I have in the past analogized Scientology Disconnection to the evils of Segregation overtly practiced in the US until the mid 60’s.
It bears repeating and seems especially appropriate on this, the 50th anniversary of the “March on Washington” and Dr. Martin Luther King’s famous “I have a dream” speech.
I believe that if the church was no longer able to control its followers through the threat of disconnection, there would be virtually nobody remaining loyal to David Miscavige and his Empire of Vampires.
While Tommy Davis famously, and other church representatives not so famously, have stated “there is no such thing as disconnection” there isn’t anyone educated on the subject of Scientology that does not know this is a lie.
The usual pattern is to make a blatant statement (“There is no such thing as disconnection”) and then tack on a phrase at the end “as you describe it.” They can always then explain that there was some minor inaccuracy in the statement that was made, or resort to their old standby “Nobody is FORCED to disconnect. It is their personal choice.” For anyone unfamiliar with the actions of the “church” I will explain precisely what this means with a hypothetical example.
Mr. and Mrs. Smith are faithful Scientologists in good standing with the church. Both work in companies owned by Scientologists. They have 3 children and each of them have 2 grandchildren. Two of their children (John and Mary) are in good standing with the church, and are married to other Scientologists. They all work with other Scientologists and their children attend Scientologist owned schools. The second son (Frank) has not been on church lines for some years. He freely accesses the internet and reads “Entheta” and has a declared SP as a “Facebook friend.”
The church hears about Frank from their “Facebook Police” who report that he is in touch with a “declared SP” and has mentioned on his FB page that he has read stories in the Tampa Bay Times about abuses ongoing in the church.
The Smiths are called in by HCO. They are told there is a situation with Frank and they have a duty to get their son to “unfriend” the SP on Facebook and to stop reading “entheta” on the internet.
The Smiths are good Scientologists and feel they must do what their church tells them. They speak to Frank and he laughs at them. He tells them he is a grown man and he will be friends with whoever he wants and isn’t going to stop reading the internet. He tells his parents that he loves them and respects their choices and would never interfere with the way they choose to live their life and expects the same courtesy from them. He finds it all rather strange and gives his mother and father what will be their last hug and tells them he is looking forward to their annual reunion.
Mr. and Mrs. Smith report back to HCO. The Ethics Officer opens Introduction to Scientology Ethics to page 312 and reads them the following “High Crime”: Continued adherence to a person or group pronounced a Suppressive Person or Group by HCO. The Ethics Officer informs them that Frank is now officially designated a Suppressive Person by HCO for committing this High Crime and asks them whether they plan to disconnect from him and their daughter-in-law and two of their grandchildren. They know the consequence of NOT disconnecting will be for them to be declared and thus lose their jobs and their other two children and 4 other grandchildren. This IS the “choice” they are given. And yes, technically, they DO have a choice — they can walk out and tell the Ethics Officer they will not disconnect from one son and lose the other two and their jobs. So, they call Frank and tell them they will no longer be communicating with him until he “handles himself with HCO.” And that is the end of another happy family.
It is beyond reprehensible for the “church” to offer “Sophie’s Choices” like this and try to convince an uneducated media and public that it is in fact a “choice.”
Just like the segregationists in the 1950’s and the early 1960’s church members today believe it is their God-given right to control and abuse people in this fashion. If pushed beyond the lies they will assert they are practicing their “religious belief” and it is protected under the United States Constitution (not sure what they rely on outside the US, but the US is where the pattern and practice is set). And to that degree, they are right, just like many segregationists justified their immoral and inhumane treatment of non-whites by proclaiming they were good christians who attended church on Sundays and practiced the teachings of the Bible. They also asserted they were acting within the law — and until the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, that was at least somewhat true. And they too tried to sugar coat their immoral and inhumane actions with lies like “the negros are happy that we are providing drinking fountains for them” and “they don’t want to mix with the white folk anyway.” Grotesque today, but said with conviction and a straight face in 1961. Just like Tommy Davis’ “It’s a personal choice.”
The church and many others believe there will never be any legislation that outlaws the practice of disconnection or shunning like the Civil Rights Act that effectively outlawed segregation. It is “protected” by the First Amendment. But there has been precedent. Polygamy was outlawed for being a violation of public sensibility even though it was a religious practice of the Mormon church.
But what REALLY changes wholesale violations of human rights is a shift in public perception and the raising of social conscience. The long struggle to end segregation that resulted in the Civil Rights Act was preceded by a change in public opinion. And that change was brought about by voices speaking out against the abuses and standing up for human dignity. And a long process of education and exposure. Putting FACES to the nameless abuses. The first who spoke were not heard widely and many suffered at the hands of the very oppressors they were seeking to civilize. But, more voices joined the outcry and soon it could not be ignored and the oppressors became an unpopular minority.
My hat is off to those who HAVE been standing up and doing what they can to bring an end to this abusive practice. Lori Hodgson, Cindy Plahuta, Claire Headley and Karen DelaCarriere spring to mind — but there are MANY others (and if I did not mention you, please take no offense). They should all be applauded and supported in any way.
One thing is for sure, there will be no INTERNALLY generated change. Hierarchical religious organizations do not traditionally change their immoral practices unless forced to do by outside pressure — public opinion, including the media and the courts. Exhibit 1 – the Catholic Church and rampant abuse of young boys. Exhibit 2 the Mormons changing their rules to allow African Americans into their temples in 1978 (yes, 15 YEARS after the Civil Rights Act).
It is the change in public opinion that alters how society addresses these sort of problems.
And that comes about by raising awareness.
There is an old adage by L. Ron Hubbard that seems especially relevant here: Constant alertness. Constant willingness to fight back. That is the price of freedom.
And from Martin Luther King: Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.
Update: Someone just sent in this version of Way to Happiness that is being distributed in Clearwater today. It is amazing how a group of people who are breaking up families and violating fundamental freedoms of speech, thought, association and religion can so blatantly attempt to associate themselves with human rights icons. I am adding their MLK quote to the post above as appropriate to bringing an end to the abuses perpetrated by the Church of Scientology.
Church of Scientology New York Celebrates Friendship Day with Human Rights
Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/1438474#ixzz2dIk5srfz
Dear Gayle, Thank you so much for sharing your eloquent and heartfelt story. I understand completely what you’ve said & am deeply moved. My thoughts and prayers are with you & Collin.
Peace,
Dora
Disconnection.
What I can say about it, it feels like so little because mere words fail me to convey the significance of it’s damage. I’ve come close to the edge more than once because of it. I’ve been spun in by it. I’ve come close to giving everything up because of it.
What if you disconnected from your own son, never got to say “I love you.” again? What if you discover that the reason a loved one left the Church of Scientology turned out to be completely different that what you were told? What IF they really left was because every fiber of their being demanded it of them because they discovered that which the OSA and HCO staff are there to prevent you from discovering? That this high desire to help had by all evidence been used against you? That OSA’s actual purposes “to protect” demanded they bury the evidence that would enable you to see that your help, your desire to create “a world without insanity, without war and where the able can prosper and honest beings have rights” was turned in on you, your family and friends so craftily, so dutifully that it became the very blindfold worn to block out the light of truth? That the truth was that the church had become the very obstacle you thought you were overcoming?
What if you disconnected from a son you felt was a part of you like your smile or heartbeat was? What if you didn’t know what he knew, because you didn’t listen to what he was telling you through his distancing from the Scientology movement he once loved and believed in? What if you didn’t give your son the same listening to that an auditor gives on a daily basis to people who tell you all manner of harm they’ve done in the world in order to overcome it through auditing? What if you failed to see that this son was indeed making an origination of the highest order and needed you “the auditor” to listen? What if you positioned someone elses’ words on a piece of paper as being senior to your own love, integrity, loyalty and duty to those whose lives have become so integrated in to yours that you would have once given your life to protect? What if you actually WERE lulled in to believing that someone else knew better than you what was good for YOU? What if you actually gave yourself wholly to a cause that has turned in to the antithesis or some version of it in the name of the “greater good”?
