Mark Fladd appeared with his wife, Stephanie, on an episode of The Aftermath. They told part of their experiences with Orange County org. Good people, chewed up and spit out by the relentless money-grubbing. Of course, instead of making things right with them, scientology sought to smear them. Mark wanted to clarify some things and I am happy to have this forum available for him to do so.
Open Letter to Church of Scientology
Clarifications and an update for the Public Record
By Mark Fladd, ex-Scientologist | Riverside County, California | 2020
Introduction
The reason for the following open letter is a rebuttal of the letter posted on the Scientology exposé site leahreminiaftermath.com regarding the appearance of myself and my wife on Leah Remini and the Aftermath show.
While I was a Scientologist, during a fundraiser at the Church of Scientology of Orange County in which I signed up for my lifetime IAS membership, I was pulled into a private meeting with two staff, one being Sea Org. It was a long conversation, but one phrase stuck out in their describing of David Miscavige. Besides the fact that he apparently can stretch fundraising dollars, so somehow this makes the unrelenting requests for more donation money justified, they also said he goes after his enemies ruthlessly. I thought this an odd statement at the time because I was a member in good standing, and it was out of context with the conversation.
I was asked why did I wait this long to write a letter. I waited to show that I am not out for any money. I waited to prove them wrong on all claims, especially the Ethics actions against me. This is exclusively about the victims of Scientology, and preventing another repeat situation from happening to anyone else. This is to show others how Scientology botched the tech, covered up the executive missteps, and ultimately failed to recover me. Based on my morals from my upbringing, you never let someone get away with a wrongdoing against you. I don’t forget. If I had to state concisely why I waited to write this, I am being relentless.
When I left, AOLA dropped a line on me via a telephone conversation that I am not to speak out publicly about my experiences in the Church, and I agreed at the time because I felt that doing so would harm my third Dynamic. Now I realize that speaking out is helping that same third Dynamic in fixing issues through preventing the same abuses to persist. I am glad to have experienced being on the Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath show and to have met Leah and Mike. I am glad to bring to light my experiences through an exclusive on Mike Rinder’s blog now. This is closure for myself, and comes at a good time ending out 2020.
Letter to Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath
Here is the excerpt from the letter in regards to the episode that I appeared in, dated 4-DEC-2018. Afterwards is my response to the Church of Scientology International letter written by Karin Pouw.
Mark and Stephanie Fladd: These assertions are false. We can find no Church official who told the Fladds that they could use their donations in anticipation of future religious services in their next lifetime. That is absurd. The Church’s policy with respect to religious services is that donations are generally non- refundable. Parishioners understand that as a relatively new religion, all of our religious, social and humanitarian missions are funded through parishioner donations. A return of donations is not a legal right of a parishioner nor a legal obligation of the Church. It is longstanding Church policy that the return of donations for religious services is exclusively within the ecclesiastical authority and sole discretion of the Church and only when the parishioner follows exactly Church policy and procedures. When a donor is dissatisfied with a charity to which he has donated, his usual recourse is to cease making those donations.
Contrary to the false implications contained in your questions, all of which are rejected, parishioners donate voluntarily and generously to support their Church. Donations to Churches of Scientology, like those of any other religion, are charitable gifts and thus are not in any way refundable on demand. Mark Fladd left the Church of Scientology to pursue Mormonism and we wished him well.
Personal Response
My assertion is absolutely true. There was one specific registrar involved named Aryana Dangberg. She was the one who cited a Hubbard policy letter on requesting a refund, on how anyone who requests a refund is down-tone or will end up a suppressive person, as a means to dissuade me from formally requesting a refund. This was the official response after she consulted someone out of earshot for a long time, and she offered for me to formally request a refund through a committee of evidence to review the incident but additionally, as a means to dissuade, said I would never be allowed on services again if I did so. She is also the one who verbally stated that the money will be available in my next lifetime. She even cited an example of a person who returned to body, was verified by the archive file folders of the Org, and had his credit-on-file returned to his new body. The pastlife conversation occurred on the same day my refund request was denied, but she waited until I was exiting the lobby until she confronted me. Aryana made the comment with the intention of consolation due to the denied refund request.
I do agree with your statement that it is absurd that credit-on-file can be claimed after death by a Scientologist in a new body. We have reached a consensus on the concept of reincarnation identity theft.
