This “success story” caught my attention for a couple of reasons.
First, the idea that it could be considered a “win” to decide that you could now help with fundraising is rather comical. Tells you what is important in the world of scientology. It is obviously a point of shame to NOT be participating in fundraising for ideal orgs.
But there is a larger point here, concerning scientology “success stories” in general.
As a general rule, “success stories” are tailored to what the person thinks they are supposed to be saying in order to fit in with the expectations of the group. “Success stories” are mandatory to be able to “complete a level, any level, on the Bridge.” If you don’t write an “acceptable” success you are considered to be a “flat ball bearing” and are set back for correction (often at your own expense). So, people quickly learn what works when they are directed to the pen and paper to “write up their success.”
Most glean their ideas of what to write from the promotional items quoting Hubbard about the miracles that a particular service is supposed to bring about.
L. Ron Hubbard said that running around a pole for many hours (though the fact that it is running is “confidential” until you start on the “rundown” and it has nothing to do with contracting pneumonia, it’s just not good for sales) is an “OT Rundown” taken from “the whole track” and though it consists ONLY of running it “addresses you, the thetan” and “unsticks your flows” and “can pull you out of anything.” Thus you see “success stories” parroting these same words. It’s the same for every level in scientology. When someone completes Grade 0 they proclaim “I can now freely communicate with anyone on any subject (unless that person is designated an SP)”. When they’re allowed to complete their objectives they are “now in Present Time” — even if they were already OT VIII and had been toiling and paying away for 25 years, NOW they are suddenly “in PT.”
I believe that if Hubbard had announced a “new breakthrough process based on whole track research” which would bring you to a state of complete awareness of matter, energy, space and called it the Infinite Active Master Being Operating Theta (IAMBOT) Rundown — there would be IAMBOT completions who would write glowingly about their “complete awareness of matter, energy, space and time.” Even if that “rundown” consisted entirely of sitting on the ground with your legs crossed and eyes closed for exactly 7 hours and 14 minutes each day for 17 consecutive days. Throw in a bit of theory about how thetans need to maintain a position in space relative to objects and that THIS is the key to being at cause over the MEST Universe just as it is described in the Factors, and you would have people clamoring for this incredible new “tech.” To do the rundown there would be a special, secret floor of the SP Building consisting of a large room with a rubber floor and black lights, administered by a team of “highly-trained” 14 year-old specialists in custom-tailored orange jumpsuits. The cost would be $17,714 and the people that completed the “sit in” would all be “rave” about how this was the most incredible “technical breakthrough” ever. I GUARANTEE you if I was the head of scientology and claimed we had received this from Hubbard himself, I could get people to pay for it AND convince themselves (at least tell others) that this was the best money they ever spent. And without even saying so directly, have rumors begin that this was the first “new breakthrough” from “Target 2.”
I guess nobody in the bubble believes this sort of “success story” kind of diminishes the value of “real” auditing? Hell, if running in circles for $10,000 does all this for you, why pay $8,000 an intensive to be asked questions by an auditor with an e-meter wanting to know the last time you masturbated?
It would be like an expensive restaurant publishing slathering reviews of how amazing their tap water is. It would make you wonder about how real the rave reviews of their bread rolls were, let alone the steak.
CAUSE RESURGENCE RUNDOWN SUCCESS
“Cause Resurgence was an interesting voyage. I was surprised how many things it handled that I had stuck attention on. This action gave me more causation and reach on the things that were real to me and that were bugging me as a being. It addressed me the thetan directly.
“I had a lot of OT phenomena occur on this rundown in a short space of time. It was really powerful.
“A few people I had long given up on, and that I had felt failed help on, contacted me out of the blue. One person even originated that they had gotten rid of the terminal in their life who was not survival for them. The cool thing was that these communications were all originated at the exact same time from people in different countries.
“As I was on the rundown, a situation came up and I handled it instantly with the same ease of flicking off a switch. I realized how much more cause one can get.
“There was nothing that this rundown cannot pull you out of. I handled stuck attention I had had on betrayals and injustices that ran really deep.
“My perceptions increased. My ability to act from a cause point is normal now. I don’t have to think for a second ‘how am I am going to get cause over this?’ I just natively act on it in a causative fashion and innately know what to do. No thinking involved – just action.
“My flows are wide open. I feel others’ flows towards me are smoother. I feel I can also bring calm and ease to a space. I regained ability to control and generate energy at will.
“I am on the OT Committee in Sydney at AOSH ANZO. I always had a disinterest in doing fundraising for ideal orgs. No particular reason why. I just preferred to work on recoveries because fundraising just wasn’t my thing. Then, one day on Cause Resurgence I found myself mocking up how I could help with the fundraising and creating an event to help fundraise for Perth Ideal Org and I was shocked at myself. Some sort of ridge on the subject or area had blown.
“I saw how this rundown is so simple yet powerful. I opened up all my flows on help more than ever. At the end of the rundown, I couldn’t find an area in life that I didn’t feel I could reach. It felt like everything was wide open to me. I felt an enormous surge of power and energy. I feel my auditing will go a lot smoother. My attention is totally in the here and now and focused on creating for the future.” – T.S.
It’s my hat to help you arrive for Flag Services! Please call me or write anytime for anything!
Love,
Barbara Dews
Flag Service Consultant
1308 L Ron Hubbard Way
Los Angeles, CA 90027
323 872 3585
Wow Mike this has got to be one of the most amusing articles of yours I’ve ever read – had us in absolute tears of laughter…and oh how true it is!
They totally would fall for the new rundown…and even more hilarious is wondering if DM laughs about how the super power building is actually the SP building…does get one thinking….also totally love the IAMBOT…OMG brilliant ????
“thetans need to maintain a position in space relative to objects”
Er, that is how you move about in the physical universe Mike, did you not realise that mate?
I loved Marty’s latest post about you so funny and so true.
Mike, God wants us to seed the Planet, not clear it and I know of a CD that gives very Generalized Programming suggestions for anyone needing help !