What if all the above turned out to be true and had you only listened to the originations of your son with the same auditor beingness that’s supposed to be used in the church of scientology? What if you used your TRs, the data series and ethics conditions to analytically determine what was true? What IF you wore your “Executive Director” hat of your own org board? What if you found that your loved one actually WAS trying to take care of YOU but you discovered it too late?
Too late? Too late. Too late because there is the chance that you will NEVER get to hold them again, kiss them again or tell them how proud you are of them because they died before you had that chance. What if?
You don’t want to live with that. You don’t want to be that person. You don’t want to fail to apply the very tech to your life that you feel so strongly about. You don’t want to be the one who turned out to be wrong. You don’t want to discover it when it’s too late. I know because it happened to me.
My son Collin’s life that was lost before I had this chance to make things right with him, to apply the tech I’d devoted my adult life to learning so as to achieve the goals of truth being truth and not someone else’s idea of what it was without inspection. How in the hell could I possibly have disconnected from my own son?! And done so without ever talking to HIM about what had driven him so far away from something he once gave sooo much TO? HOW?!
The effects of doing such are so far greater than the pressures to have to get a new job or find new friends because those are by experience the easier of the obstacles to overcome compared to the reality that you failed your own flesh and blood that you got in to Scientology for in order to be the best mom you could be. To confront that is far worse than anything the church holds over you.
I cannot ignore what auditing CAN do for a person. The Bridge is standardly delivered outside of the shell of the church of scientology all the way up the OT levels. I know because I did them and know that the checksheets outside the church of scientology from Student Hat through Class IX auditor exist because I’ve seen them. Beyond holding my son again and looking him in the eyes to tell him that I love him I would like him to know that it wasn’t all in vein, that the torch for helping others improve their conditions in life with a proven tool continues. That it continues without blind devotion without the lies and without the suppression within the church and more that it is being used to help those whose lives have been torn apart like ours was; with the goal of exposing the truth to those still inside the mind raping machine that has been manipulated by david misvige to allegedly undo such trappings.
Think for yourself, BE the auditor for your loved ones, LISTEN and be willing to apply your skills to evaluate information for yourself, DO NOT set up a circuit for yourself that allows someone or something else to “THINK” for you or you might have to live with being WRONG and knowing that you were NOT being responsible to yourself and your loved ones by allowing this circuit to “think” for you to “decide” for you. DON’T take the chance! Or you might have to live with never being able to make things right with your son [daughter, father, mother, brother, sister, grandchild, aunt, uncle, friend] for the rest of your life. With such a circuit in place YOU will in fact not be living, the only living you do will be that life you are TOLD you are to live.
Now honestly to those still inside the church who read here; I ask you is it REALLY TRUE for YOU that “you’ve had many [sons, daughters, husbands, wives, fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, grandchildren, aunts, uncles, friends] in past lifetimes and you’ll have many more” is a good enough reason not to LISTEN and OBSERVE and EVALUATE the facts THIS LIFETIME FOR THIS FAMILY NOW? IS IT REALLY? The Bridge IS standardly delivered OUTSIDE of the commercial enterprise david miscavige has created. I do it along with so many other highly trained, highly experienced auditors and CSes AS it is supposed to be done per the gradechart and HCOBs.
Is a piece of paper with some words on it that say your loved one is a suppressive person all it takes to make it TRUE for YOU? REALLY? Is that piece of paper greater than your own observations? REALLY? Is what you gain by DOING what you’re told to do “or else” worth it REALLY? Is it REALLY? When you look yourself in the mirror you need to have confidence that you see the most loyal, trusted friend you have and I by god hope for you that you do.
I hope you do right by your loved ones before it’s too late for you. I hope that for you and those family and friends whose hearts are breaking and whose cases may be in a tangel from the injustices, the perversions of truth and the wrong items that has been forced upon them. If you got in to Scientology to be the BEST person you can be than you’d better stand up and BE that person. I hope to hell that when you look in the mirror that you see YOU and not something that mirrors were used to reflect a you that you no longer control.
This is for my son Collin.
If anyone finds themselves in this position, listen to Gayle. Don’t even consider the suppressive “advice” or order that you disconnect from a loved one. Stand up! Keep your integrity! Don’t allow your affinity to be alloyed. No-one can “take away your eternity”. Not even you. That is one of the few things that a thetan cannot do! But even if someone could do this, that would not make disconnection from a loved one right! The destruction to oneself and others caused by such an act FAR outweighs even the imagined benefits that could be personally acquired by doing such a thing.
So muster your courage. Stand up. And just say “NO” to disconnection. Say it in a very firm voice.
Please, listen to what Gayle just said.
That the Cof$ distributes TWTH is the definition of chutzpah.
Mike, this is another fabulous posting. You have quite the knack for clearly explaining the “church`s” crimes and barbaric tactics, and their relation to those outside religion/cults. You give new meaning to the term, “seeing the light.”
Mike, just an extraordinary post. One of your very, very best.
Mike,
What a brilliant post!! You are doing a great job, a vital mission on behalf of SANITY.
I have suffered disconnection myself, though on a much milder scale than most cases here.
And it was HORRIBLE as it was. Will tell the story when I can.
I just can’t find the right words to validate you enough. And your blog too.
Your clarity and observational powers are admirable.
Thank you so much for this enlightning, sad,and educational writing.
Hemi
Thanks for writing this blog, ……. it is very much appreciated.
Mike,
This connection you make with the words and actions of Martin Luther King and particularly his “I Have a Dream” sermon as it relates to the practice of shunning and disconnection by the “church” of Scientology is VERY appropriate and is also a great tribute to Dr. King and his ideals.
I did not remember that today was the anniversary of this sermon but I know for a fact that ending practices like disconnection was actually a part of his dream. I know this to be absolutely true. As I read your article I found tears running down my face. You see, I marched with Dr. King in the ’60s and, although I never was introduced to him personally, I once stood a few feet away from him. I was fortunate enough to experience the purity of his PRESENCE and INTENTION.
For those of you who have only heard sound bites from the “I Have a Dream” sermon, here is his whole statement to the world. It is up to you and I to make sure that his truth goes marching on. It always has been.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smEqnnklfYs
It’s moments like this that makes you believe in mankind having the ability to move up a little higher.
17th century qoute, so translate monarchy to present time politics
“The greatest secret of monarchic rule…is to keep men deceived and to cloak in the specious name of religion the fear by which they must be checked, so that they will fight for slavery as they would for salvation, and will think it not shameful, but a most honorable achievement, to give their life and blood that one man may have a ground for boasting.”
― Baruch Spinoza
Wow, Cat Daddy! Spinoza had it right! Thank you for that quote.
The problem for these people who are disconnecting family members is that the Church’s PR and actions are so woeful and have been for decades now under DM that actually the family members that remain in the Church don’t really have any moral legs to stand on. They more or less know that what their relatives are stating is true (not in all cases as some are real shills) but dare not agree and turn a blind eye to the telescope that their relatives are pointing towards the Church. If my relatives started to give me problems about Scientology it wouldn’t affect me one bit as I could handle it – I know all the answers to their questions and as I am not PTS (in general) and also not going along with Miscavige’s crimes I can easily handle any anti-Scientology statements by repyling with – the truth! As-ises everything. But the people still remaining in the Church do have not this luxury as they are living a lie. Being well-trained I know all the answers to batty “Tech” questions e.g. “why do people have staring eyes in Scientology”, or “I have heard that Clears are robots” etc. and as well as this the history of what has happened in the Church to answer those organizational “probing” questions. As I say the people still in the Church cannot reply “yes – DM is an SP and his managers are out-ethics dupes and that explains the (organizational) problem!”
