This is the final stage of what MR calls 'Corporate Scientology'. Over the next 20 years the organisation will shrink steadily, until the decline is so obvious that even the remaining indoctrinated sheep cannot ignore it.
This is the time to get everything of value from those remaining members before they realise that everything is just a charade. I think that Miscavige is quite astonished that the money is still flowing in, and he's going to ride that wave as long as he can before taking off to a country that doesn't extradite.
Twenty years? Good grief. I'd give it five. Those "remaining indoctrinated sheep" aren't as stupid as you think. Some of them are still pro-Hubbard and are genuinely disappointed that Scientology hasn't become the standard system of education, healthcare, government... but even they aren't blind to the sparse attendance at Scn events. Many others are in a condition of "silent running" and are hoping to slip away without being noticed and 'handled'. The truth is that leaving gets easier with each day that passes, because there are fewer staff left to handle the victim, and their morale is little better than that of the disillusioned publics. Also, with each day that passes, there are more exes on the 'outside', and thus the threat of disconnection becomes less significant.
Scientology always had a very high turnover of members. How could it be otherwise, for a 'technology' that can't deliver what it promises? With the 'raw meat' warned off by the media (and the protesters), membership can only fall... and what is the purpose of Scientology?
Recruitment? - Can't be done.
Defending the 'good name' of LRH? - Who will listen?
Training? - Then why are there less completions today than before?
Fundraising? - For what, when the cult's mothership is already parked on a huge pile of cash?
Massaging celebrity egos? - Celebs have their own for that.
... so is this what the faithful signed up to spend their eternity doing?
David Miscavige's own condition seems to be deteriorating, but he's right about one thing: Scientology must expand, or die. Rather like a ponzi scheme, Scientology has to be seen to be growing, or it the whole fairytale ceases to work - and when the crash comes, it comes hard and fast. Debbie Cook's defection is a symptom of that crash.
The thing about finding a country with no extradition treaty... okay. Maybe. But why wait? Can one human being (Davey cares nothing for anybody else) actually
spend even a hundred million dollars? People talk about Scientology being a billion-dollar cult, so let's assume that the transferable and liquid assets a short guy with a bad haircut could leave the country with equate to a tenth of that sum.
Spending a hundred million dollars is quite a tall order, made harder when one is already over fifty, and not in great health. Hanging around in a stressful job that often provokes one to violent rage can only reduce life expectancy... so why does little David Miscavige stay at the helm? To ensure that when he finally skips, he does so with
two hundred million dollars?
That would be stupid. Even by his own semi-educated standards, that would be very stupid.
So why stay? To protect and preserve Scientology? Don't make me laugh. Miscavige has done more to bring about the end of Scientology than anybody else. (I wish I'd done more, but the sad fact is that David Miscavige is the greatest SP alive today.)
So it's not for the money, and it's not out of a sense of duty. Why, then?
I propose that the reason Little Dave remains at the helm of Scientology... is because he likes to play with human lives. Stroking a large pile of used dollar bills over in Lichtenstein wouldn't amuse him for long. He likes to control people. He likes to scare people. He likes to hurt people. Davey can't give up control of Scientology, because it's the thing that allows him to indulge his addiction.