Bruce Davis to journey to the United Kingdom and work for the Scientology organization in London.[162] Manson completed 150 hours of auditing while researching his own religious practices,[163] [164] which borrowed heavily from Scientology. | |||
| 1984– | 2005 | Niece of David Miscavige, author and whistleblower.[165] | ||
| 1936–2021 | 2012 | Father of David Miscavige, author and whistleblower.[166] | ||
| 1964– | 2002 | Film director of The Underground Comedy Movie and pitchman for ShamWow.[167] | ||
| 1980– | 2024 | Model and actress[168] [169] | ||
| 1980– | 2016 | Actress[170] | ||
| 1968–2023 | 2014 | Singer and songwriter who was the daughter of Elvis Presley.[171] | ||
| 1945– | 2017 | Businesswoman and actress[172] | ||
| 1957– | 2004 | Whistleblower, and critic of the Church. In December 2018, Jezebel reported that Rathbun had posted videos on his website that praised Scientology and criticized ex-Scientologist Leah Remini. Jezebel also suggested that Rathbun had actually re-joined Scientology.[173] | ||
| 1958– | 2005 | Former rugby league footballer who is the father of Alanna Masterson and Jordan Masterson. He accused the church of framing him for financial misconduct and is estranged from his children. | ||
| 1970– | 2013 | Actress[174] [175] and critic of the church. She wrote an autobiography in 2015 entitled , and produces and presents the A&E documentary series . | ||
| 1955– | 2007 | Whistleblower and critic of the church.[176] | ||
| 1956– | Actress[177] | |||
| 19xx– | 2005 | Whistleblower and critic of the church.[178] | ||
| 1969– | 2012 | Author and YouTuber; he was a member of the church for 27 years and has been outspoken about his experiences since leaving.[179] [180] [181] | ||
| 1974– | 2006 | Former Sea Org member who had influential positions in Sydney as well as the United States. He received attention when Australian Senator Nick Xenophon quoted statements by Saxton about Scientology into the parliamentary record of the Australian Senate.[182] [183] [184] | ||
| 1949–2015 | Sentenced in 2003 to 14 years in prison for running one of the largest Ponzi schemes in US history, scamming more than $600 million from 800 investors.[185] | |||
| 1944– | 2000s | Actor, left when he was pressured to leave his second wife.[186] [187] | ||
| 1908–1971 | 1959 | Spiritual writer and founder of Eckankar.[188] [189] Joined Scientology and achieved the status of "Clear".[190] | ||
| 1935–2004 | 1968 | Author and deprogrammer; wrote The Mind Benders which was the first book on Scientology to be written by an ex-member and the first critical book on Scientology to be published.[191] | ||
| 1983– | 2008 | Musician, singer, songwriter, television presenter and actor, and bassist and co-vocalist of the pop band, Busted. Was recruited to the church following a stint in rehab, but left the church after they reportedly advised that he separate from his wife Emma Willis, who the church deemed to be a "suppressive person".[192] | ||
| 19xx– | 1979 | Former member and co-founder of the FACTNet, a non-profit organization that criticized the church, known for winning a multi-million dollar judgment against the church in a case about publishing material on the internet that the church claimed was protected by copyright.[193] [194] | ||
| 19xx– | 1982 | Former member of the Sea Org who was subjected to a smear campaign by the church.[195] |