A suggestion to those who want to speak out and “do” something. Call your local newspaper and ask to speak to an assignment editor. Explain your involvement in the COS and your disconnection story and your current views of what a destructive organization your former “church” has become. Tell them that you would be willing to be interviewed and have photos taken. You should have proof of past involvement and pictures and letters from your loved ones who were forced to disconnect. You don’t have to allow the letters to printed, a reporter will describe the message.
Newspapers will print these type of “human interest” stories. They will come to you. With newspapers also being online now, these stories will educate many people and make them aware that there is something very very wrong with the “church”.
If you are already declared and disconnected you can’t make things worse. You will be standing up for what is right and know that you are part of something big. And something right.
In your own way and in your own area, you will have done something, because…….something CAN be done about it.
Love this.
While I totally agree with your views on disconnection I feel the comparison to Mormons a bit off. In Mormonism there is constantly a “prophet” in charge of the church who is seen as equal to Joseph Smith. His words are as much scripture as Joseph Smiths and he is entitled to make changes to the church due to continued revelation from God. This allows the church to develop policy and “keep up with the times” without appearing to just be pandering to popular demand.
This wouldn’t work in scientology as it stands as there is no-one in that system who can replace LRH or change his teachings or add to them as new discoveries in science and culture develop.
The only way I can see the church getting rid of the policy of disconnection is if the members of the church come to the realisation that what LRH gave them was a tool to essentially “become their own LRH”. Only then could they come to make purely self-determined decisions based on their own experiences and not based on his. Then they would REALLY be free to decide who they want to disconnect from.
Thanks must go to you Mike, for really being on top of your game. Delivering unadulterated truth the way you do, with great measures of humor, to keep / convert things into understandable terms, is a tremendous gift indeed. That said, there appear to be a few creeps who seemingly try to get “under your skin.” —– No worries, mate, equally well handled too! You certainly deserve the success of this blog, since the launch only a short while ago and may you continue to be the one spokes man who manages to keep an extremely unwieldy, volatile subject in balanced perspective…….Thank you, sir.
Very thoughtful, well written article Mike…. thank you! These runaway disconnection practices are not just cruel and dumb, but they are also gross out tech. “Someone antagonistic to the pc you are handling” is one definition of an sp and the proper tech is, to help get the person at gentle cause. In most cases these sits can resolve easily, with the pts person having great wins, on raising their cause level and confront. But of course, in the church of reverse Scn , where it is illegal to speak your mind, this isn’t going to work. Instead of putting some work in and raising your abilities, just dump anyone who disagrees with you. To me this is parallel, to the training style of gat rote memorization. where the perception and confront of the auditor are bypassed or unwanted. If the antagonism is regarding the RCS, no handling is possible, due to the fact that qual is dead and outpoints are abundant, we are in the brainfuck zone. Similar to the twilight zone but more painful. Those who still expect theta, arc, justice, truth, as-isness and the like, from Scn, find their minds bending, to try to find a little. I agree with some of the earlier comments, that there are more than a few sociopaths left in the RCS at this point, who are enjoying their power to control and suppress a little too much. The ease and callousness that several maa’s made with me and my family, to create a wedge of enturbulation between us, was very disturbing. Luckily, I’m smarter than them. This practice of tearing families apart is horrific and my heart goes out to anyone suffering from this evil practice.
It’s been said before, but worth mentioning again. Underlying disconnection is the lie that individual is a 2 1/2 percenter, which is what the disconnection policy originally set out to address. For some time now we have had political “SPs”, not spiritual ones. The two are not the same, but the church would have you believe they are. It is a lie and they know it. I got an MAA at an AO to admit to me that someone I knew (recently declared), was in fact not a Suppressive Person, in the technical sense of the word.
Quite likely 97 1/2% of all “SP Declares” are non-technical declares (e.g. political in nature, or some other injustice). The irony is, if a real dye-in-the-wool 2 1/2 percenter did happen to end up on org lines, he could quite easily escape detection by simply agreeing with the party-line and avidly pursue status. Modern day HCOs are quite incapable of protecting their org and creating a safe environment. Instead they are perceived by the general members as a threat and a menace. Their target? Free-thinking individuals who have temerity to speak their mind and are able to assume multiple viewpoints. This could only be a threat to an individual or group who themselves have assumed a suppressive valance, or who have committed overts of such magnitude so as to blunt their perceptions and bring about stupidity.
In light of that, lying is quite an easy solution; something the church is very adept at.
statpush,
nice post – and THE problem today is a REAL 2 1/2 percenter ended up on the TOP of org lines! 🙁
This happens all the time, statpush. I personally know of a bone fide child molester and a woman who cheats her employees out of pay who are both still in and allowed to go on their OT levels.
Disgusting.
Tons of KRs were written and no one did anything because they both have money.
The only thing about this that bothers me is that the cult has such inconsistent policies and thrive on injustices.
The fact that criminals get onto auditing lines isn’t a bad thing to me. Isn’t auditing for helping people to get better? Part of the reason criminals continue up the Bridge in the cult is that they are not getting better lower on the Bridge which is an out-point. I think the cult creates PTS people and in such an environment I don’t think criminals get better.
Tony,
I don’t see why that should be a bother! 🙂
You’re right Cooper. That is their VFP I think. 🙂
PSPs. I love it.
I very recently experienced disconnection. A very good friend of mine with whom i often discussed my viewpoint regarding the church went to an AO. He thought that he wanted to continue to have services in the church but could accept my viewpoint. I had the right to have my opinion. He said that he would never disconnect, and he was against it. But I received a disconnection lettre from him. And he said that it was because now he was hatted on the subject and cognited how reasonable he was to discuss and accept my out ethics viewpoint. Now he was in ethics. And was hoping that I would return one day in good standing for my own sake and my eternity.
+1 That’s exactly what happens – what FG said.
FG, I”m so sorry for your experience with disconnection. So you were disconnected from without even having had an SP Declare come out on you. A witch hunt, just like what Ron warned against in the PTS SP course. Just realize that any corporate Scns who are off lines, if they get recovered, are going to be worked over and brainwashed so that they think they were the out ethics ones and that they now “see the light” and as a result, they will disconnect from you in order to get in good with the church again and be assured of their “spiritual freedom” which they think is only to be found in the church. Discourage all corporate Scns, even the ones that are disaffected and off lines, to never go in for the “free D of P Int” or anything else.
Yes. I didn’t get any declare, not even the copy of a KR. Nothing. I was not going public with my viewpoint, was really under the radar and quite muzzeled. Only this friend, very close, I was sharing my thoughts. He actually read himself Marty’s blog and so on. He couldn’t really stomach all that. He was “reasonable”, finding reason why Marty, Mike, Debbie and the other were “ARCbroken”. I said, yes, they are ARC broken with DM. And the correct handling would be an ARC break session, no?… I pointed out the fact that even if DM was right with IAS or ideal org, why would he create such an antagonism with his juniors. Completely stupid, no?
At some point, my friend would fall into anxiety. Sort of, my god, if that was true and DM is an SP? Then he wouldn’t sleep at night. Also, he felt so witholdy with his family and friend (very regular kool aid) to even contemplate such a viewpoint. But he was a good guy, he actually admired my ability to be “non robotic”, but I was going too far. I decided to not continue to discuss it with him. To really take this viewpoint was unconfrontable for him. He would loose his kids which are on the Sea Org. I said that I understood his decison to remain in good standing with the church, and it was his decison and I respected it, and hoped he would have some big wins on his auditing and wished him my best. I did everything that he doesn’t feel in any way PTS to me. He said that I have had the right to have my opinion, quoting the Credo of the Church. He also said that he didn’t believe disconnection was a reality, and anyway, didn’t Tommy Davis said that it wasn’t existing?
