By 2010, most of my Scientology books had been dumped, unceremoniously, into the recycling bin. However, I had kept one for further analysis: Introduction to Scientology Ethics.

I had felt for some time that this book formed the core of Scientology’s mental manipulation techniques. In the Sea Org, anyone who steps out of line is forced to restudy this book over and over again, until they practically know it by heart. It is the go-to book used by the organization when any member begins to doubt or question Scientology. And anyone who steps out of line in any Scientology Organization is sent to the “Ethics Officer,” who uses the principles in this book to pull them back into line.