I’m not sure I can list all the changes in me accurately in the 2 weeks I’ve been listening but a few are I lost the desire to drink or smoke cigarettes, I can’t seem to stop exercising and I’ve dropped 20 pounds in 2 weeks !
I’m 56 and I feel like I have the motivation of a 16 year old !
I’m hoping you and Leah both try this for one week and then if you see the same things, use your influence to seed the Planet with knowledge !
The CD Title is Fear of Failure by Barrie Konicov !
Please try it, and anyone reading this also.
Hi mike. I have not received your blog email since Saturday. I tried to subscribe again but it said I was already subscribed. Thought maybe you were taking a break but went on your blog and realized you were still blogging. Can you see if something is wrong. Miss the daily emails. Thanks
Same here. Have to go to blog. Nothing since Friday.
Toward the end of completing the Superliterate Course as it was called back then I remember misunderstood words sort of leaping off the page at me. Learning how to use the e-meter was unique and fun. When I completed the Dianetics course I knew how to audit people which I did. Likewise on the grades training and auditing.
I had that same experience towards the end of Key To Life, i.e., misunderstood words seeming to leap of the page at me. I really liked that course and benefited from it. Ditto LOC. To each his own, as they say.
On the Life Orientation Course, there was a section where one had to write up one’s entire life according to an org board. Later, one had to ‘clean up’ one’s life by writing O/Ws on every single department in all seven divisions. On many of these, I had no experience whatsoever in that activity and so didn’t have any O/Ws to write up. I’m sure the same applied to many people – yet we still had to have a meter check and write a success story for every single department. I went along with this charade for a while, but then on one got fed up and refused to write a success story, as I’d done nothing. Well, that was the last time I refused. You’d have thought the sky had fallen in! It took long studies of references to to find out if not writing a success story was acceptable. Even though it was let go, I learned to just conform and write any old drivel.
I want to say a few more things before I turn in.
Everybody reading and posting here along with our host Mike Rinder who gives so much of his time and skill to providing this forum for us – every one of us gave what we gave to this cult because we wanted to do good. Whether is was money, or effort or time, our intentions were good, honest intentions. Some people gave huge amounts of money, others gave many years of themselves, of their own effort and their own time, and there are undoubtedly many varied combinations of the above. People here placed their children into Scientology because they believed they were doing the absolute best for their kids to have them grow up in Scientology.
But this trust, of course, was a mistake. A big mistake. But – and here’s my point: the shame is not ours. We trusted, we wanted to help. That vein of decency in each of us is a good thing. It was preyed upon, it was not used but AB-used by an unscrupulous cult. THEY betrayed our trust. The shame is THEIRS.
Sure, they’re NOT ashamed. Why would we even EXPECT them to be ashamed?
After all – after all, if they could even FEEL the emotion of shame, they wouldn’t have done any of it in the first place! The ripping off, the lies, the cruelty to caring, generous, well meaning people – I mean, its enormous! Its unthinkable, almost, how enormous it is. Normal people wouldn’t even be able to THINK about doing what the cult does without first COLLAPSING in shame.
So, shame? No. Not them. Not this cult. They’re proud of it. And that tells you everything you need to know about them.
Nevertheless, the shame IS theirs. One day, they WILL have to face it, look at it. One day they will no longer be able to twist and turn away. And its going to be really, really bad for them when they have to do this. Not only will they feel very deep shame, but, well, I’ll leave it at that. It will be really bad.
MUCH worse for them than the embarrassment we feel for having been gullible and trusting.
MUCH worse than the anguish and frantic regret for having brought loved ones to them.
What they are going to suffer someday, as beings, is going to be worse than anything we here are suffering and in fact worse than anything we here can even imagine.
,OK, we were fools. We were gullible. We wanted to help and we didn’t do our due diligence. And we’re embarrassed at having allowed ourselves to be tricked, lied to, conned, defrauded, punished, etc. Possibly deeply embarrassed and angry. We didn’t deserve that.
But as for shame? NO. The shame is THEIRS. Really, I’m not just saying that to make myself and all of you feel better. The shame is theirs.
We are clean; they are dirty. One day they’ll have to clean themselves up. They’re covered with tar and soot and slime and muck. Meaning, as beings. Right now they don’t even know it. That’s how far down they are; they would have to come WAY WAY WAY up to even recognize how degraded and despicable they are.
I don’t envy them, and I wouldn’t be any of them for anything. Personally, I’d rather live with being embarrassed because the vein of good in me was abused. Live and learn!
Excellent comment, Aquamarine. “I don’t envy them, and I wouldn’t be any of them for anything. Personally, I’d rather live with being embarrassed because the vein of good in me was abused. Live and learn!” Me too!
Thanks. Now I know how to torture an English teacher or any fan of the English language. Just give them these success stories to read.
LOL.. Exactly what I was thinking.,.,didn’t make them cause over grammar now did it! lol
Having to write “voluntary” success stories always rubbed me the wrong way, too. If I couldn’t write something on my own determinism, I didn’t want to write it at all. And thus, I hated the whole enforced process that happened after completing a course or auditing action.
My wins were my wins. Some were personal. Some were open for BPI. Sometimes I wanted to share them. Sometimes I didn’t. In any case, they were my wins to do with what I wanted.
Whereas…..
I wrote copious Success Stories during the routine course of auditing and also on course. I not only did not mind writing the “main and major” SS at the end of the course, I looked forward to it as a way to really encapsulate and express my mind blowing wins, cementing it in eloquence for myself and as a thanks to all who helped make it possible.
I wrote the kind of SS that got read at f*cking meetings.
I was fully brainwashed, got allllll the wins and sang the praises.
……….
Mike’s description of the new process is scary. I can feel the wins I would have had just reading it.
*shudder.
…..
note: this is after decades in. When I muse on the early years, all guts and no auditing (staff) it’s not a shoe-in. But years of immersion tell. The more bridge I paid for and did, the longer and more invested … the easier the wins.