The fact that I was sold an advanced payment, credit-on-file, for a Clear package with the only indication that the Church of Scientology intended to claim this as a donation by looking back at the writing on the receipt. Nobody verbally mentioned it was a donation, and I only found out years later looking at the receipts. The Executive Director, Cathy Moore, represented the Clear package as all the books and services necessary to obtain the state of Clear. She was the one who made the sales pitch and she was the one who personally showed up at my work and house to sell the Clear package. Aryana and Jason, both of whom were Registrars, helped with the sales pitch; however, the primary staff selling was Cathy. She also sold me a Life Repair package for my wife. Another unused pre-paid auditing intensive. Around the same time, Golden Era Productions sold me the entire Basics books. Similarly, the local IAS representative sold me a Lifetime IAS membership.
Now after all of this Craig, a Registrar from South Africa, had me pay an additional $900 to the Org as a means to claim this was a separate payment for the physical books and coursework from the Clear package and Life Repair intensive. It was not, this was only cover up work being done by AOLA and Golden Era productions, all directed by the Los Angeles MAA Sea Org member coordinating the cover up. They told Craig to keep showing up outside the course room for multiple weeks, constantly until I gave in, to request this extra payment to cover up the fact they failed to separate the physical book and services package payments previously. Cathy had promised that I would not have to make any more payments after the Clear package until I obtained the state of Clear, which I never came close to obtaining while a member of Scientology. She did not realize she failed to separate the book and services credit card payments to the Church, which is when the Sea Org stepped in via the Los Angeles MAA, Golden Era productions, and even the Sea Org girl assigned to the Church of Scientology of Orange County. They told Craig to request the additional $900 payment from the local org and to say it covered specifically the books and materials.
Now while all this was occurring, I was being mistreated by the local staff. Basically being shunned in early 2016 by the Day and even Foundation academy staff. Told no more twins were available. Told to go to the 5th floor Library to study instead of the Academy. Ultimately restricted to study the Survival Rundown (SRD) materials in the Division 6 classroom as punishment for requesting a refund in early 2016. I was even given a Potential Trouble Source 3 label both by Cathy and Aryana, mentioned in everyday conversation in passing. There was no way for me to complete the SRD course the shunning via course room staff and the failure to alleviate the situation through Barbara (recovery auditor) and Nishan (ethics officer). The Executive Director promised that her Church would not continue the sales pressure tactics after I purchased the Clear package.
The Executive Director’s word meant nothing as Org (church) staff kept up the fundraising while the held-down seven cognition was more money; in reality, it was her forgetfulness to separate the physical materials and church services Clear package receipt that the Sea Org came in to cover up her mistake through Craig.
Concerning the claim that I left Scientology for Mormonism, that statement is false and it uses confidential folder information. I was a visitor at the Latter-day Saint church for a month or two during the period of 2016 where I blew SRD and before I tried to return to SRD. I never became a member of the Mormon church. I went to this church at the recommendation of another public Scientologist at the Santa Ana org. I was told through my recovery auditor Barbara who handled my PC folder in Santa Ana for AOLA that Scientologists often have Mormons (LDS) come through for services, and the person who set me up as a visitor at the LDS church was one such Scientologist. She also claimed that Christianity and Scientology are completely compatible. Hence, why I was visiting the LDS church during the brief period that I blew SRD and prior to recovery.
Here are the reasons that I left Scientology; concisely, the shunning by staff to take me back onto the SRD course and the constant-unending requests for more, as you call them, charitable donations. As an example, most days there would be a Registrar waiting either before or after class to hit up students for more charity money. My twin had complained to the day Executive Director Ryan, so this was a widespread issue that other Scientologists knew this Org required of its public.
The incident with the Ethics Officer handling, Nishan, was that I was invited to the Golden Era Productions grand opening of the SMP building. At the last minute, I was told by the Scientology Media Production building opening event security staff via Nishan that I was a security risk for the event. I was being put onto an internal watch-list, and I was expressly barred from attending the event. I was routed onto Ethics after attempting to return to SRD after blowing due to the staff shunning, which involved the Director of Education Tony. All of this poor treatment was because I had requested a refund of the Clear package. I was called at my work by the SMP event security staff after the SMP building grand opening accusing me of showing up to the event uninvited; where in reality, I had never attended due to being banned and put on a watch-list over NOTHING.
