Born Into a Cult: The Unbelievable True Story of One Man's Escape from Scientology
Nov 10, 2025
Jamie Mustard, a conceptual artist and author of the memoir *Child X*, shares his harrowing tale of survival after being abandoned at birth and raised in Scientology's paramilitary wing. He recounts the extreme neglect he faced, living in appalling conditions like an 'orphanage,' and highlights the abuse that thousands of children endured. Jamie discusses his escape, the process of overcoming illiteracy, and his discovery of trauma recovery techniques like the stellate ganglion block, which drastically changed his life. His story is one of resilience and hope.
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Raised In A Paramilitary Orphanage
- Jamie describes being handed to Scientology's paramilitary wing at birth and warehoused with dozens of babies in slum-like conditions.
- He recounts lack of touch, weekly filthy baths, no schooling, and early child labor as formative abuses.
Child Labor As Strategic Control
- Jamie explains the movement's goal was labor and control, treating children as vessels until they could work.
- He compares children to livestock grown in minimum conditions until 'valuable' for the organization.
Trauma's Long-Term Devastation
- Jamie shares sexual abuse and lifelong consequences among peers, including suicide and becoming abusers themselves.
- He links widespread addiction and suicide to the traumatic childhood environment he survived.