I’m still amazed I dislodged.
Barbara Dews should abandon scientology and instead find a you tube channel devoted to meditation or yoga. She will get these flow thrill feelings far more often, and all FOR FREE.
You don’t need LRH, and you most certainly do not need David Miscavige.
You blew the whole ‘sitdown’ course for OT X!
COB is going to have to re-discover a whole new process, delaying the release for at least another decade or two.
Whenever I hear about another one of these “success stories”, I can’t help but try to figure out what must’ve happened to make them feel so powerful. As a never-in, I assume that it’s usually some random, mundane thing that triggers them to feel as though it must be the “tech” that made it happen. Correct me if I’m wrong here, but I just can’t help but wonder about how they come up with some of these “wins”. For example:
Success Story: “A few people I had long given up on, and that I had felt failed help on, contacted me out of the blue.”
Possible Scenario: A couple of her old college friends found her on Facebook and said hello.
Success Story: “One person even originated that they had gotten rid of the terminal in their life who was not survival for them.”
Possible Scenario: Her dear friend Betty told her that she broke up with Jack because she was no longer happy with him.
Success Story: “As I was on the rundown, a situation came up and I handled it instantly with the same ease of flicking off a switch.”
Possible Scenario: Someone didn’t turn off the garage light so she became “cause” over that “matter” and walked over and flipped the switch off.
Success Story: “I regained ability to control and generate energy at will.”
Possible Scenario: Barbara just got a double shot of espresso at Starbucks and that powerful jolt of energy means life feels pretty awesome right about now.
Success Story: “Then, one day on Cause Resurgence I found myself mocking up how I could help with the fundraising and creating an event to help fundraise…”
Possible (or perhaps….Likely) Scenario: Barbara had a “cognition” about just how much damn money she actually dropped on her own rundown, and now she’s frantic to try to get some commissions to make up for it.
Perhaps I’m being a bit unfair here. After all, at times, causality can make ordinary events seem extraordinary to any of us, but it seems as though most of those within the scientology bubble will always only see what they want to see (or are allowed to see). It’s truly sad. Hopefully more and more of them will keep waking up.
Some success stories are real but not true. 🙂
Its called Confirmation Bias but dont dare tell a scientologist they are bias…no, no, no – they’ve done their Obnosis drills…
You do well for a never-in 🙂
Great post, Mick. No, you’re not being unfair. Damn, what a bunch of gobbledygook she wrote. Do any of the scibots inside the bubble have any idea what this gibberish sounds like to those of us in the real world? I’ve been following the cult long enough so that I can more or less parse through what she’s saying here, but it’s absolute nonsense to the average person on the street.
My suggestion to anyone leaving scientology: enroll right away in an English as a Second Language Course (I could have said ESL, but $cion has made be leary of acronyms of late).
How do I sign up for the IAMBOT process? I reckon I’d get a bucket load of wins on this.
Send me your check for $17,714 and I will get you started.
See? Easy to be the new Messiah.
?
Okay, Mike, let’s deal. I’ve got $16,000 in my pocket right now. Take it or leave it. Landmark is right down the street.
You want to quibble over how much your eternity is worth?
You don’t deserve the priceless wisdom we have available with that sort of attitude. You are off-Source, out ethics and are probably harboring horrendous crimes for which you could be sent to prison.
COB had worked hard to make this tech available for you. Show him the respect he doesn’t deserve.
??
Ha ha ha!
When you quibble about the price, the price goes up, not down, Pshaw! You’ve wasted seconds of Mike’s valuable time. Do you realize how many seconds he took to research the “tek” involved in that rundown? tee hee
I remember feeling good sometimes when I completed courses, sort of enjoying that I had completed, more glad that it was over than that I had learned anything.
I remember there were times when I would cull things from an action or course and write them down as I was was going along just so I had something to write in my success story rather than pay attention to what was really going on.
The one thing I really remember more than anything was dreading the success stories, knowing that they would be looming at the end of whatever I was doing, because what I had written (and I) would be analyzed for BIs (Bad Indicators) so the writing of the success story was the absolute worst part of the whole thing.
Ok I lied, the worst part was when you finished writing the success story and you had to go to the reg to sign up for your next course because that’s all you were supposed to want to to when you finished a course.
Therein lies a huge problem with scientology. You are never ever ever ever allowed to just enjoy the fact that you finished one. damn. thing.
LRH preached start, change stop (I can’t remember who he stole that from but I remember looking it up and figuring it out at some point), but you were never allowed to just stop when you were in scientology, you were always required to be on a manic treadmill of continue continue continue.
“You are never ever ever ever allowed to just enjoy the fact that you finished one. damn. thing.”
That used to bother me too. I’d tense up and think, “Can’t I just feel good for a little bit?” Its not that I didn’t want to continue, just that I didn’t want to continue immediately. I wanted to chill for a bit, then come back. But nooo….It was irritating.
I’ve met Barbara Dews. As most Scientologists I personally knew while in, she was a nice person. I hope the best for them, regardless of the dedication to a man whose legacy is set in stone and will fade as time changes the perception of the age-old material (i.e. homophobia, SoS tone scale 1.1 is it?).
I guess that must be why I am an ex-Scientologist. I cared more about the people than the tech or policy. A policy that bans Scientologists who have paid thousands of dollars from events without disclosing the reason. Declares preclears on the bridge PTS before they even get a chance to do any rundowns? The biggest con of Scientology was to have the government legitimize them as a religion.
Once you make your first real donation and they know you’ve maxed your credit, they declare you so you never come back. Couldn’t be more of a professional con than a Org. ED.
Hello Mike,
I hope you don’t mind answering more questions. Your replies from yesterday sparked my interest in the topic again. I will try my best to restrain myself from asking too many questions at once.
1) Re: OSA Int files. How were they organized? By names of individuals or organizations? Or by topics? When you started as CO OSA Int, where were the files located? At the HGB? Or were they de-centralized? Could you as the CO OSA Int go to the file cabinets and pulll every file you wanted?
