At age six, Katherine Spallino is separated from her parents and sent to train for her future in the Church of Scientology’s clergy—the Sea Organization. Naively happy at first, she thinks it’s a fun adventure to live in a Scientology-owned dorm room in Los Angeles with thirteen other girls, rarely seeing her parents and never going to a normal school. She’s committed to her Scientology studies and her life’s purpose of clearing the planet.

Later, Katherine is sent to live at a secluded ranch with other young prospective Sea Org members, called cadets, where she studies Scientology and does manual labor—weeding fields, digging trenches, and working in the galley. The indoctrination escalates, and her family slips even farther into the background. But as she enters her teenage years, a host of new, more immediate concerns emerge, along with fantasies of what else life has to offer. Should she commit herself to the church, or reject everything she’s ever known for a chance at a different life?

Find Katherine on Social!
IG @thebadcadet https://www.instagram.com/thebadcadet...
Her Book: The Bad Cadet: Growing Up in the Church of Scientology's Sea Organization
https://amzn.to/4aHEg4b

Our C2C vacation where we can meet you in real life and go on adventures together has 4 spots left! Click here to go to the official booking page https://trovatrip.com/trip/central-am...

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Chapter Markers
00:00:00 Intro
00:03:45 Katherine was born in a Scientrology building with no SSN
00:06:48 At a young age, Katherine saw L Ron Hubbard as a God
00:09:52 Confimation bias when it comes to having super powers
00:11:16 Did Katherine know she was growing up differently?
00:13:01 At 8 Katherine was determined to be a great Scientologist
00:15:18 Katherine joins a bootcamp for youth who want to become Sea Org members
00:18:47 The jobs Katherine had to do as a SeaOrg member
00:22:00 Incentivized to write knowledge reports (snitch on each other)
00:26:09 The youth ran themselves, which is how they were kept in line
00:29:05 Scientology getting around labor laws
00:31:27 Katherine gets shamed for only being able afford 1 pair of underwear
00:35:08 Did Katherine have non-scientologist extended family?
00:36:15 Racism was so bad, she thought she was a completely different race as a kid
00:43:29 Some medical care was provided among neglect
00:48:12 What made Katherine want to leave the Sea Org
00:53:19 High school shock- not like the movies
00:55:07 How she ended up back in LA with other ex-cadets
00:56:44 Why Katherine was declared a suppressive person
01:03:06 How she started writing "The Bad Cadet"
01:08:50 Katherine tries to reconnect with family after being cut off
01:12:28 How Katherine's family treats her today
01:17:59 How Katherine is doing now
01:18:28 Linda, Listen


Theme Song Produced and Composed by Christian Guevara

*Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.*