Then he left for his service. Sending me nice messages, pictures. Like a friend in hollidays. Then, few days later. He called me, said he had a bad new. He was in ethics, read LRH references and understood really. He said that he will send me a mail, but wanted to speak to me before. And I opened the mail, and it was a diisconnection letter. By the book!
I believe he might have been through extensive sec checks, and was coaxed to (on his own decision!) discontinue the comm with me.
I answered and said that I didn’t understand why he had to disconnect from me. Was I suppressing him? He said that he was upset by my viewpoint and that it was better that we don’t continue to be in comm, for both of us. That even myself, I would find a release to not be in comm with him.
That was the REVERSE of a PTS handling. In a PTS handling, you avoid the points of disagreement, and only point out the point of ARC, in order to melt the antagonism. Now, he had to point out all the points of non ARC in order to document this disconnection. Then, not to lessen the antagonism but to create even some more. Actually indicate me that I was a real ennemy of the church, to assign me this condition! How deeply out tech, how to make a real ennemy of someone who is barely disaffected but not ready to do anything about it! This is the anatomy of war. Civil war. (By the way, i don’t want to go into conspiracy kind of theory, but who is the third party?).
And he was kind of sad, low tone and me too. Didn’t look like a good indication! Some friends in the independant field told me that it was a good thing, it would disconnect me from the church, then no more PTS ness on my lines. Same theory!
I wonder if it’s true as I feel relieved to some degree from this connection. Probably we are both relieved from the need of witholding. He doesn’t have to withold from his family, church, friends that he has some reality with the “SP’s”, he spitted it all.
And, I’m no longer under the radar. Also, not having to withold. Then at this point disconnection looks like a practical tool.
But of course this is not scientology. No, it is how to destroy scientology. To break families and friendship. It’s the virus which will destroy the church. They use disconnection to stop the infection, by cutting off infected parts. The church body goes smaller day after day, cutting off rotten members, who have CI’s on fundraising and who are (crime of the crime) denouncing Miscavige.
This friend is now fully disconnected from me. He his free from me suppressing him, actually he is free from the excruciating pain of looking at outpoints and having to explain them. This is killing native ability of a being to think logically. One thing he said that it was all the fault of Debbie Cook, that she caused our friendship to be broken. I just answered that actually the fault was on David Miscavige.
FG,
VWD on sticking to your knowingness and to your integrity. And VWD on naming the correct suppressive to your friend.
Your friend, and other Kool Aid drinkers, in their effort to not confront the evil, they become “reasonable suppressive” and then they name wrong targets. Your friend who said it was “all the fault of Debbie Cook” was wrong targeting her because he couldn’t confront the evil that it is David Miscavage, his church’s “leader,” who is SP, who commits human rights violations and tears up families. I hope he will see the light some time. And in the meantime, congrats to you for coming out and creating a new life for yourself!
Church still supressing free speech on youtube
THE VIDEO SCIENTOLOGY WANTS TO HIDE – Donatella Kavenaa OSA Operative
http://rutube.ru/video/c232fe09b8df9f6096be37a896f94663/
Donatella Kavenaar is about as low as person can go. I am not sure she can be called human. She enjoyed hurting Karen, and showed no compassion for her great loss. So heartless.
In relation the MLKs anniversary of “I Have a Dream” speach there’s a lot of debate in the US about where the civil rights are at now as compared to then and what comes up a lot is the collapse of the black families (70% black kids born out of wedlock, 1/3 of all black men between 18 to 29 either in prison or on probation, street gangs having initiation rituals of murder and violence etc etc).
Well, it’s pretty obvious that when there’s a culture of parents abandoning their kids, the kids will have no respect and appreciation of life itself and other people. The words Love, Compassion and Kindness do not exist in their universes. That goes for black communities and Scientology communities. These kids that grew up raising themselves while their parents spent 24/7 “clearing the planet” are now the ethics officers that heartlessly tell the Smith’s to disconnect or else.
The young black kids that were abandoned join street gangs to get a sense of belonging they never got from “family” and the young Scientologists join the Sea Org.
Fortunately there are lots of black kids that had terrible odds against them and turned out very well-adjusted – as well as Scientology kids – Jenna Hill comes to mind – but the systemic culture of undermining the family unit must be fought with all our might. Kudos to Mike Rinder for saying it so loud and clear.
+1
Actually, Scientology’s lawyers in the Garcia case want to disqualify the plaintiffs’ attorney because he consulted someone who knew too much about the disconnection policy. So how can they say they don’t have one?
There is no difference, they are both wrong.
That was in answer to Jeb
Great article Mike. Thank you for continuing to speak the truth. More and more will join you and speak out loudly in protest against disconnection. The pain of loosing a child or grand-child through disconnection is a pain that cannot be understood until you have experienced it yourself. The church’s policy of disconnection must cease.
I know you probably wont post this, but LRH himself said, “Failure or refusal to disconnect from a suppresive person is a suppresive act in itself”. How is what DM is doing diffferent from Hubbards command? I just dont understand,being a non scientologist, what is the difference between DM and Hubbard on this issue. Please enlighten me.
I not only posted it. I am going to try and answer you.
The fundamental principles of disconnection are not off the mark. It is to be used for the benefit of the individual.
That is NOT how it is currently being applied.
My objection is to THE PRACTICE not the theory. Perhaps 30 or 40 years ago there were also abuses of the theory. But there’s not much point in making an issue out that now.
It would be like protesting the authors of the Jim Crow laws from 50 years earlier rather than those practicing them in 1963. Kind of pointless.
I don’t care what the policy is — and I do believe Hubbard reinstituted disconnection — I care about what ABUSES are ongoing now.
Yes, Mike, it is the ABUSE of this policy which is so suppressive.
If uncle Harry has molested PC A since she was young and PC A decides, “I can see how being connected with him in any way will continue my spiritual decline/prevent me from improving, because of that, I’ve decided to disconnect.” That is one thing this “handle or disconnect” theory was developed for.
On the other hand, Michael Fairman, for example, is NOT an SP in any way to his friends and family, but only chose to do his research and go visit Marty to find out why he left the church and to get some auditing. BECAUSE he went to talk to Marty, he is incorrectly assigned the beingness of an SP and his friends are FORCED to disconnect from him. Again, he is not an SP, (injustice #1), he did not have a comm ev to defend himself (injustice #2) and (injustice #3) he loses his friends and his friends lose him. In the shrapnel, his ex-wife is also incorrectly declared and her friends and family are forced to disconnect from her and their child as well.
Just a sec, I lost track of all the injustices there.
All joking aside, THIS is just one example of the cycle of abuse of the “disconnect” policy as Mike commented on.
Perhaps nothing and it does not make it right no matter whose idea it was or is.
That is a good point. Essentially LRH institutionalised what should be a personal choice, and made it part of administrative and enforceable procedure.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NFshbZoDrE
I may be playing Devil’s advocate here….
But I don’t see disconnection and segregation as the same thing.
First of all segregation was supported by various Jim Crow Laws in segregated states much as slavery was less than a century earlier.
So on the point of “there has gotta be a law”. You better be careful what you wish for.
Secondly under the US Constitution, First Amendment specifically people have the right to freely associate with anyone they chose to associate with.
Personally I don’t see anything wrong with that.
Conversely I don’t see anything wrong with people *self determinedly* disassociating with anyone either, especially if the person on their own and without coercion decides that this individual or group is antithetical to their well being or survival.
An abusive husband, a criminal gang, and more germanely an Organization that no longer supports or is no longer coterminous with the Philosophy or Religious tenants it claims to support are examples.
