{{Short description|Norwegian writer (born 1966)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2024}} {{Infobox person | name = Geir Isene | pronunciation = ''EASE-neh'' | image = Picture_of_Geir_Isene,_september_2013.jpg | caption = Isene in 2013 | citizenship = Norway | occupation = Business coach | known_for = | notable_works = ''Nineteen Eighty-Four, My Journey Into Scientology's Innermost Secrets - And Out Again'' | organization = Å | children = 4 | spouse = Katrina | website = {{hlist|{{URL|isene.org}}|{{URL|isene.me}}}} | birth_date = {{birth year and age|1966}} | birth_place = Oslo, Norway | footnotes = Fluent in English {{r|tampabay|isene-about}} }}
'''Geir Isene''' (born 1966{{r|humanistforlag-author}}) is a Norwegian IT consultant, business coach, writer, and critic of the Church of Scientology.
Isene left the Church of Scientology in 2009 after having been a member for 25 years.{{r|humanistforlag-book|bbc}} His turning point came in 2006, shortly after having reached the uppermost spiritual level within the church, OT VIII, when he met the leader, David Miscavige.{{r|tampabay}}
He released his autobiography, ''Nineteen Eighty-Four, My Journey Into Scientology's Innermost Secrets - And Out Again'' on September 18, 2013, in which he reveals details about the secret OT levels.{{r|litteraturhuset}}
Isene is known as an open-source advocate,{{r|Computerworld}} a public speaker, coach and blogger.{{r|it-nytt|tonyortega}}
== Scientology ==
Isene joined Scientology in 1984 and left on 7 August 2009{{r|isene-scn}} after 25 years. He had become Norway's foremost Scientologist by rising to OT VIII in 2006, the highest level, making him a significant Scientologist internationally. He met Scientology-leader David Miscavige several times and found him arrogant, impetuous, presumptuous and rude.{{r|tampabay|dagbladet}}
Isene cited issues with Church of Scientology management as his primary contention, and especially highlighted the high-pressure tactics in mandatory meetings requiring large donations "for nothing".{{Efn|Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard repeatedly wrote that Church of Scientology services should require an exchange of money, and railed against the practice of organizational fundraising to obtain money without giving something of value in return.}} It took Isene two years of extensive researching and evaluating before deciding to leave, and when he did the Church pressured two of his employees (who were Scientologists) to leave his company, and about 25 Scientologist friends disconnected from him.{{r|tampabay|dagbladet|sptimes2009}}
Isene was one of three OT VIIIs who left that year.{{r|tampabay}} At first he declared he would remain a Scientologist though no longer be affiliated with the Church of Scientology,{{r|tampabay}} but just two years later declared he was no longer a Scientologist.{{r|isene-not}} Isene is the only person having reached OT VIII who has released a book detailing his journey into and out of Scientology.
== Career ==
Isene is an IT entrepreneur,{{r|dagbladet}} who previously led several recruiting, consulting and IT companies including U-MAN Norge (WISE-affiliated), Creo Pario AS, and {{Ill|Linpro AS|no|Linpro}}.{{r|isene-about}} Isene has been the leader of Abelia, an association for technology and knowledge companies in Norway.{{r|it-nytt}}
He founded the software company {{Ill|FreeCode AS|no}} in 2004, and operated it until 2012, and in 2008 was awarded the Oslo Municipality's Entrepreneur Award for "promoting open innovation and value sharing... and taking social responsibility with its social commitment". FreeCode was "based on open source code, and provided training, consulting, software, development, implementation, operation and support."{{r|Computerworld|tampabay}}
In 2012, Isene and Brendan Martin started the business coaching company Å; still in operation as of 2024.{{r|a}}
== Autobiography == * {{Cite book |first=Geir |last=Isene |title=Nittenåttifire, Min vei inn i Scientologiens innerste hemmeligheter - og ut igjen |language=nb |trans-title=Nineteen Eighty-Four, My Journey Into Scientology's Innermost Secrets - And Out Again |year=2013 |publisher={{Ill|Humanist Forlag|no}} |location=Oslo |isbn=9788282820592 |ol=25430365M |oclc=1028488518}}
== Notes == {{Notelist}}
== References == {{Reflist|refs=
<ref name="a">{{Cite web |url=https://www.a-circle.no/about-us/ |title=About us |website=A-Circle}}</ref>
<ref name="bbc">{{Cite news |date=2013-07-17 |title=How Scientology changed the internet |first=Dave |last=Lee |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-23273109 |access-date=2024-12-27 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}}</ref>
<ref name="Computerworld">{{cite web|url=http://www.idg.no/computerworld/article109299.ece|title=Freecode vant etablererpris |language=no |trans-title=Freecode won the founder award |website=Computerworld |first=Ole Petter Baugerød |last=Stokke |date=2008-10-16|access-date=2013-10-08|archive-date=2013-09-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130906172622/http://www.idg.no/computerworld/article109299.ece|url-status=dead}}</ref>