2)Re: Culling of PC folders to get incriminating or embarassing information on a disgruntled Ex-Scientologist. What was the operating procedure? Was the C/S ordered to compile a list of information on that person or was a technical trained OSA staff member sent to the PC warehouse of that org to pull the file and write down everything himself?
3) Is it true that the CO OSA Int was at the same time WDC OSA?
4) As the CO OSA Int, who was “officially” your direct senior? ED Int? Or the WDC Chairman?
5) What was the “official” organizational relationship between the IG Ethics and the CO OSA Int?
Thank you again!!!
OK Martin, I am doing my best. Not sure how this helps you, but I trust it does somehow:
1) Re: OSA Int files. How were they organized? By names of individuals or organizations? Or by topics? When you started as CO OSA Int, where were the files located? At the HGB? Or were they de-centralized? Could you as the CO OSA Int go to the file cabinets and pulll every file you wanted? By individuals. All Intelligence Filing is to find a “WHO”. It’s always individuals. The files were located on the 4th floor of the ASHO building at the Complex. Subsequently moved to the HGB when it was purchased and OSA Int moved there. And yes, I could get any file I wanted. I didn’t go get files, there were people who had the job of going through and analyzing, summarizing the files.
2)Re: Culling of PC folders to get incriminating or embarassing information on a disgruntled Ex-Scientologist. What was the operating procedure? Was the C/S ordered to compile a list of information on that person or was a technical trained OSA staff member sent to the PC warehouse of that org to pull the file and write down everything himself? Usually this happened with people in litigation. ALL files of such people, pc, ethics, personnel etc were always gathered at OSA. The files were gone through by “Legal Preps” staff. If it was not someone actively engaged in litigation it would be someone from Invest (Intell).
3) Is it true that the CO OSA Int was at the same time WDC OSA? No. But I held both posts at some point.
4) As the CO OSA Int, who was “officially” your direct senior? ED Int? Or the WDC Chairman? Officially, the CO FCB. But that person was not even allowed into the OSA Int offices!
5) What was the “official” organizational relationship between the IG Ethics and the CO OSA Int? None — but mutual interest in matters of similar concern. Factually, IG Ethics was the senior of WDC OSA/CO OSA Int. Nobody else intervened.
Hi Mike,
thank you again for this. Just to clarify something. I do not “need” this information personally other than to satisfy my own curiosity and to add missing pieces to a puzzle (my general and specific knowledge of the subject). Nevertheless, I think that such information, even small detailed information, is precious, if made available on the Internet and to the general public.
You are the host of invaluable information, specifically because you had such a high position in the organization and at the top of OSA Int. 15 years ago it would been deemed *completely impossible* by the critics community that the day would come when the former top guy of OSA would share his knowledge of the inner workings with the rest of the world. I do not know if you realize it but what is happening here is just amazing.
You’re welcome Martin
Martin, you’re really asking a lot of detailed questions here. Your posts sound like the interrogatories I used to review as a paralegal. I’m not saying don’t ask questions, but are you doing your homework before taxing Mike with so many questions at the same time? He’s a busy guy, so have a little consideration. Maybe you could do a little more research prior to posting your questions.
If you had done your own homework, you would know that I had done considerable research. And I am pretty busy myself.
You sure have, thanks for your web site(s) and info gathering and sharing in years past!
Well, the Planet outside is Frightful
But your Org is so Delightful
And since we won’t let you go
Do a flow, Do a flow, Do a flow.
Now, the Reg’ging Will Not Be Stopping
‘Til your Theta’s really Bopping
Your Beingness Needs to Grow
Do a flow, Do a flow, Do a flow!
When you wearily say, “Alright”
How you’ll long to escape thru the door.
But if we keep you here all night
Maybe we’ll get even more.
Oh, the Planet is Sick and Dying
And you’re Not that Broke, you’re Lying
Our stats are down way too Low
Do a flow, Do a flow, Do a flow!
Encore!
Magnificent! Creative! Spectacular! Awesome! This is a HIT! You’re good, Aquamarine, real good!
Brilliant!!!!
When We Finally Go Ideal
All the Staff can Come In from the Storm.
With the Money From You We Steal
COB stays safe and warm.
We keep telling you Earth is Dying
And You have No Clue we’re Lying
Well as long as You’re Such a Schmo
Do a Flow, Do a Flow, Do a Flow.
Humbly tendered to the planet’s Ideal M’org Fundraisers
Very Well Done, and Happy Holidays, Vultures!
Much love,
Aqua
Bravo! I’ll think of your lyrics when I’m playing this song for a concert at a nursing home this afternoon.
Roger that, bix 🙂
Ah yes. Who can forget “humbly tendered as a gift to Man”? Very much like telling the world you made an anonymous donation.
LOL
?????????. Very clever Aqua !!!
Thanks very much, all of you. Its just a way to relieve tension – my own! 🙂
Bravo.
This is great! ?
That’s funny ,very clever
.
Bravo!
Aqua, EARWORM WARNING!! Please! Now I’m gonna have that song stuck in my head ALL DAY!
That just earned an oscar
Buuuaaaaahahaha…
This above was to dungeon 🙂
Thanks again, all. Glad you had some fun with my default tension reliever since the vicissitudes of high school geometry. 🙂
Absolutely perfect scansion in your first entry. As a former singer, I’m really impressed; when the scansion is perfect, the lyrics just flow through my mind in such a way that I can hear them set to music. If I sing your lyrics through a couple of times, I’ll have them letter-perfect for a long time.
If anybody wants to have some seasonal musical fun, try singing Yankee Doodle and Good King Wenceslaus to each other’s tunes.
Jeez…Barbara Dews still in and drinking the cool-aid! Damn, she must be an old, haggard looking witch by now. She wasn’t looking too good 20 years ago when she was trying to suck blood from me. And, what about that fat bastard she was married to? He was quite a piece of work! Personally, I always thought they exemplified the perfect Scientology 2-D. LOL
Who was she married to?
