Strange cars idled at the curb by my home at all hours of the day. Men wearing dark glasses followed me to the grocery store, my kids' school. My computer and my phone were hacked. 奇怪的汽车整天都在我家附近的路边闲荡。戴着墨镜的男人跟着我去了杂货店，我孩子们的学校。我的电脑和电话被黑了。

At what she believes was the church's instigation, the state of California charged her with running a Ponzi scheme, and she shut down her insurance business. 加利福尼亚州指控她经营庞氏骗局，在她看来这是教会的鼓动，并关闭了她的保险业务。

She agreed to return $1.3 million to more than 40 alleged victims. I had heard how vindictive the church could be, that they used the courts to bleed people dry with litigation. 她向40多名受害者返还130万美元。我曾经听说过教会的报复心有多强，他们利用法庭用诉讼把人榨干。

Still, I hadn't been prepared for the force of their retaliation. Now the government had accused me of a felony? My thoughts ran wild. 不过，我还没有准备好接受他们的报复。现在政府指控我犯有重罪？我的思绪失控了。

She was also growing increasingly worried about her mother, who she says had spent much of the past 26 years working long, brutal hours with Sea Org, comprising the church's most dedicated members. 她也越来越担心她的母亲。她说，在过去26年的大部分时间里，她都在海洋组织(Sea Org)辛苦工作，那是由教会最有奉献精神的成员组成的。

I repeatedly begged her to leave the church, to see that all my misfortune began when I came out as gay, that the church was persecuting me for it. 我一再央求她离开教会，让她知道我的一切不幸都是在我的同性恋身份曝光时开始的，因为教会正为此迫害我。

Finally Terri called on the secret, forbidden cell phone Michelle had given her. Terri said she was fearing for her safety. "I have to make my escape this week," she whispered. 最后特丽打通了米歇尔给她的秘密禁用手机。特丽说她担心自己的安全。“这星期我得逃走，”她低声说。

Michelle leaped into action. "My mother is getting out of there today," I told the church ethics officer in charge of her. 米歇尔立即行动起来。“我妈妈今天就要离开那里了，”我对负责她的教会伦理委员会说。

"If you don't have her in front of the Hollywood Guaranty Building, I will contact the police and tell them you are holding her against her will. “如果你不让她站在好莱坞保证大厦前，我就会联系警察，告诉他们你们拘禁了她。

And when I come there, I will bring the press with me." Three hours later, my mother was waiting for me in a Denny's parking lot. 我到那里去的时候，要带媒体一起。”三个小时后，我的母亲在丹尼的停车场等着我。

In exchange for being let go, Mom was pressured to sign a waiver stating she understood that if she ever spoke out against the church she would be fined $25,000 for each ofense. 作为被释放的交换条件，母亲被迫签署了一份弃权书，声明她明白，如果她公开反对教会，她每次会被罚款25000美元。

It was a perfect October afternoon. The sun was golden and a slight breeze blew. 那是一个完美的十月下午。阳光耀眼，微风习习。

As the ethics officer watched from a nearby van, I opened my window, pumped my fist in the air and shouted at the top of my lungs as we drove away: "F--YOU SCIENTOLOGY!" Freeeeeeeeeeeeeedom. 当伦理委员会的人在附近的一辆面包车里看着我们驱车离开的时候，我打开窗户，拳头在空中挥舞着，用最大的嗓门大喊:“F——你这个山达基！”自由了！

LeClair's legal nightmare, which left her millions of dollars in debt, continued for six excruciating, emotionally draining years. 勒克莱尔的官司，给她留下了数百万美元的债务，持续了六年，折磨人，让人心力交瘁。

On March 30, 2017, my criminal charges were dropped—in the words of the court, "in the interest of justice." Truth prevailed. I was innocent. 2017年3月30日，我的刑事指控在法院的措辞中被删除了，“为了正义”。真相大白。我是无辜的。

My entire adult existence was founded on the guidelines of Scientology. I thought I was progressing toward a higher state of being. 我的整个成年生活都建立在山达基的指导原则之上。我以为我正在向更高的状态前进。

I believed the church was a righteous force in society. 我相信教会是社会上一股正义的力量。

We were going to save the world! And then it became perfectly clear: I would never be free to be me and be a member of the Church of Scientology. 我们要拯救世界！然后事情就变得很清楚了：我永远都不能自由地做我自己，只能成为山达基教会的一员。

Today, finally, I am free. Free for my children. Free to love the person I do. Free. 今天，终于，我自由了。自由地跟孩子在一起。自由地爱我所爱的人。自由。