There was never any valid concern to justify banning me from the SMP opening, nor put me on the event security watch-list; in addition, they invented a baseless claim that I had attended uninvited for who knows what purpose other than additional third Dynamic contention through being blatant liars. Overts and engramic response from self-proclaimed homo.novii?
Timeframe Context
List of clarifications, additional emphasis, and timeline events relevant to this letter.
- IRS tax exempt filing shows that the Church of Scientology declared to the IRS that Scientology provides refunds, yet my refund request was absolutely refused as it has been claimed based on a charitable donation.
- My refund request was claimed as a ‘charitable donation’ even though it included cost for physical books and physical course materials. This mistake by the local staff was covered up by Sea Org who came in to fix the mistake by prompting the South-African registrar Craig to request a race for the money to cover books. It was supposed to be an up-tone event: Winner take all, and he won the book money for the Santa Ana Org home team and even posted it on Facebook.
- In late 2015, a senior Scientologist from the Washington DC org flew and arrived at the Orange County org, hosted by the day Executive Director Ryan, specifically to interview me as part of an investigation.
- He interviewed Org staff to learn about my background and personality.
- He subsequently interviewed me in a private room with a local Org registrar Anne
- In late 2015, Santa Ana Org staff member, Adam Whitworth, told me he was going to show up to recover my wife while in the Org on SRD. The next morning after I left for work, he attempted to coerce my wife into the Org building, for her pre-paid Life Repair audit sessions. She obviously refused, being a non-Scientologist who had no willingness to participate in it.
- The next day, my house was broken into and ransacked by an unidentified person. The police Investigator claimed the burglar was somebody well-known to us, as my large dog did not attack and was left unharmed during the robbery.
- By the end of 2015, I began having symptoms of the technology of the Survival Rundown course not working correctly. Such as emotional highs and lows before or after the course ended. Lack of sleep at this time a big issue, as I was on course late into the evening seven days a week.
- Reported incident to Director of Education Tony, yet SRD issues persisted.
- Survival Rundown twin auditing went on through end of 2015.
Interestingly, I had to submit a formal request to the Academy supervisor during the survival rundown course to go see my in-laws for Christmas. In other words, SRD and Scientology in general, is extreme, intense, and fanatical commitment; thus, the lack of sleep, emotional roller-coaster, and effects on a daytime job. I witnessed a public Scientologist who had been going on for years on SRD with this type of unending control.
- In January of 2016, I blew the SRD course due and became unemployed in relation to the course-related overwhelm-upset.
- Barb, the recovery Auditor who handled the overwhelm-upset, knew that I was unemployed in early 2016. The Church of Scientology still refused to offer a refund or any kind of assistance, as they could not admit their tech failed.
- By early 2017, employed by this time on a lower single-family income, I am no longer able to make reasonable payments on the high-interest debt from Scientology, compounding out of control due to their Registrar Jason setting up high-interest credit cards for my payments to the church.
- Sold my house to pay debt, as per the episode on the show.
Summary
The Church of Scientology of Orange County said it was meant for the good of people in its community. It did no such thing for me. The academy course technology failed. The persistent and constant fundraising left me in debt. My Church failed me to provide for, alleviate, or compensate concerning their failure in the supervision, auditing, and in the services provided.
- Instead of alleviation, I was cited as a Potential Trouble Source 3 by Executive Management.
- Instead of compassion, I was shunned by the Academy staff.
- Instead of empathy, I was put on an internal church watch-list by public-event Security and barred from public Scientology events by Ethics.
- Instead of compensation, I was told by a Registrar that my credit-on-file would be available for me after I die, reincarnate, and return to Scientology in a new body.
None of the examples listed fit the conduct of a Church. The local staff failed to handle my case, and when it escalated, the Los Angeles (AOLA) staff failed to handle it. RTC through CSI now handles my case because it was made public on the show. Now I have to write this letter because you have erroneous information in my confidential PC folder made public. The Church of Scientology’s self-induced failure, primarily in the poor application of Hubbard tech, has created yet another ex-Scientologist.
Cutting to the chase: Hubbard was a narcissistic, abusive, criminal asshole.
Dianutty and scienbollocky are the thetanic turds blown out of his ass, and their essential stench and evil corrupt and degrade those who revere and ingest them. It takes some serious indoctrination and bait-and-switch fuckery to get folks to PAY for the kind of abuse, skullduggery, and intentionally shitty behavior/treatment outlined in this post.
