Leah Remini famously left Scientology two years ago for many reasons. At that point, she was desperate to escape the cult mindset after years of “interrogations” and “thought modification.” This was her punishment for daring to ask David Miscavige what happened to his wife. Leah later came out swinging and even filed a missing person report on Shelley Miscavige (sadly, the LAPD dismissed the report).

In the wake of HBO’s excellent Going Clear documentary, Leah appeared on the Oprah: Where Are They Now. She discussed her ongoing transition, which still involves “a lot of pain.” Leah’s been publicly meangirled by both Kirstie Alley and the CO$ organization, which has slammed and trashed her at every opportunity. As a celebrity, Leah has more resources than the usual Scientology member, but she’s still had a rough time. Ultimately, Leah says she she left CO$ for her daughter, Sofia (who is now 10):

She never chose the CO$: “My mother was in Scientology my whole life. Most people don’t know that we were raised in it. I didn’t decide to get into it — I was brought into it by my mom.”

The CO$ study requirements: “I don’t think people know the amount of dedication it takes to be in this organization. I mean it was every day, three-and-a-half hours minimum, seven days a week usually. You know, I’m working most of my time, and then the other time was spent at the church, so minimal time is really spent with your family.”

She left for her daughter: “I was at one of these hotels in Florida, and I saw my daughter swimming for the first time while I’m reading this thing,” she recalled. “And a tear came down my face. And I was like, ‘What am I doing?’ It was a culmination of things, but that was a big one in my mind.”

She’s not over it yet:“Our decision to leave the organization — it’s not just something you get over. It’s people and a lifestyle you’ve known all your life. It formed who I am, good and bad. It formed the way I think, good and bad. And so there’s a lot of pain connected to it, there’s a lot of healing. When you are raised in something, and you are taught to think a certain way, a lot of times you grow up thinking, ‘That’s the way I think.’ I’m learning there’s a new world out here, and there shouldn’t be any kind of judgment toward somebody who has a belief system that is not yours.”

[From OWN – Where Are They Now]

Leah’s made a brave decision to spare her daughter from a life growing up in Scientology. I remember how the cult’s permissive parenting style affected Sofia’s temperament at a young age. Hopefully, the damage can be undone.

Once again, Scientology has decided to trash Leah. In a statement to Us Weekly, a CO$ spokesperson stated, “Given Leah Remini’s insatiable desire for attention, it comes as no surprise that for two years she has been incapable of moving on with her life and remains obsessed with shamelessly exploiting her former religion in a pathetic attempt to get publicity.” This is one reason why the CO$ is a cult. No “church” in their right mind would issue statements like this about former parishioners.

Here’s an OWN clip from Leah’s interview.

Screencaps courtesy of YouTube/OWN, photos courtesy of WENN