Sorry, I can’t recall his name. I wish I could then I wouldn’t have referred to him a “fat bastard.” Still pisses me off, (a little bit) to this day that they sucked $15K out of me in 1981.
I have some similar feelings about my good buddy Paul Miller, a reg at Flog who could lose a few handles.
Success stories always reminded me of New Year resolutions, wishful thinking with a dab of what you just learned ( to pass the examiner test).
Then happily going home , thankful to be free for a minute.
Marie, you should have seen what happened when I was on staff in Honolulu, finished a course, and, of course, they wanted a Success Story. I replied, “The course was ok, but nothing to write home about.” That’s when the fireworks started!
And on to qual , OSD. My kind of firework , we should all have been so brave and honest !
Love it! “Nothing to write home about.” Thanks for the early morning yuk.
“flat ball bearing” – I can’t believe the number of negative terms and names that LRH made up for his followers. The amount of energy and time he spent doing that tells much about his mentality.
I mean, running — or any kind of repetitive physical activity — CAN be really great for clearing your head (I mean that in a non-scientology way) and/or thinking something through.
It’s just that most of us go to the local high school/college track to do that for free instead of mortgaging our houses to fly to Florida and have a surly teenager ‘help’ us do it.
Many years ago, I was involved with a LGAT (large group awareness training) group. Something like Lifespring, but not that. You could call it a cult — it meets many of the criteria, though it was much less controlling, less expensive and less destructive than being in Scientology.
In any case, the participation consisted of listening to the leader lecture, and then you would read his “book” in assigned sections during the class (the written materials were strictly controlled so as to never leave the seminar room, thus never leaking into public), recite your essays to the class if you choose, doing question and answer sessions with the leader, etc.
And about the writing assignments, also completed in the seminar room. They were just like the Scientology success write-ups. You would write the long essays or letters spouting off about how much life improvement you had gained, how there was nothing else like it in the world, how the leader was such a genius for discovering these radical ideas, and so on. And they were written in a jargon that reflected the writing and speaking style of the leader, and of other participants’ writings that they would read out loud. Everyone was in a competition to be the most articulate and clever regurgitater of the leader’s nonsense, using common words that had been redefined to fit the cult ethos, and being self-congratulatory in a way specifically designed to boost the hopes of the other participants that there really is a pot of gold at the end of the cult rainbow.
It always amazes me how cult practices have so many similarities from the most controlling and destructive cults like Scientology to the more benign ones like what I was in.
Scientology is one massively huge game of “Simon says…”
The success story angle is a bit squirrel to the original children’s game as no one apart from Hubbard is permitted to be Simon. But the rules are simple, if not incredibly expensive and demeaning simultaneously.
From the outside looking in to what most of us were a part of who post here it becomes a trip down memory lane (it would be embarrassing to have a book of your collated SS’s and to read them now, let alone publish them). To see Scientologists follow the same game structure but without the auditing, training and servicing as it was once available a couple of decades ago stands in testament to the underlying motives of the scam. With or with servicing it’s the same result. I’m pretty sure they don’t deliver anything in Scientology like they use to but the game of SS’s remains as valid as it was when Hubbard plied the waves. The group objectives have simply altered to include fundraising as the new win.
Not to tread on anyone’s mental toes but if Scientology even came close to doing what it’s claimed to do we’d all be Simon. But that doesn’t fit the round peg into the square hole as the Bridge says it does. God damn life keeps getting in the way and kills off all those abilities gained!
Success stories are a written record of an individuals path to delusion. The dynamics haven’t gone anywhere, they are still here waiting for a Scientologist to be cause over – waiting, waiting, waiting…
To coin a Scientology term, it is amazing what a Scientologist will NOT-IS!
Simon says, “Scientology is a vicious, toxic, family destroying, abortion forcing, slave laboring, militant, all within a snitch culture.”
Outside of that, I guess they’re ok…
“…vicious, toxic, family destroying, abortion forcing, slave laboring, militant…”
OSD, don’t forget, there are also a few negatives.
LOL!
I was a SO member ‘on LOA’ but actually kicked out June 1996 by DMs Jennie Linson D. No one local in PAC said anything much and my whole family was still there (2 children now on SO contract, 1 at the ranch and one out of the ranch because she’d tried to kill herself) so I remained on LOA, started a business and my SO husband came home every night. The property I’d purchased was high on a hill and thee entire East and South side of the Complex was in view for my husband who was the Engineer and needed to be close in case of earthquake or power outage. I got him a car to go back and forth.
By 2003 I’d paid enought NOTs (OT 5) to get half off like staff. Even after 20 years service I was not allowed staff rate of half off so I just bought 100 hours to get the normal discount of half off (I fooled them!).
The auditing sucked so bad I knew I would never go back for a session. I then sold the houses, closed my business (clients were all scientologists), moved in to a van and left hollywood. Husband moved to a mens dorm and on the weekends I got a hotel for us.
Of couse we never spoke much of the status but it was generally agreed it was due to the numerous reports I wrote on senior executives so I’d agreed Husband was allowed to check all reports prior to sending.
After 11 years of ‘LOA’ I knew I’d never go back, got divorced (2007) and then remarried.
In 2010 my husband killed himself. I went into shock. The really good thing was I then knew without a doubt OT III did not work because here I was overwhelmed (OT IIIs are supposedly ‘Free from overwhelm’.
So I have been unbrainwashing myself since.
I don’t see how eventually all these folks won’t follow a similar route and get out. Most of the truth is kept out purposly and for many reasons. One thing for sure when one is so far gone to be a dedicated scientologist the truth hurts bad. Getting out of the success story ‘now I’m supposed to’ is the hardest thing I’ve ever done but the most rewarding.
Early on in the LRH teachings he talks down on the ‘now I’m supposed to think’.
Truth turns out that every single aspect of life LRH talks down on is actually the way one ends up! The outcome of KSW is the opposite. It’s Gaslighting at the finest.
Think for yourself with scientology studies (50%) and going up the bridge.