Disgusting cult, uh!😑
“We can find….” That’s just weasel-words adding up to “We didn’t dare LOOK….” Anyone wanna bet that regges used that falsehood regularly to get their stats up? While I had some “friends” who were registrars, I wouldn’t put anything past them when they were stressed-out about getting that next batch of CASH.
One of the worst registrars I knew was Jim Hamre in Ventura, CA. I was reg’d by him, Cathy Steiner (who was the wife of the mission holder Tom Steiner), the ethics officer and I think one of the auditors. I was held in his office with the door blocked and forced to give up my only small credit card and max it out for a life repair or purif re-tread or some nonsense. I was 18 years old working at Sears. I was broke as sh*t and forced into debt. Screw Jim Hamre and his cold dead heart.
“The Church’s policy with respect to religious services is that donations are generally non- refundable.” Is this not a direct violation of the ’93 IRS agreement? Yeah, there are a few mealy mouthed ‘exceptions’ like ‘generally’, but it is still a violation.
Anything to keep the money where they think it belongs: under lock and key where only Davey-boy can get to it.
It’s for the use of the “most ethical” organization on the planet, right?
And if you believe ANY of that, they’ve got this bridge you can buy, ‘cheap’ at any cost, including your immortal soul.
“Faustian” is just the start.
To Mark and Stephanie Fladd: I hope you are reading every comment and insight. In this exchange, you see the demonstration of understanding and abundant support. It is a rich tapestry woven here to show how much you are understood, respected, and admired.
One observation shared that caused me to gasp from Bryon Eckert: “The money they receive is stolen through deception.” Such a frank and impaling remark. Let’s hope it pierces in some right places.
You, Mark, along with Mike for welcoming your communication, are the catalyzer here. Gratitude to you and much joy in the New Year!
Real science can be done by anyone. There’s no such thing as a “squirrel”.
otherles,
“Squirrel” just means not giving all your money to the central organization.🤩 In the current scene, folks called “squirrel” are likely MORE aligned with KSW than those in the corporate fold, who aren’t protesting vehemently or violently against Dwarfenführer’s blatant, continuous, and catastrophic alterations.
otherles opined:
“Real science can be done by anyone.”
NOT, evidently, by LRH. He was apparently “above all that”.
I am very sorry to hear of all the suffering you endured,Mr.Fladd while being a member of Scientology.Thank you for enlightening people like me who never joined an organization such as this one.To quote a line from the film The Krays,with a few tweaks,Scientology is saying nothing,but it is saying it too loudly.My fondest wish for this cult is to just collapse upon itself.All they do is hurt people and rob them blind.Their founder was a bona fide psychotic.Their current leader is a psychopath and textbook narcissist.Nothing good can come from this.Former Scientologists,keep on telling all of us your experiences while you were there.Maybe that will give other members the courage to leave one day.
Nicely said, Nancy.
Oh my… commiserations for the ordeal you have suffered, but unfortunately that is Scientology.
It’s a hard concept to grasp that what happened to you is organised theft. Even more difficult is grasping you have been lied to with such sincerity for so long, despite the good sensations of auditing. Those minions who pressured, coerced you with such grandiose responsibilities you must shoulder for the good of mankind, took you money and came across as your colleagues fighting the good fight in the name of Hubbard’s tech and policy are simply cogs in a criminal enterprise. Whether they know it or not, really isn’t the point, their actions are the height of whatever intelligence they are permitted to believe they have. They are devoted, fanatical and dangerous idiots. Their boss sits in a concrete bunker protected by high security & lawyers that look upon you as something that needs to be squashed if you dare speak out about the injustices you have been subjected to. Good luck to you and well done for seeing the truth of your situation. There is a lot more truth to discover about Scientology and the Hubbard experience as the spell wares off.
Spot on! As I was reading this, I thought about how desperate registrars must be that t hey resort to concocting BS in order to get their stats up…and at the same time probably feel righteous about doing so because it’s ‘for the greater good’ AND at the same time, keep their asses out of Ethics. It’s an altered state of being,,,which is what Scientology actually is.
Scientology has always operated on using ethics and group pressure as tools to control…as did Hitler and Mao and every other tyrannical dictator.
Loved your last line…’There is a lot more truth to discover about Scientology and the Hubbard experience as the spell wares (wears) off’. 40 plus years after blowing, am still at it.
Thanks!
Yes, the never ending, “waking up,” from Scientology.