Why should a wife be forced to continue to live with a husband who continues to beat her?
Why should some kid be forced to associate with some gang because he grew up in the Bronx or in South Central LA?
And why should any of us feel obligated to continue an association with the Church of Scientology?
As far as I know Steve Hall has listed on his site close to 500 people who have willingly and vocally disconnected from the Organization.
Let’s be honest.
What these people basically have done is written a letter of disconnection and addressed it to the Organization.
Do you think that the Organization is not going to retaliate in some way being as vindictive as we know it is?
To quote ol’ Bill Congreve a contemporary of Bill Shakspeare “Heaven has no rage like love to hatred turned, Nor hell a fury like a woman scorned.” and replace “woman” with “Church of Scientology”.
Anyhoo.
I’m not saying that what they’re doing is right or just or anything like that.
I’m just pointing out the Church’s reactive reaction to all this is what you’d expect from the choir of lunatics who have seized control of the Church which is currently being or ostensibly being led by a psychopath.
Back to disconnection.
Back in the late ’60’s the Church took a lot of flack for this practice and it was canceled under the Reform Codes, along with Sec Checking which both came back in with a vengeance when the coup took over beginning with some HCOBs and PLs of questionable provenance that allegedly cancelled much of the Reform Code of ’68.
Personally I’d demand that the Church abide by its Reform Codes.
Robin:
Why is it that you feel so compelled to fight about everything?
Go ahead and personally demand that the church abide by its Reform Codes. It’s really been effective so far.
You are blowing most of this out your butt — MOST of these people did NOT send any disconnection letter to the Organization. You are living in some para-reality.
And to equate ending the abuse of this policy which is used to destroy families as “forcing a wife to continue to live with a husband who continues to beat her” is the SAME BULLSHIT “REASONING” THE CHURCH TOSSES OUT TO JUSTIFY THEIR ABUSES.
And I would love to have all these people freely associate with anyone they choose to associate with. They are prevented from doing so.
I guess you just enjoy getting people pissed off at you so you can engage in some sort of argument with them.
Cannot see any other purpose for this comment.
Honestly Mike,
I was giving you my opinion, informed or not.
Like it or not.
Personally I don’t really care how the Church or more accurately the terminals responsible justify or rationalize their transgressions.
If they are using the abused wife one then it is pretty much A=A=A. In other words not the same and shows an inability to differentiate which is what you’d expect from an Organization that has gone insane.
And no as someone suggested I am no friend to Miscavige or his “leadership”.
In fact I have been against his leadership probably longer than anyone who is currently posting on this board because it is directly against policy.
LRH Relationship to Orgs is the policy which is in the OEC Volumes.
Anyway.
What I stated is my own opinion on the matter and I take full responsibility for it.
“I may be playing Devil’s advocate here….”
No, you are playing Miscaviages advocate. Wake up and come to your senses!!!
Coop — just a forewarning, Robin seems to like to start flame wars.
I have no intention of letting this thread get derailed by his nuttiness. I thought long and hard about posting it at all as I know how many people it will infuriate (self included) but I generally allow most comments unless they are really out of control.
But this is not going to be allowed to become the center of attention on this thread, as that can only be what he is trying to achieve with a comment as clearly provocatively illogical as that one was.
Mike,
I must respectfully disagree.
I don’t like starting flame wars, however I do encourage debate which is something entirely
different.
Mike. Thanks again. Deep-felt article.
A friend of mine’s friend has 2 Sons. One declared. Mom and dad and other son carried on inside for 14 years. Disconnected. The “SP” son went out alone in towns far away working for a living without one bit of support. I am forever ashamed that I did not go out and find him and help. After this time, the wayward son was told by the local HCO that they made a mistake and he is welcome to come back into the church. He did.
Unreal. I have since been able to help, thankfully but it does not ease my conscience enough. Ouch.
VSB
Mike, that’s a great article, very well written.
We will bust His machine only if we are determined and in comm with each other. DM and his apparatus need to be under constant pressure in the courts and through the media. Also, free Scientologists should influence their lawmakers to change the laws so the atrocities cannot be guised as “legal”.
Yet, I think us acting only as individuals will take much longer than if we united some way, created our own war chest and then pulled off bigger actions to unseat the lunatic.
Thank you, Mike, for the great work you’re doing, Dani
Yes I agree with Dani. Let’s create our own war chest and do concerted group activities to bring him down faster. A well-organized group can always act more effectively than those working alone.
I disagree. Read Stanislav Lem’s “The Swarm” and see why.
Sorry, the book is called “The Invincible”.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Invincible
A decentralised information campaign is better than an IAIS (International Association of Independent Scientologists)” war chest”. Just look at the word you are using. War. No, personal stories told in court will help more than one group duking it out against another. You are an auditor, right? What does the creation of ridges tell you? Creating an alike group to slam against the church would simply create a reflection of the church and hold both in equilibrium. No amount of good intentions would alter that.
See also this article, essentially dealing with “Us vs Them”. This is what you would enforce, even if it is not your intention.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Us_versus_them
Also in the KSW reference, LRH says that beings without reactive minds act differently. Beings with reactive minds do the group think thing. And probably the “swarming” thing that Dollar Morgue speaks of. So if many Indies who don’t have reactive minds did get together and hatch a plan, I think it would have a good chance of working!
Did they bother to license that image of MLK they put on the cover?
A curch member will have the Martin Luther King quote justified to mean that, “yes, I must speak out against being forced to associate with people who are bad for me!” Actually, they are in fear. I will say it again. Fear keeps people in this church, and nothing else. Fear of being PTS, fear of ethics repercussions, loss of family, eternity, friends, jobs, livelihood (home, existence).
But there is another way to read that WTH cover: they are practically begging to be stopped, since they can no longer stop the organisation themselves. And I believe they know this, and subconsciously this all adds up to weird promo (here be zombies) and harrassment and begging e-mails, law suits and finally, the ultimate, perfect storm.
Fear greases the machinery of this church. Fear and lack of solutions to those inside. I loathe being connected to it and would like to speak out loud. But my parents, both EX SO, now pensioners, practically broke and without pensions, are wholly dependent on church members for their livelihood. Although I have tried, so far and to my great distress I have failed to create an income to support at last one of them as well as me. What should I do? I don’t know, so I do my best to help behind the scenes, hoping every day the church will fall that much faster.
Dollar.
“Although I have tried, so far and to my great distress I have failed to create an income to support at last one of them as well as me. What should I do? I don’t know, so I do my best to help behind the scenes, hoping every day the church will fall that much faster.”
You do not have to stand up and be loud forthe sake of it. You help your folks. We love you for it. Others have other situations, all handling them in their own ways.
VSB
Thanks for your encouragement 🙂
Fear is THE major componet of scn. It is what the totallity of the current organization is made of. It’s “us agaisnt them” and “the end justifies the means.” Without fear, they couldn’t control their sheeple. You hit it right on the head, VSB!
Mike,
Well written and again well done.
One other huge omitted in the current scene is justice. Taking your example of the guy on the internet. There is one ethics gradient.. expelled. No review of stats or production. No actual examination of what occurred. Just the edict of the ethics officer.
I wonder if the Intro to Scientology Ethics is even used.
As you and others have noted.. the declares aren’t even in writing or distributed.
I think Miscavige’s greatest swindle to date is broadly making a big show of finding lost tech and restoring it, while at the same time taking things like management, evaluation tech, justice and rendering them into oblivion. Even if the justice was a kangaroo court, at least there would be something in writing. Some chance for the accused to present their side of the story.
I guess that function is now covered by your blog! You are helping to run out group engrams.
Keep it up..
Mark
Interesting Mark. Justice is gone out the window. But, so too has all other policy. Ideal orgs, fund raisers. And so on. But then again, so too has the tech……..you pull the justice string and out comes a long connected string of massive out points the penny has to drop.