Man can’t be trusted with justice except for scientology justice.
OT powers await you up the bridge.
You will have the ‘Teck’ to help others.
There is a ‘high’ one gets with the bridge but it’s nothing more then disassociation from the real world. May as well be a alcoholic for meth addict for all the good it does.
I’ve yet to find a truly wholesome happy family inside that bubble.
The good thing is when one gets out, life is appreciated much more then prior because now there is something very evil to compare happiness to.
Turns out I didn’t ‘need’ anything except for the realization that I already had everything I needed. So it took 40 years to figure that out?
I’m pretty sure there must be otherways. I guess I was especially stubborn 🙂
We need success storys for the guys getting out/finding truth.
The only thing i ever benefited from beside that is the ‘Contact Assist’. That still works for me but I’m pretty sure LRH lifted that from someone else.
Happy Holidays guys. Be grateful you made it out or thankful you never got in and enjoy yourself with friends and family 🙂
Sorry so long. I couldn’t even pee and fix typos in 4 mins 🙂
If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. And if that doesn’t work, break something and scream your head off.
I just wanted to tell you that I am sorry about the stuff you have been through, especially the loss of your husband. I am glad you are out and healing. I wish you the best.
So very sorry to hear about your husband’s passing and your daughter’s suicide attempt. Professional help to reconcile the damage from the cult ( not COS ) eventually enabled me to really enjoy life as I never had before. Even if the dishwasher flooded the kitchen I didn’t care because I was free from all the pressure of that unattainable bull shit and guilt they stuffed down everyone’s throat. Do groups exist for those who need to gather & vent about the damage done while in a cult ? If not, there should be. Something like Cult Survivors Anonymous. I admire your bravery and forthright attitude. Hope your have a peaceful holiday Cece.
cGarrison asked:”Do groups exist for those who need to gather & vent about the damage done while in a cult ?
Short answer: Yes!, and you’re in one of the self-help groups, venting away; No charge, unless you want to contribute to the site
Asfar as having a Success story(c), I believe an appropriate on here would be that I no longer care particularly about what the demented monster is doing, and if scn went away tomorrow, my daily activities and thoughts would not change appreciably. I’d still be idly looking around for clues about what happened to my friends from so long ago and enjoying the demise of that evil cult.
No, it’s not actually gone, yet, but there’s no life in it locally, just a 15-story mausoleum with no one “home”, no one caring much about it other than the city government griping about it still being an eyesore so long after its purchase by Slappy
Life is life. It’s good; it’s bad; it’s ugly; it’s beautiful (it’s up; it’s down). I can and sometimes (because of the horrors experienced in the church of scientology) do appreciate it in ALL of its aspects but what I appreciate most of all is the goodness of people. That’s my Success Story from being out of the church of scientology.
Thats right Mary. Probably the first lie that I was enlightened to after OT 3 failed me was people were truly good and cared, not dilatant wogs.
I think most the wins in scientology were from the placebo effect since I really wasn’t making it up and I now know I wasnt pretending.
” May as well be a alcoholic for meth addict for all the good it does.”
LOL !! nice one-liner Cece. Very well done to you and thanks for a great “success story”.
Cece, I’m sorry for all you’ve been through. Did your daughter ever leave the cult after her suicide attempt? I do attribute that attempt to the cult. So sorry for your losses. But I am very glad you got out and are happier now and are building a life for yourself.
Cindy, I’m very happy to say that after a few rough years my Daughter #1 is florishing and prospering in every way. I’m very proud of her and it gives me a oneup on the disconection from Son #2 and Daughter #3. She keeps me up on the news like when I get another grand child etc.
Her man recently got his comercial flying lic. Someday I’ll be able to afford some traveling free on standby 🙂
Mary, I watched your story on Aftermath and am so glad you are out. You have touched a lot of hearts by sharing your story. My favorite part of your episode was when you shared your family pictures. Praying this morning that your son escapes soon. I wish you and your family well.
I appreciate your well wishes and prayers very much. Thank you.
Mary, you’re wonderful! I’m not sure I would have had your strength to deal with everything you went through. You’re one tough cookie.
That’s all one can do. Learn and try to live better and appreciate more. Thanks OSD. Hope to meet you one day; have enjoyed your comments. :)) And love your friend Newcomer.
Good for you Mary! I watched your episode and it really resonated with me, I have two sons and I don’t know what I’d do if they weren’t in my life. I hope one day Sammy will come back into your life!!
Thank you so much. That means a lot.
Mike, good article. And I have written hundreds of success stories. All of them tailored get me off the level or course. The only success story that was real was when I graduated from a course when I was UTR. I genuinely gained a true understanding of Hubbards level of manipulation and control to exploit me. And I definitely wanted others to have the wins I achieved.
Dave,
Winning Update:
First Danny Masterson, now Andy Yeatman; the dominos are falling in your direction as fast as the dots are being connected.
Andy Yeatman? No idea who he is but can’t wait, I’m off to Google.
Oh, OK, THAT guy. The Netflex exec. Pink slipped, who hoo!
Hey, DB (Ok if I call you that Danny Boy?) Time to go into action for Andy Boy and his wife now that he too has been unceremoniously shit canned. It is being reported that his wife is ARC-broken that her husband got fired. Scientology can help her with this! Get them into an org, DB. Get them both a free ARC break session. Its the least you can do. Not to mention that your own Amends Project is going to be YUGE once the cult is done throwing you under the bus to salvage what they refer to as their PR. You’re going to be very busy, and VERY broke, but don’t think about that now! Take the time now to show the world what Scientology can do. Enlighten your Fellow Firee and his poor wife. Find their ruins, free up their help buttons, you know the drill! Start!
Jeez, more snake oil than OPEC has crude…
Scientology = Snake Oil. It always has.
Is that suggestive of massaging a rattle snake?
Oh! You’ve done it before, I take it. You’re probably a pro at massaging rattle snakes.
Re: IAMBOT … someone finally slipped you the info on OT9, right?