I am well and truly in my twilight years now and if I had to sum up the aging process in one word, it would be “messy.” It simply messes with you and those close to you. However, I believe what becomes more and relevant & sort after as we progress through life is compassion and trust. And that is where the association with Scientology really unravels. The desire to trust shines out like a beacon in Mark’s words above, yet no matter how truthful and open he tries to reconcile his bewilderment at his treatment by Scientology the more and more the organisation despises him and anyone that calls him a friend or a loved one. That is the well engineered path for all Scientologists to walk.
There is no compassion in Scientology, and that definitely began with Hubbard. For all its promises of saving & salvaging mankind from itself, Scientology as an organisation doesn’t trust its members, not a single one of them. The organisation itself is dead, it always has been the closer you begin to really look at it – that’s why you can’t communicate with it!
To Mark Fladd and wife Stephanie: Everything you describe and discuss on “Aftermath,” and now here in the blog, comes across—for anyone who has been in Scientology—as 100 percent plausible and true. First hearing and now reading your recounting mirrors thousands of other similar Church of Scientology experiences. The details are unmistakable. “Been there,” any fellow Scientologist can offer.
This “church” really is out to destroy every person’s finances who comes in contact with them. This can be easily statistically proven. (Since the group loves stats.) Unless you are a mega-watt celebrity or billionaire, YOUR FINANCES ARE TOAST. Your personal finances are a goner. There must be more divorces and bankruptcies per capita of people in Church of Scientology than other religious practice. This would be an interesting research study taken up by a sociology student in a university. Truly interesting and provocative stuff—the realities, that is, compared to what is sold.
Appreciate your courage in speaking up and documenting what you have here. I hope financially there is a workable means for your family to recover your registration and fundraising dollars that were (as is the custom) strong-armed out of you by the Dept. of Thuggery. Talk about NOT delivering what is promised. (Isn’t there an important L. Ron Hubbard policy about this: deliver what is promised?)
The item about “Your dollars on account will be available for use next lifetime,” I have heard that at least a dozen times. By now, I am thinking it may be “an urban legend.” Like a person whose kid had a baby pet alligator, which climbed into the toilet, traveled through the pipes and now lives in the sewers as a full-fledged alligator.
I am not sure, in other words, I have personally encountered an instance of a returnee gleefully showing up (new body) at their FORMER org to resume an already paid for Bridge to Total Freedom. I do know people are frequently told they will screw up their eternity IN FULL if they do not abide by Church of Scientology orders and demands (as we know, usually demands for money).
I am sad you experienced such ultra-control on your Survival Rundown action. I had sort of that experience (at times), but my twin and I were a united front and could be sufficiently badass in our assertions of what our schedule would be. This may be though a “days gone by” scenario. It would not surprise me if twinships at orgs are much more heavily policed as you describe. Certainly, this is well within the realm of, not just possibility, but likelihood.
It is a strange view of client service, that’s for sure.
Sending your family good wishes, good health, and prosperity in the New Year and for always!
How much did the “Clear package” cost and what was included? How much did “the entire Basics books” cost? Curiosity
Trials and tribulations are the hallmark of being alive. Better a person should suffer under Scientology and throw it into the trash can of the past rather than stay in the group and suffer endlessly. Those who mistreated you are certainly victims of some level of Scientology mistreatment themselves.
Scientology is an equal opportunity abuser. Even the tiny tyrant at the top makes wild claims of being abused by all the CS’ers around him who can’t do anything right, and leave him to do all the work.
I sympathize with the pain and heartache you have endured. But from now on you will always be a person who knows how little Scientology has to offer anyone, how its so-called ‘tech’ is just mumbo-jumbo, and how cruel the organization as a whole is whenever money is involved. You now know it is more like a pyramid scheme than anything resembling a church. Those involved in your torment have not reached your level of clear headed thinking, yet. Be happy for your personal successful extraction from a cult known to keep members in a state of constant abuse for decades.
You are one of the lucky ones who escaped with life and sanity at a fairly young age. The debt is a difficult hurdle, but not insurmountable; perhaps a balance transfer to a card with a period of no interest could get you back on track. Just don’t take any old advice, especially from Scilons or strangers on the net.