I read some LRH letters to a management consultant where he said ” man-hole cover type penny drop”.
VSB
Great explaination of the spider’s web in action, Mike.
A few random thoughts on the subject:
Only one of our four kids was involved with the Co$. He left with us because he could easily see what we were talking about. He had routed off staff and joined the army when he was 18. He said it was waaaaay less entheta than being on staff.
The vast majority of our friends quietly or loudly disconnected from us. We quickly ended up with 40+ new friends who were very happy we woke up.
A fair number of the people “still in” are simply sociopaths like miscavige and love to use the Co$ to control and manipulate people.
Obviously several thousand people still in are obsessed with STATUS and crave approval. They seem to believe that these ostentatious buildings will be so impressive that people will flock to them with their wallets wide open so they can create even more useless, ostentatious buildings and they will all bask in the glory of their upstatness.
Many who are still in are “going on hoping” that they will get some more wins before they drop their bodies. They are obedient to the new breed of sociopathic ethics officers and oblivious to anything outside their personal Truman Show bubble.
And there are some good, decent people who can still get results in session or in the courseroom. They dutifully bury their heads in the sand. They honestly believe with all their hearts that david miscavige is LRH’s chosen one, that he’s a totally on-source guy and that they will prevail. They are well practiced at rapidly “thought stopping” the out points and not-ising the facts in front of their faces.
The more the crimes of those still in are exposed, the more people will say, “okay, that’s it, I’ve had enough.”
So, well done to those doing the exposing!
This whole subject of disconnection is what I live with daily as I live in Clearwater and less than 5 miles from Flag. I also live in a housing development with about 25 Scientology families living in the development. I ran into one of my neighbors yesterday at the grocery store. This was a woman with whom I was very good friends, but all she did was ignore me all the while watching me out of the corner of her eye to see what I was going to do. It was pathetic and sad. I continually run into people I know who pretend I’m not there. It’s actually fascinating to observe. It’s their loss, not mine. After all, who wants to be connected to a robot?! Fortunately, we only lost friends and acquaintances as we had no family in Scientology. To have to make the choice between personal integrity and your family is gross and SUPPRESSIVE. And on the Way to Happiness booklet, how DARE they align themselves with Martin Luthor King? Talk about NO truth in advertising.
Bonnie, you have a great attitude! What’s it like to live so close to the insanity?
I have been around people that are not on friendly terms with the Church or the subject matter for years. It has not gotten in the way of my progress up the bridge. That people are getting declared these days for objecting to David Miscavige’s actions and decisions, or writing a K.R., is completely off policy. Declaring people because they choose to leave staff or exit through the front door for however long they want, is also suppressive. Any store, (and the Church sells information) should have a revolving door policy for it;s customers. Hubbard was aware of “customers” and called them just that. To attack your customers for walking out the front door is just plain stupid. This takes the matter of exchange down into the enforce band. Nobody should be forced TO SHOP! To remain on a job they no longer want to work at! That is slavery! There are some crazy people that get mixed up in the Church business and make other people miserable. Buying and selling of information or religion is COMMERCE. Nothing more.
com·merce
n.
1. The buying and selling of goods, especially on a large scale, as between cities or nations. See Synonyms at business.
2. Intellectual exchange or social interaction.
commerce
n
1. (Business / Commerce) the activity embracing all forms of the purchase and sale of goods and services
2. social relations and exchange, esp of opinions, attitudes, etc.
This is as creepy and crazy as it gets: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOd__GJLeCs
Or perhaps this is as crazy as it gets, domestic terrorism against former customers:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fPcEky5X74
“Customers” became “Public” later on. David ALTER ISED both of those to “Members”. Everyone is a member now. The word “customer” has been buried. That identity has been suppressed into non existance. There are no more “customers” ! By calling them “members” they become somewhat less important and yet, more important at the same time. More important in that they NOW have the same duties as the other “Members” in some “club”, less important in that their value as a customer is totally suppressed and unacknowledged. That said, it doesn’t change reality. Scientology is a store selling something and customers buy, or not.
The Oracle, when I read your post it jogged my memory of LRH management references where he talks about having an “Open door hiring policy and an open back door too.” Meaning that you hire a lot of people, a very wide open door, but that you have an open back door to offload quickly those who don’t cut the mustard (i.e., who don’t make it or are not qualified). So if LRH makes it easy for new hires to leave or be fired in business, why not have the same open doors in auditing and courses? If you do that and let people leave when they want with impunity, and absolutely no disconnection from their peeps, then and only then will you get true free enterprise where the church would have to make it on their own good products and happy customers, and not just on clubbing the seals to death with guilt or threat.
“And from Martin Luther King: Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”
Very appropriate update Mike. I also really liked the comment Lady Min made on Marty’s blog a couple days ago regarding her decision to file suit against the church which resulted in a PTS Type III declare being issued on her kids who were still in the SO. She could not get them to leave but the cult did so on it’s own as a result of her ACTIONS.
Now it’s time for me to get into action!
Fantastic Coop! Go for it! Now that’s OT!
HEART BREAKING TO READ ALL THESE INSTANCES OF ABUSE AND PRESSURE PUT ON OTHERS TO DISCONNECT; THIS IS NOT HUMANE AND IN FACT IS CRUEL.
LETS KEEP DELIVERING AND PUTTING PRESSURE BY EXPOSING THE CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR OF THIS SO CALLED “CHURCH”.
Mike…. the way I see it is once you were giving unflagging support to the church; now you are on an unrelenting journey to bring light to the heart of darkness. Perhaps the same mission just slightly reoriented.
Sophie’s Choice. You could not have picked a more brilliant analogy! It is exactly that each and every time.
As a comment, I have also noticed that the persons who make the decision to disconnect lives a life of unresolvable sadness on the issue. They often suppress it, tuck it away, justified as “the greater good”. The pain doesn’t go away and they live with it until they do the right thing. So it’s a lose-lose all around for the players involved except RCS.
RCS is losing now, too, big time. It took a while, but karma is catching up with it like a freight train.
Karma is a bitch when it catches up with you! And it’s catching up big time with the cult.
Thanks for the MLK human rights update. There’s certainly a downside to promoting hypocrisy. The beginning of the end for me — when I really started to LOOK — was when I saw the human rights video looping in the Div 6 area at SF Org. There’s a carwash scene in which the greasy foreman has underpaid the hardworking kid. Then a guy in a suit (presumably the owner of the carwash) intercedes and sets things straight. Here’s the hypocrisy — I had just seen the opposite occur in a WISE mediation, where the mediator worsened the injustice for the underpaid employee then put the matter onto Church lines for enforcement.
“I believe that if the church was no longer able to control its followers through the threat of disconnection, there would be virtually nobody remaining loyal to David Miscavige and his Empire of Vampires.”
Yes, Mike! And yes, it bears repeating.
The regime and its dictator with the Orwellian treatment of the parishioners communication and the thought control needs the disconnections and threat of it to keep its parishioners contained.
And Miscavige needs the disconnections and threat of it, that the members don’t talk about that something is very fishy and that he is not “upstat” at all but an utter failure as a manger and a ”religious leader”.
http://stopdisconnection.com/ is the right blog to report these stories and it should be cross linked on all “living-on-the-fringe-of-the-Internet” blogs. It needs a “Big List” (similar to https://sites.google.com/site/biglistthatleftscientology/) of the disconnection stories to refer the public and media to.
“I believe that if the church was no longer able to control its followers through the threat of disconnection, there would be virtually nobody remaining loyal to David Miscavige and his Empire of Vampires.”
So true, and there is one other thing that keeps them stuck in there….not knowing any other life. There are a lot of people in there who started quite young and lived only a sea org life for 15, 20, 30 years with minimal exposure to the rest of the world.
