The Barnes' were devout Scientologists who lived their lives in accordance with Scientology's primary doctrine, a policy called "Keeping Scientology Working" that outlines what is expected of a Scientologist.

After relocating from Texas to Scientology's Mecca in Clearwater, Florida, they began running a business that employed Scientologists, applying Scientology administrative "technology" as their one and only management philosophy and turning over a very large portion of their earnings from the business to Scientology for training, auditing and books. Their child attended a Scientology owned and operated school, where he was taught to apply Hubbard's "Study Tech." Their friends were all Scientologists.

By all accounts, the Barnes' were ideal Scientologists. Yet, in a bizarre series of events, because they understood Hubbard's writings so well, the Barnes' were thrown out of Scientology after challenging some changes that were being implemented by the organization's management - changes that contradicted Hubbard's own policies regarding auditing on the upper "OT levels." As a result of their battle to apply Scientology technology correctly, they were ex-communicated from Scientology, or in other words, they were declared by the organization to be "Suppressive Persons" - at the time, a devastating and unexpected blow for them.

As a result, all of their Scientology connections were severed; their business took a big hit from losing their Scientology-related clients and staff and even their son was forced to leave the Scientology run school he attended.

After researching Scientology from other perspectives - and doing a lot of soul searching - the Barnes eventually left Scientology of their own accord, then began to speak out publicly against the sect.