The Church and Hubbard make a huge deal out of “Squirrels” and Squirrelling of LRH Tech and Policy. But for my money, the biggest Scientology squirrel group in the world is the Church of Scientology and its membership, and the biggest Squirrel in the history of Scientology is David Miscavige. Witness:
-Squirrelled policy on Refunds and Repayments – there used to be a procedure one could follow and the Church would refund and repay unused donations at least a lot of the time. Now: forget it. Miscavigo e squirrelled it to getting R/Rs are virtually impossible.
-Squirrelled clear policy that the Church is not supposed to fundraise – Church is supposed to solve financial problems with Scientology through sale of Scientology services to obtain funds, not have barbecues and bouncy castles and people dressing up in silly costumes and giving their money away to the Church.
I could go on, because there are many such examples, but those two alone have are huge and permanent departures from what is “standard Scientology.”
The Church is in the “Golden Age of Squirrelling” and Miscavige is the BIG SQUIRREL.
Karen Pouw’s statement is confusing. If future track use of donations is “absurd”, then is the whole track even a thing? Does this mean that the incidents the PC deals with in auditing are purely invented? Would this not make auditing a largely delusional process? If the concept of future and past lives in Scientology is so tenuous, can Scientology really be considered a religion? Also, the process for requesting a refund seems to have changed considerably since 1993, when Scientology gained tax exemption. According to Karen Pouw, Scientology lied to the IRS.
Karen Pouw’s understanding of other religions in relation to Scientology is equally confused. If people leave Scientology to pursue Mormonism, would this not imply that one can be a Mormon or a Scientologist, but not both? I was told explicitly by many Scientologists that one can be a member of any church and also a Scientologist. Is Karen Pouw admitting that all that is also a lie?
According to Hubbard’s Conditions of Exchange, the church is now largely focused on criminal exchange. The money they receive is stolen through deception.
To Mark Fladd, I extend my sympathy. I hope for good things in your future, and that the money that was stolen from you will transfer any negative karma from you onto them.
I find it (almost) humorous how the church of scientology creates its own enemies. The above is one example. I am another. I never would have “committed Treason” by appearing on Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath (two years after getting declared and not seeing my son) if the church of scientology had never declared me a suppressive person and thereby put my son in the position to have to disconnect from me or lose so much (including his father) if he didn’t. All they had to do was NOT declare me. At the time I would have been so willing to just leave it quietly and not speak out – that’s how much I wanted to have my son (and at the time, my husband) in my life. Those days are gone and over. I have to thank you dave; I miss my son terribly but my life is SO much better being totally out of your church.
Well done david miscavige. You, mr. miscavige are DUMB! There are so many who would have never spoken out if they hadn’t been so badly “handled” by your minions who do your bidding – “command intention.” Keep up the good work, dave.
So well said, Mary – however, we need to have a conversation regarding name calling when it comes to Tiny Fists, Apple Box Boy, Extreme Imposter, etc. “Dumb” is so far afield and way too kind for this bastard.
A very Happy New Year to you all on this site, your family and friends and all who are trying to make this world a better place to live.
Mary, you speak the sooth. I worked in Scientology for 35 years and was a highly successful “tech guy.” I had no intention or even a passing thought of leaving, until the completely brutal actions of an ethics cycle by SO personnel made me ” see the light” and I walked out of ASHO as a BC student one Thursday at noon and was no longer a Scientologist. (officially declared an “SP” for posting on Marty’s blog)
Mark, same kind of meat grinder as what I went through in the 70s.
At least you realized it wasn’t working and got out. Took me a lot longer to come to the same conclusion.
On the SRD, the Survival Rundown, “update” of the old “objective processes”, call it what you will.
These are hypnotic authoritarian procedures that are designed to break someone down utterly. In the old days we would just kind of brush them off in an afternoon or two, get some giggles from the hypnotic euphoria or even claim that we “exteriorized” when the dissociation effect kicks in. Slightly dizzy, a dislocated feeling, it all seems unreal, wow I must be outside my body! Cool! Better than drugs!
What really messed up the SRD is that someone dug into what Hubbard actually said about these harmful practices back in the day and resurrected them in their original awful form. Hours, days, weeks doing brutally repetitive actions.
Of course that made perfect sense to Dave Miscavige. Forcing someone to repeat mindlessly insane physical motions thousands of times is perfect for the malignant narcissist on a never-ending power trip.
Dave has no one that can give him any imaginary levels above OTVIII. He does not have the imagination to make them up, they aren’t buried somewhere or hidden in an attic. Big chunks of the original con are gone because he can’t find anyone who even pretends to understand them anymore. Like the fly in a chunk of amber, Scientology looks almost alive but was frozen in time long ago.