If there is a way to deal with this, great. I wish I had found it when I got out–I did a lot of stupid things (that ended up to be personally destructive) in my adjustments. People living most of their lives in the sea org don’t know about taxes, social security, IRAs, insurance, basic laws of the land, or even a driver’s license or computers for some of them. And they have pretty much no exposure to pop culture and no exposure to social media, which is really different from the sea org life. It’s hard to imagine what they are missing in their knowledge of how to live in the US or another country.
On top of all that, they will often lack the manners or courtesy that is standard and expected outside. They will get hurt and humiliated quite often, as the world gets them to see eye to eye with it.
And yes, I certainly missed out on pop culture. At every party I ever attend, I always find myself listening silently and not saying much – because I just don’t know what they are talking about (old or present TV shows, movies, books, sports events, past political events, jokes based in pop culture references, and on and on). I now tell myself that there is so much to enjoy, you just couldn’t keep up with it all anyway. But I still feel stupid at parties and get-togethers.
True Dollar. People do speak a lot of crap too so it is not unusual to be silent whilst listening to the noise. I still struggle and have been out of the SO for ages.
VSB
Vert, I do hope things get better for you. Can you tell us what you experienced in the SO? If it’s painful, I understand. I was just staff in Hawai’i and that was bad enough. I didn’t last very long. The insanity was too over the top.
What if we built a war chest of our own and used the money to post billboards at Flag near the church and in LA near PAC and said, “SO Members, you can leave; we will help you with a place to live and help finding a job. Call the hotline: And list the hotline.
Once I have written to Osa ( they told a friend of mine to stop contacting me) that if the Church declared me “SP” I have to go court for libel and slander. This was striking out Osa, because they were aware of bad publicity.
And after that , mine friend visit me daily!
But believe me, if I get declared then I go stiil to court.
Hanse. Interesting strategy you have. I am glad it is working. I have just finished reading “Beyond Belief” by Jenna. It is a must read. Must. She uses the ‘threat’ of creating bad PR to get her some space, on occasion. Very cool.
VSB
Not only have I read her book, but, “Going Clear,” “Inside Scientology,” “Counterfeit Dreams,” “Church of Fear,” Jon Atack’s new “A Piece of Blue Sky,” “My Billion Year Conract,” and more. I’m so looking for Tony Ortega’s book!
Right VSB, you are more in control and more to the cause side.
I am definitely going to read her book. ( It has been translated in our language!).
I’m glad it’s working out for you. Sounds like your friend was asked to keep up good relations with you, which is great for you both 🙂
Great article Mike gets right to the heart of the matter. As the “church” refuses to change in the face of mounting public outcry there can be but one result and that is that it will cease to exist or be able to exert control over any but a handful of deluded individuals. It is nearer a reality than most people think.
I want my daughter back.
To get ‘back in good standing’, in order to be allowed to see her, the first steps say I must lie and say I committed crimes I did not commit and lie and give my motivation for doing so. Once I’m in good standing I’m told I can have a B of I to submit proof I really wasn’t an SP. Prove I lied?
My daughter is told I ‘just’ have to do A to E and that I am refusing to do so. Problem is, I have done A to E and I can’t in any good conscience be part of such a criminal, squirrel organization.
I love my daughter and miss her.
I can’t even imagine, Bluebonnet4. Words fail me. You’ll ALWAYS be in my thoughts. I raised my son knowing about the CO$ and what I had gone through. This organization has degenerated into a vile, militant & toxic group. I HOPE YOU GET YOUR DAUGHTER BACK! We all do…
You have integrity Bluebonnet.
What happened to the Smiths in your example is similar enough to what happened to my family at SF Org. In my case, DSA Leslie insisted that I disconnect from a friend in a city hundreds of miles north and with whom I had little contact, whom the DSA claimed was an SP but who I knew wasn’t. I refused. The DSA then arranged a follow-up meeting with my son and ex-wife to plead with me. I still refused. An SP declare on me was issued shortly thereafter, but I didn’t find out about it for about half a year and didn’t get to see it for a full year. Still no copy to keep, however.
Title 18, U.S.C., Section 241
Conspiracy Against Rights
This statute makes it unlawful for two or more persons to conspire to injure, oppress, threaten, or intimidate any person of any state, territory or district in the free exercise or enjoyment of any right or privilege secured to him/her by the Constitution or the laws of the United States, (or because of his/her having exercised the same).
It further makes it unlawful for two or more persons to go in disguise on the highway or on the premises of another with the intent to prevent or hinder his/her free exercise or enjoyment of any rights so secured.
Punishment varies from a fine or imprisonment of up to ten years, or both; and if death results, or if such acts include kidnapping or an attempt to kidnap, aggravated sexual abuse or an attempt to commit aggravated sexual abuse, or an attempt to kill, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned for any term of years, or for life, or may be sentenced to death.
http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/investigate/civilrights/federal-statutes/#section241
Great post. Applicable to Mosey’s case.
This is the first time I’ve commented on your blog, Mike. I read it everyday. But, today, I need to share something with you. I was on staff in Honolulu back in the 70s. My mother came over to Hawai’i to see what I had gotten myself into. I guess she asked one too many questions. The execs labeled her a “raging SP” and told me I HAD to disconnect from her THAT DAY. Well, being fully brainwashed and fearing for my “eternity” I drove over to where she was staying (with a staff member). I told her I couldn’t see or contact her anymore. She calmly started to pack her bags. I asked her if she was freaking out and she said, no, that she would drive herself to the airport and take the first flight home. She was living with one of our cousins at the time. When she got home, she promptly attempted suicide. You see, Mike, I was her only child and had just rejected her for the cult. Our cousin came home from work early for the very first time and found her. She had OD’d on pills. She got her to the hospital in time to save her life. But, I had to live with what I had done until she passed in ’84. Disconnection not only still exists, but, it seems to me, is used more than ever due to the current dictator. And, Lori, I’ve followed your story too. I wish you and your family a boat load of joy, peace and happiness!
OSD — I am so fucking sorry. Reading this broke my heart and literally brought tears to my eyes. Thank you for sharing it. I hope life is happy for you and you have found a measure of peace.
I have and thank you so much Mike! This is the first time I’ve shared this on any blog. PLEASE keep up the great work! BTW, you and your beautiful and wonderful wife make a great couple! I wish you two all the happiness, joy and peace this universe has to offer.
Such courage to share your story OSD……thank you!
OSD i agree with Hallie. Thanks for telling us your story.!!
VSB
The first time I read this story it also broke my heart.
OC Rob; December 8, 2010 at 9:43 pm
http://markrathbun.wordpress.com/2010/11/29/radical-scientology-dark-ops/#comment-95309
+1 Mike. Me too.
I am crying now! I have never been a Scientologist but want to make it clear that people like me, all over the world are getting educated (damn that pesky Internet) and the never-ins are disgusted and reading sites like this or tony Ortega every day. The clock truly is ticking as mainstream press is not afraid to report stories anymore.
And as for Mr. Cruise. Advise for you. I work in the entertainment field and you are now views as a LIABILITY!! You cannot even give basic interviews to promote your films because of what the journalist might ask. You’re considered a risk and not worth the money. This is fact.
Thank you Jessica. I appreciate your interest and support. It is the point — no more dirty little secrets of human rights abuses being masked behind a smokescreen of “We are champions of human rights”. It’s the same routine pedophile priests used — “See, we are celibate, you could not possibly think we are sexually molesting boys…”
Old Surfer Dude.
Heartbreaking story. It happens over and over again.
No religion destroys more families than the “church” of Scientology
“No religion destroys more families than the “church” of Scientology”
Well said.
Thank you, everyone, who commented on my post. I was kind of overwhelmed by your wonderful and kind words.
