…this bad? From yesterday’s NYT:

[Scientology staffers] signed a contract for a billion years — in keeping with the church’s belief that Scientologists are immortal. They worked seven days a week, often on little sleep, for sporadic paychecks of $50 a week, at most.

…The defectors say [Scientology staff] were repeatedly beaten by the church’s chairman, David Miscavige, often during planning meetings; pressured to have abortions; forced to work without sleep on little pay; and held incommunicado if they wanted to leave.

Part of a great slideshow of Scientology photos by the New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2010/03/05/us/0303SCIENTOLOGY_index.html

Read the whole thing for more unbelievable details — the church stole its staffers’ passports, forced them to do menial labor, separated husband and wife… The exposé is timed perfectly for Oscar night. I hope this stirs up lots of drama for Cruise, Travolta, and the rest of the Hollywood crazies who continuously defend this bullshit.

(Hat tip: Steve Silberman, who also points to the St. Petersburg Times’ five-part series on Scientology)