David Miscavige—Shaking Hands With My Hero

David Miscavige—Shaking Hands With My Hero by Wil Seabrook was originally published on STAND (Scientologists Taking Action Against Discrimination.)

I have shaken David Miscavige’s hand twice, but for someone not very familiar with Scientology, I think the first time is the most revealing.

I was a young singer-songwriter living in Los Angeles. My career was going well. I had recently signed a contract with Warner Records. My music was on the radio and I was sharing the stage with bands I had looked up to for years, performing for tens of thousands of people every month.

My personal life was another story. My stress level was at absolute maximum every waking moment. I felt like I was completely in over my head—personally and professionally. I had so many questions and very few helpful answers about how life, business and personal relationships were supposed to function in order to be healthy, happy and productive.

I found Scientology through a music producer I was working with and very quickly realized that, after a whole life of earnestly searching, I had finally found a resource that answered all my questions with very real and workable answers that I could apply with immediately positive results.

When I was asked to perform at a gala event in Hollywood for my Church, I was flattered and honored and excited to be a part of it. I performed one song (Van Morrison’s “Moondance,” one of my all-time favorites) and as I came off stage and was mingling with other performers in the backstage area, I had an opportunity to meet and shake hands with Mr. Miscavige.

I had only been in Scientology a short time and knew nothing about its ecclesiastical structure. I did not know who David Miscavige actually was, but I had a sense from the way other people were behaving that this man was important.

But two things struck me as I was introduced and shook David Miscavige’s hand. First, I could literally feel the energy in my space change, like an electric current was moving through the air and amping everything up. I’ve had that happen one other time in my life: when I first saw U2’s frontman Bono (my hero and the reason I became a musician) come out live on stage and start singing. There are apparently certain people with such a profound ability to communicate and to be completely present and attentive to others—whether an audience of thousands or an audience of one—that it actually changes the energy in the space. People talk about feeling “electrified.” That’s what it felt like.

The second thing that struck me was how sincere David Miscavige’s thanks to me was for my performance. He communicated with a humility and a gratitude that was in such striking contrast to the typical Hollywood glad-handing that I almost laughed out loud with delight at how it made me feel. I felt genuinely and completely appreciated. As an artist struggling to succeed in what can be a brutal industry, that kind of personal validation meant the absolute world to me. He made me feel like I had truly helped and, as anyone who is given the opportunity to help others knows, there is no better and more validating feeling.

In the years since, I have come to understand more thoroughly what David Miscavige’s lifetime of personal dedication to our Church and its Founder has meant—not only to Scientologists but to every person on the planet. His accomplishments are truly extraordinary. Mankind is profoundly fortunate to have had a being like L. Ron Hubbard discover and codify the most fundamental truths of our existence. In my view, we are equally fortunate that L. Ron Hubbard chose David Miscavige to ensure that the Technology of the Scientology religion was safeguarded and shared with the world precisely as Mr. Hubbard had intended.

To comprehensively codify L. Ron Hubbard’s lifetime of research into every aspect of the human experience—to such a perfect degree that anyone, anywhere can learn and apply this spiritual technology forever—is a herculean task that only a superhero could pull off.

I feel fortunate indeed to have gotten the chance to shake Superman’s hand and to spend the years since observing all the extraordinary ways he has made the world a better place.