<ref name="dagbladet">{{Cite web |title=Løgner, trakassering og undertrykkelse : Norges fremste scientolog, Geir Isene, har brutt med bevegelsen |language=no |trans-title=Lies, harassment and oppression : Norway's foremost Scientologist, Geir Isene, has broken with the movement |date=August 26, 2009 |first=Asle |last=Hansen |url=https://www.dagbladet.no/nyheter/logner-trakassering-og-undertrykkelse/65275797 |url-access=subscription |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180223171323/https://www.dagbladet.no/nyheter/logner-trakassering-og-undertrykkelse/65275797 |archive-date=February 23, 2018 |website=Dagbladet.no}}</ref>
<ref name="humanistforlag-author">{{cite web |title=Geir Isene |url=http://humanistforlag.no/index.php?ID=Forfatter&ID2=134 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131014144802/http://humanistforlag.no/index.php?ID=Forfatter&ID2=134 |archivedate=2013-10-14 |website={{Ill|Humanist Forlag|no}}}}</ref>
<ref name="humanistforlag-book">{{cite web|url=http://humanistforlag.no/index.php?ID=Bok&ID2=174|title=Nittenåttifire|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131012223734/http://humanistforlag.no/index.php?ID=Bok&ID2=174|archivedate=2013-10-12 |website={{Ill|Humanist Forlag|no}}}}</ref>
<ref name="isene-about">{{Cite web |title= Geir who? |url=https://isene.org/about/ |first=Geir |last=Isene |website=isene.org}}</ref>
<ref name="isene-not">{{Cite web |title=I am not a Scientologist |date=September 29, 2011 |first=Geir |last=Isene |url=https://isene.me/2011/09/29/i-am-not-a-scientologist/ |website=isene.me}}</ref>
<ref name="isene-scn">{{Cite web |url=https://isene.org/scientology/?form=MG0AV3 |title=Me & Scientology |website=isene.org |first=Geir |last=Isene}}</ref>
<ref name="it-nytt">{{cite web|url=http://it-nytt.no/norge-kan-avgjore-ooxml-striden/|title=Norge kan avgjøre OOXML-striden|language=no|trans-title=Norway can decide the OOXML dispute|website=IT-nytt Norwegian and international IT news|date=28 August 2007|access-date=8 October 2013|archive-date=12 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131012185444/http://it-nytt.no/norge-kan-avgjore-ooxml-striden/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
<ref name="litteraturhuset">{{cite web|url=http://www.litteraturhuset.no/program/2013/09/nittenaatifire.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131012202708/http://www.litteraturhuset.no/program/2013/09/nittenaatifire.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2013-10-12|title=Lansering av Nittenåttifire |language=no |trans-title=Launch of Nineteen Eighty-Four |website={{Ill|Litteraturhuset i Oslo|no}} |date=18 September 2013}}</ref>
<ref name=sptimes2009>{{cite web |url=https://rjionline.org/rji/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/11/tbt_inside_scientology.pdf |title=Inside Scientology: High-ranking defectors provide an unprecedented inside look at the Church of Scientology and its leader, David Miscavige |first1=Joe |last1=Childs |first2=Thomas C |last2=Tobin |date=2009 |publisher=St. Petersburg Times |work=Digital Newsbook (215 pages) |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230306042200/https://rjionline.org/rji/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/11/tbt_inside_scientology.pdf |archive-date=March 6, 2023}}</ref>
<ref name="tampabay">{{cite web|url=http://www.tampabay.com/news/scientology/three-of-scientologys-elite-parishioners-keep-faith-but-leave-the-church/1062092|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100102095956/http://tampabay.com/news/scientology/three-of-scientologys-elite-parishioners-keep-faith-but-leave-the-church/1062092|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 2, 2010|title=Three of Scientology's elite parishioners keep faith, but leave the church |first1=Joe |last1=Childs |first2=Thomas C. |last2=Tobin |date=December 31, 2009 |publisher=St Petersburg Times}}</ref>
<ref name="tonyortega">{{Cite web |title=VIDEO: Scientology Told Google's Sergey Brin It Wanted Only "Good" Search Results |first=Tony |last=Ortega |author-link=Tony Ortega |date=June 26, 2013 |website=The Underground Bunker |url=https://tonyortega.org/2013/06/26/video-scientology-told-googles-sergey-brin-it-wanted-only-good-search-results/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241219135404/https://tonyortega.org/2013/06/26/video-scientology-told-googles-sergey-brin-it-wanted-only-good-search-results/ |archive-date=19 December 2024 |access-date=2024-12-27 |language=en-US }}</ref>
}}
== External links == * [https://isene.me/ Geir Isene's earlier blog isene.me] * [https://isene.org Geir Isene's newer blog isene.org] * {{Cite AV media |title=Geir Isene on Scientology |people=Jeffrey Augustine (interviewer) |date=2013 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7QOAUcqyYc |type=Video}}
== See also ==
* Scientology controversies * Bibliography of books critical of Scientology {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Isene, Geir}} Category:1966 births Category:Living people Category:Former Scientologists Category:Critics of Scientology Category:20th-century Norwegian male writers Category:21st-century Norwegian male writers