” a “new breakthrough process based on whole track research” which would bring you to a state of complete awareness of matter, energy, space and called it the Infinite Active Master Being Operating Theta (IAMBOT) Rundown …”
Yo Dave,
Well there you go good buddy! Mike has channeled the ultimate con man and given you the secrets of the You Nee Verse big boy!
I say it’s time to switch to a new con and this could do it for You, especially since this Idle mORGue thingy is getting pretty much run into the ground with few new bodies in the shop. But at least the mORGues are being built with other peoples money.
IRUOPM Rundown where the Eee Pee is the bognition that You are better at handling the Pee Cees money than they are. You are almost there Dave ….. just write the process for
yer Infinite Reserves Using Other Peoples Money Rundown. Have Michael Roberts do a pilot on it.
ROFLMAO! Too perfect.
the IAMBOT R/D MUST be part of every course and intensive, considering how many “completed” it.
😉
Of course, truly completing it includes dumping scn like a load of too-fresh manure as most here have.
As has been said before, there are MANY more folks who are apostates, bitter or not, than are currently active or interested in it, Slappy’s lies notwithstanding.
THE success story for FULLY completing the IAMBOT R/D to is most likely:”I AM FREE !”
The best revenge is living well with a clear conscious — unlike Slappy who like as not has recurring nightmares of being slapped BACK by anyone he’s abused. Imagine what Shelly could do to him if she chose, for instance. Karma’s a bitch; Momma Nature’s a SPITEFUL bitch when she gets riled up.
Ah yes. The “scientology win”. Every once in a while a scamologist will post here saying I claim people didn’t wins from scamology (scientologists are trained to be liars) which I never said or claimed. I have consistently stated that the “wins” claimed are a something a scamologist does to keep from confronting the FACT that they did NOT obtain that “abilities gained” for levels that LRH claimed they would get.
Mike mentions the ability gained for Grade 0 in this post. EVERY scientologist that I’ve seen post here in defense of scientology & Hubbard via angrily attacking those who no longer believe it shows they did NOT get that ability. Making others wrong for not “getting” scientology shows failure to obtain the gain from a different Grade.
The distillation of this comes down to one fact: In order to REMAIN a scientologist one MUST at least lie to oneself on a continuing basis. If they interact with others on the subject they must lie to those people too.
I really ashamed now about what I wrote in my success story’s.
What did you write?
“I think David Miscavige is channelling LRH.” (A Sea Org member said this to me.)
The emperor’s clothes are beautiful and david miscavige is the Savior sent from LRH’s source seed to create peace and harmony on planet Earth. Everything you said above is true. If david miscavige gave his flock shit to eat and told them it was from a confidential LRH’s recipe for filet mignon, they would pay big bucks for it.
LOL!! I think he does give them shit to eat!
I’m sure he does. He gets his kicks giving them shit to eat.
What has always puzzled me is the extreme blandness of the actual words used in most of these “success” stories. When they’re finished, they’ve actually said nothing of meaning to anyone. The stories don’t have any effective meaning, nothing that would be of use in changing one’s life. Vague to the max.
Peter – absolutely – no meaning, vague and general, it says nothing. The SS above reminds me of all the others I’ve read time and time again since the beginning. Is why I’m convinced now that it’s just some SO member writing these and is why you never see a real persons name at the end but only someone’s initials or I should say made up initials.
“Peter- Nail on the head!” Watch Nancy Cartwright try to convey what scamology has done for her. I truly feel so sorry for her!
What blew my mind BEFORE I got out is what GOT me out and what continues to blow my mind today: the “wins” and “case gain” people claimed to be getting from Ideal Org Fundraising, an activity frowned upon by LRH. In fact, he practically begs people not to do it.
That it is not expressly forbidden in a PL doesn’t mean he wanted it done. By the fact of its OMMISSION in the HCOPLs, by virtue of the fact that there isn’t any Fundraising Policy written by LRH to be found is proof enough that its off policy!
I mean, this was a man who wrote policy on how to wash and properly hang clothing to dry, how to wash an automobile – do you THINK it would have occurred to him to write up how to Fundraise if he considered it the solution to planetary clearing? ‘Ya think?
Not that this matters a damn now, but back then I TRIED to get this through their heads!
With patience I didn’t know I possessed, with affinity always, I TRIED numerous times. My conscience is clear on that score. I tried, with patience and friendliness. I liked these people, after all. I trusted them. They were my friends, many of them.
But they were having none of it. . Enemy line, yada yada. “Where did you read this?”…”Well, LRH says right here…” Nothing. Forget it. Like talking to a wall, every time.
They kept saying there had to be something “going on” with me. But I knew that all I was doing was reading policy as it was written. I told them that. At the time it was true. I wasn’t reading the blogs yet.
One of them had the bright idea to tell me that there were policies that the public could not read, only Sea Org could read. Well, at the time I didn’t know that. I digested this for a bit and and it didn’t make sense to me.
Why would LRH only allow Sea Org members to see Fundraising policies if he expected both staff and public to participate in and support this program? What policies were being operated off of that I as a public Scientologist was not allowed to read, but I had to donate and even help fund raise others myself? That was my question to her.
The ex-SO assigned to “handle” me and “clear up my MU’s” just shrugged and said something to the effect that that was the way it was.
I acknowledged her. I pitied her, then. Something was very wrong and I knew it and she knew that I knew it but I couldn’t go on with it with her because I felt sorry for her. She had helped me, a number of times. . An older woman, very trained, in Scientology for nearly 50 years. It was sad. She was sad. But I pretended all was well so we could “end cycle” on the communication in a friendly way.
Later on I thought to myself that it was just another pretense, piled on top of what were now many pretenses. They were starting to wear on me. To some extent, we all have to pretend a little, to get along, to get things done. No big deal, no harm, no worries. But, about certain things, important things, ongoing, constant pretense? If I had to pretend so much now, if I now had to walk on eggshells with people I’d known for so many years, what was the point? I knew it was against my nature. But, I digress:
A shout out to all you fundraisers and fundraisees out there in ScientologyLand! Enjoy your “wins”.