To keep the marks in line and the cash flowing in, he resorts to selling something that takes forever to do, can be done by anyone, and can be repeated over and over and over and over.
Good for Dave but disastrous for everyone else. Literally creating insanity for cash. I know they get away with it because of the fake religious angle, but ultimately isn’t there a law that could somehow apply? Or a simple warning label – SRD: Warning: This procedure is known by the State of California to cause insanity, poverty, homelessness and despair.
Way back in the day, Hubbard got mad at one of the Cine crew members during the filming of the 1978 tech films directed by Hubbard.
Hubbard issued a “cram”: 25 hours of Op Pro by Dup.
(To those never-in, a cram is supposed to be a brief corrective action usually involving some reading or checking comprehension or practicing something, called drilling. Op pro by dup is a grueling, hypnotic process, excruciatingly boring.)
25 hours in a cram is just cruelty.
Interesting, Mr. Doe. Never heard that story, but it was not long after that time period that the “Survival Rundown” was released. I’ve done both the old Objectives, which in my day were called the “Class VIII Steps to the Drug Rundown” and the Survival Rundown. The only way to “get through” it is to cheat.
Of course, that was also the time period when David Mayo was told to run around a pole until he wore a ditch into the dirt.
Hubbard was a big fan of dirty hard work for those who disagreed with him. Never for himself. The joke of it is, even though Hubbard talked a big talk about objective reality and the perils of getting too wound up in subjective philosophical snarls, Scientology is 100% subjective. No objective measurable results of any kind, It’s all head games all the way down.
Thank you Mark for putting truth into the web/cloud. Just as Mike Rinder continues to dismantle the published dissembling by the cherch and their tools, the rebuttal by way of facts/truth into the web/cloud is there for anyone to view.
Some years back I decided that the only way such a group could get back in my good graces would be to suffer through whatever actions it would take for me accept them. Not…… likely….ever.
Brilliant – assign lower ethics conditions to that down-stat cap-in-hand group to which we all have given tons of money and time. We did not owe our contribution as some kind of amends project.
Mark, so sorry for all of this, but it is standard operating procedure for Scientology., and accumulation of debt also occurred with my one of my sons, to the tune of $65,000 on credit cards. organized by the church in San Diego. I have to ask if the South-African registrar CRAIG, was Craig Reisdorf, my son who has disconnected from us since 2015? I believe he was working at the OC Org during that time period, so it must be him. Prior to that he was at the San Diego Org. I know for a fact that him doing that and pressuring you would have been very hard for him to do, as he is actually a very nice person but obviously has become hardened by Scientology. I just wish he had woken up during that time. I hope things are going better for you now.
Hey Lois. I also wondered if it was your Craig. There is another possibility and that’s Craig Lipsitz – a RUTHLESS fundraiser/Reg – I was often hammered to death by him for money, donations and all sorts. He got VERY ill just before I left the church – but somehow they managed to patch him up – he had to step down from his senior SO post and became a Reg – to replace Peach Bokelmann who was “promoted” to Flag as Reg for the Super Power bldg – and then finally routed out (she now lives with her sister in the UK but is still drinking the KA).
WOW! What a total mess. This case with Mark really shows the inherent weakness in Scientology. Scientology promises what they cannot deliver. Hubbard built his “religion” on false assumptions. Hubbard had a below average mind and all he really cared about was fighting his internal entities and demons. Hubbard is a perfect example of Satanism. In Milton’s “Paradise Lost” Satan says that he would rather rule in hell than serve in heaven. If Hubbard had half a brain, he could figure out what Milton was saying. Hubbard had excess pride in his limited abilities. This led Hubbard to false certainties about what he was really doing when he harmed people. Satan activated the principle demons and devils in hell which is really a mental state similar to Scientology not a physical location which is absurd. Hubbard’s entities and demons which he never vanquished were really a product of his below average mind which he was unable to raise. Hubbard should have read Milton’s “Paradise Lost”. It would have done him literally a new world of good.
George, don’t know if Hubbard read “Paradise Lost”. Probably way over his head. But it seems that Dave was taking notes in the margins of his copy. The punishment will persevere until morale improves!
I think Dave is as dumb as a bucket of paint. Seriously, he wasted my $120,000.