Singer Joy Villa burst onto the scene a few years ago wearing bold outfits in support of conservative leaders and causes. But today, she speaks candidly about her faith and her journey from Scientology to Christianity.
“I grew up a Christian, born again, saved, evangelical, laying on hands, praying in tongues, you know, all the gifts, charisma, all the spiritual gifts,” Villa recently told the Bible Brothers Podcast. “And my father was a pastor. Unfortunately, my parents passed away almost 20 years ago. So I lost both of my parents at a young age.”
Despite actively growing in his faith, something eventually changed within Villa.
“I was kind of a kid on the Christian scene, and I wanted to be a singer, an actress, and…I wanted to go to Hollywood,” she said. “I wanted to be successful. Unfortunately, I was abused at a young age…when I was four years old.”
That sexual abuse greatly influenced Villa’s thoughts and views as he grew up.
“It opened up a world of demonic emotions, and to be honest, because I started having those emotions, demonic control spread around me,” she said. “I had dark feelings, feelings that I shouldn’t be here. When I was a child, it was like this idea of wanting to get away from myself. I felt very lonely, very isolated. So I grew up with that, but at the same time I was very artistic, very talented, and I went into art.”
By the time Villa was around 20, she began dabbling in professional acting. But living a life in Hollywood brought even more trauma. However, even amidst her hardships, she still found herself praying to God and asking for direction.
However, she eventually found herself caught up in Scientology. Scientology is a belief system that she was initially skeptical of. Villa began attending the Church’s Celebrity Center in Hollywood after being hired to walk in a runway show.
“They give you a free personality test. They smile, they’re cheerful, they’re clean, they shake your hand, they look you in the face, they remember your name,” she said. “Like, you’re so traumatized by Hollywood, right? L.A. is crazy. So you’re like, ‘Wow, you gave me a chance. You’re here and you’re looking at me.'” There were free acting classes. There were free seminars on health and nutrition, all of which I was interested in. ”
Over time, Villa penetrated deeper and deeper into the world of Scientology. Some people inside reportedly told her they were also Christians, further confusing her theology.
“The more I learned, the more I got into it, and the more I got drawn into the system without even knowing I was in it,” Villa said. “It’s like slowly boiling a frog. You don’t realize it until it’s too late.”
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In many ways, it was the perfect storm for Villa.
“At first, it was like I wanted a family. I had lost my parents. I didn’t have a community,” she said. “So they kind of pull you into this community. They’re like, ‘Oh, we’re going to be your family.’ That’s what one of the staff members said to me.”
This accusation was difficult to deny. Soon, Ms. Villa said, Scientology placed her “everywhere,” including in promotional materials.
“There were posters in every church, like all over the world,” Villa said.
The singer said he ultimately came to the conclusion that “Scientology’s roots are in witchcraft” and that it was “very dark.” In the end, this led her to leave the system she had so fervently clung to.
But Villa has been a Scientologist for 15 years and said the belief system has become her “addiction.”
“But eventually, like any addiction, it happened. At first it worked…but the price destroys you, and the price started to destroy me,” she said. “I lost so much weight…I was working 12 hours a day for thousands of dollars a week in England, training to get to the next level…and a demonic voice kept saying to me, ‘You’re dead, you’re going to die, you’re no good, you’re no good, you’re no good’.”
She eventually falls into grief and realizes that the things she thought were working weren’t actually helping her heal. These realizations forced her to flee Scientology.
“I was always hiding and hiding the pain,” Villa said. “And I collapsed on the kitchen floor and cried and said, ‘Jesus, please help me,’ because I could have ended my life. I would have ended my life.”
And after she left, she said, the more than 100 people she brought to Scientology also left. She is relieved about that.
“I was born again from Scientology, born again, baptized and dedicated my life to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,” Villa said. “And I would never go back to anything that was made artificially.”
She now believes she was battling a spirit of celebrity pride. Scientology helped feed that “narcissistic spirit,” which facilitated her association with narcissism. Villa said she now spends her time warning about the dangers of Scientology.
“Praise God, He sent me free,” she said. “That was three years ago when I came out. That was the journey. My life has gotten so much better. I lost so much. … But I found Jesus again. … I am the sheep. He left the 99 to find the one.”
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