Aqua, there are specific policies forbidding straight donations. And there are no “hidden data line” secret Sea Org policies that allow them. Before the IAS there was some kind of legal fund that did solicit straight donations, and there were Scientology membership donations before that. But these were always pretty minimal. I think the first membership fee I paid was $75, $150 for a lifetime membership. 70s.
When he was alive, Hubbard was very adamant that most of the income be from sales of books and services. That is where his royalties and “management percentages” came from. I remember at Publications Organization US (later Bridge Publications) at one point there were nine missions in the organization, all ordered by Hubbard to figure out why he was not getting enough cash from book sales, or to “sort out” the corporate structure so he would get a bigger cut, or pump up sales so he makes more cash.
There were IAS judgements against him for $millions, so when he was in hiding he needed every penny in case they caught him. And he was very fond of fancy cameras, high end audio setups and nice homes on acreages with all the trimmings. He did die in a motor home but he was only there because the house was being renovated. Again. And it was a huge beautiful Bluebird, not a cheapo RV.
When trying to figure out why Hubbard did what he did you only need to “follow the money”.
Thanks very much for your response, Bruce.
With regard to the Hidden Data Line policy that this highly admin trained exSO was flouting I mentioned it. . Her answers were unsatisfactory and she looked uncomfortable. Truthfully, I felt sorry for her. I know that makes me sound like an insufferable snot but I don’t mean it that way. She was someone I liked a lot. Totally NOT cold chrome steel. An understanding, caring, compassionate, capable lady. She had serious health issues which she bore bravely and silently. (At the time I didn’t know it but today I know that she was one of those unfortunates the Sea Org chews up and spits out after decades of service, when deemed no longer “useful”) Anyway, LSS, even though she was fobbing me off with answers unworthy of her training I backed off. Something was wrong but I didn’t want her to be hurt. I resolved to circumvent her so she’d not be upset, or in trouble, or something (I didn’t know).
But what you’ve informed helps a good deal.
Per what you’ve explained:
LRH, as “Founder” or “Source” or whatever his post title was, had a vested FINANCIAL interest in ensuring that all org income derived SOLELY from sales of books, materials and services. That was his STAT. Ok, got it.
On the other hand, Miscavige, in his actual post, his theoretical post as head of RTC is NOT Source and CANNOT HAVE this stat! Miscavige, to get rich, was forced, so to speak, to become rather INVENTIVE. And so He did 🙂
Makes much more sense now. . “Follow the money”. Yes, indeedy!
Aqua, DM can have whatever stat he wants. El Con made $ from certain types of sales because of how it was set up royalty wise.
I don’t doubt that, Wynski, but can he make money from them all? I heard that he instituted the mandatory 6 month sec checks for OT VIIs and that those are his stats and he makes more money because of them. Of course, maybe its not the money with him because all the money flows up to him anyway, so its the prestige of the stat that’s important to him? Not sure if you’ll be back to this thread again but we’ll get it sorted out at some point 🙂
He can make $ from whatever he chooses and doesn’t violate the law. LRH made the senior church management stat basically, all assets secured by the Sea Org. That was WDC Chairman stat. DM could take that if he wanted.
He is the dictator. What he says goes. I highly doubt he choose the 6 month check as a stat.
These days he probably just dictates what he makes for the year. Based on what his atty’s say won’t get him arrested.
Aqua,
Not that it matters, and you’re possibly already familiar with this policy, but this quote was a re-post by Jefferson Hawkins (leavingscientology) from a comment on Geir Isene’s blog.
HCO PL 24 February 1964, “Urgent, Org Programming”:
“If the Org slumps: Don’t engage in ‘fund raising’ or ‘selling postcards’ or borrowing money. Just make more income with Scientology. It’s a sign of very poor management to seek extraordinary solutions for finance outside Scientology. It has always failed. For Orgs as for pcs ‘Solve it With Scientology.’ Every time I myself have sought to solve finance or personnel in other ways than Scientology I have lost out. So I can tell you from experience that Org solvency lies in More Scientology, not patented combs or fund raising Barbecues.” L. Ron Hubbard
Emphasis mine.
OK, LRH did not say ‘ It is expressly forbidden ‘, but ‘Don’t engage in fundraising ..’ sounds pretty clear to me.
iRONic that this has become the prime function of so many activities.
dungeon, Thanks for reposting this.
It does matter because it WAS something I showed several staff members, in person and via email, and, incredibly, each of them managed somehow to dodge, to non-answer and then come back at me with the not so subtle suggestion that I had some kind of ethics blind spot, or MU or whatever, that needed to get handled in – guess what? (hint: Ethics)
The first time this happened I was amazed, then it happened a few more times and I became antagonistic but carefully kept my real feelings hidden because I knew that if I didn’t communicate in the proper tone level I’d get written up just for THAT.
After a while I went into covert hostility on it. Butter didn’t melt in my mouth as they say in the South! But by then, I was reading the blogs, and on my way out, so I just kept my head down, eyes and ears open. mouth shut. I stopped asking questions. Why bother? I knew the answers.
And, yes, it is ironic that fundraising has become the prime function of orgs now. Sad, too. There are plenty of good, sincere, hardworking people whose efforts are being ABused and completely wasted. Its a shame.
That goes for the Sea Org people too. They didn’t start out as bloodless, robotic Cold Chrome Steel pottymouths. Even the Hitler Youth SO types whom I particularly disliked, back in the day – even these kids, and possibly, especially these kids, were once bright, endearing, loving, and lovable children.
Just like an attack dog trained to guard a person or a property didn’t start out as a snarling beast ready to rip out a stranger’s throat at its owners command. It had to be trained. Every vicious junkyard dog was once an adorable puppy, wagging its tail, pouring out its joy at being alive and its love for everyone indiscriminately!
Makes me think that of all the cult’s crimes, the greatest is the damage the Sea Org does to children.