As a follow up, I moved in with my mom to care for her as she was dying of cancer. We had many months to talk about ‘things.’ (crying now) We both came to terms with what had transpired. She passed away peacefully in my arms a week before Christmas in ’84. Toughest day of my life as I became an orphan that day. Still hard to believe I did what I did. But, when we ‘wake up’ to what this organization is really all about, we can help others by exposing this incredibly evil, militant and toxic cult.
Mike, again, thanks for this blog. Although my heart still aches, being able to tell others what I went through helps me tremendously. Big thanks to all who post here.
And, Karen, I can’t imagine losing a son and not being able to say ‘goodbye.’ You have a heart as big as all outdoors. Thanks for all your videos!
Disconnection is Scientology’s kiss of death.
Thank you for sharing your story, OSD. I needed a while to recover from reading it, it hurt so much. I’m glad you still had her fo a while. The road of Scientology is strewn with too many regrets and things that cannot be undone. What can we do? Keep love in our memories and our lives, where possible.
Thank you, Dollar! But what really bothers me is I’m just so very far from being the only one. This continues to happen as I type this. And you’re right, we just need to keep love in our lives.
These disconnection stories get in my craw. My mother left Scientology in 1983. In 2005 when I was at Flag trying ever so hard to measure up to their level of expectations, it was pointed out that my mother (decades of quiet and peaceful acceptance that I was still a Scientologist) was THE ENEMY (she’s got a Phd in Psych, of course!) and that my “viewpoint” wasn’t in alignment with “flag public’. During the subsequent two years of dancing with Tampa Org, San Diego Org and the FLag MAA, I agreed to disconnect from my 83 year old mother. (She contemplated suicide as I later found out after I left Scientology in 2006 ON MY BIRTHDAY) Looking back, I am disgusted at the callous attitude that was expressed towards my mother by various tech and ethics terminals. This isn’t a religious or spiritual organization concerned with helping one towards greater peace and understanding with family or with ANYONE that THEY deem as an “enemy’. They have ZERO compunction about “suggesting” a person to disconnect from a family friend or loved on. These people have NO SOULS and the compliance they seek in forwarding these vile acts cost them NOTHING. Those that demand disconnection are already compromised as they themselves have already made similar destructive acts to their own dynamics. They are fractured beings who have agreed to forward this campaign that ends only in heartbreak for others. I would hate to be in their shoes. Scientology was never designed or intended to break families and destroy marriages and alliances. The fact that this has been done for decades has ensured that word “Scientology” will always be identified with personal disaster. All the wins and gains in session by every individual will never offset the utter contempt that this society now holds for Scientology because of disconnection. The fact they laugh about DC-9’s is another thing, but in regards to disconnection, I believe I am telling it like it is, and I wish I wasn’t because I still believe Scientology used correctly can be a good thing.
Doug,
Very well put. I could not agree more. Those that continue to harm in the name of help, especially the Nazi like MAAs who forward this terrible policy are very damaged goods. I consider them to be true, dyed in the wool suppressive people and treat them as such. Your description above rings very true with me.
In reality, they are nothing to be feared because a person acting in the capacity of an MAA has absolutely no power of their own. They derive it from their position of authority granted by the cult. Good, well intentioned folks then willingly grant these nonperson MAAs the power to lord over them and thus become fearful of their own thoughts and actions. Pathetic.
A couple of examples I can give at Flag these days would be Alphonso (forgot his last name) and Jasmin Arellano. Of the two, Jasmin is much more degraded but both can easily laugh at the bad fortune of others. They seem to be happiest when they have a room full of returning public huddling in fear and despair in the MAA lounge at the Sandcastle.
I hope there are more empty seats in that space these days! And after the collapse of the cult. can you imagine applying for a job and stating that you worked for ‘Scientology’ as an ‘ethics officer’ on your resume???? . Holy shit batman…………..alarm bells will go off no doubt. They will be hiring certified drug dealers before touching one of those guys!!!!!!
Doug, very good points you make. LRH himself recognized how good the strong family unit was and said it was the strongest unit because it was the building block of a group and that no one better mess with and try to harm the family unit. And later he said he tries not to intrude or get too involved in people’s 2D’s. So how it went from that and morphed to being uber involved with people’s 2D’s and 1st D’s to the point of doing a witch hunt for masturbators, it just shows what a messed up little Hitler can do when he assumes the reins in a hostile takeover. LRH said, “that which you resist, you become.” And this is true of DM and his Nazi Youth MAA’s. The church has become the evil it has always opposed. The evil is within; no need to look elsewhere.
Coop, I’m so sorry your mom considered suicide! But, in it’s current form, that’s what scn is all about. If you’re not with them, your automatically against them. I’m so glad your wonderful mother was strong enough to carry on. If she still around, give her a hug from me.
Thank you OSD for your kind wishes!
I am so sorry about what happened with your mom! This “Disconnection” is absolutely heartbreaking for all involved!!
It is, Lori! I’ve seen all of your videos and I just hope everything works out for you and your wonderful family. I mean, just how FUCKING EVIL is it to destroy families! It’s hard for me to get my mind around it.
You know, in August of last year I had a party for all the ex-scns in the area at my home in Huntington Beach. My wife and I had about 60 people show up. Especially my very good friend, Tory Christman. It was pot luck so we had great food, great times and shared some very heartbreaking stories. For some, it was very cathartic. I forget where you live, but, I might just have another one. We have a very small home, but with a HUGE backyard. I have a 420 sq ft. deck that everyone gathered on. Good time were had by all! The gathering lasted from 2pm to 12am.
Hey Mike, think you might like to come to one of my SP parties? I think there’s tons of people who would love to meet and talk with you. I know I would.
Hey Surfer Dude, I hope Lori comes to one of your SP parties. Can I come too?
That is just plain sad.
Cece
You keep raising the bar, Mike- that’s wonderful. The pressure grows as the degree of broad CoS policies penetrate the ‘awareness’ of the wider public-at-large, the American people. When local television and radio, along with dozens of Internet ‘channels of information’, locally-nationally-internationally start reporting ‘disconnection’ stories and information on a regular basis, such as begun happening in 2013, the pressure on every Scientologist and CoS management staff (such as it is), and on savage miscavage grows and increases. Right on (as it were)!!
In addition to disconnection, the other thing that keeps Scientologists in, I believe, is the promise of future OT levels. While many may know that OT levels up to OT 8 are available outside the C of S, I suspect very few “in” know that levels above that don’t exist, and they might decide to put up with a lot of BS because they think only the C of S has them. Once the word on that gets out (and the public comes to believe it) disconnection may become irrelevant. After all, those higher level abilities are what many of us got in for.
Simple, that is definitely one of the hooks or glue that keeps many in and not out. We have to keep doing what we are doing here and more. Thank god Mike is posting this stuff. It is vital. Slowly slowly the ripples flow outward and reach more and more who are in.
VSB
VSB
Thx ~ emotion ?
Cece
Mike,
Well done. Yes Scientologists find themselves in a real pickle, as they have unwittingly walked into the religious trap of shunning.
However there are existing laws in the books, for businesses and employment, which protect every individual’s right to a job and to NOT be discriminated, fired, indoctrinated, etc. by ANY religious group. Scientology is NOT exempted from these Commercial and Labor laws.
In the U.S. everyone has access to Federal and State Labor Departments, and Consumer Affairs Agencies; they will represent you and defend your rights for free.
http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/types/religion.cfm
http://www.dol.gov/
http://www.labor.ca.gov/contactindex.htm
http://oag.ca.gov/
If you have been discriminated or unjustly terminated by religious practices, you can obtain assistance from your State and Federal government agencies.
Except what can you do about a Koolaid drinker who quits a good job because HCO said, You must disconnect from this SP!” yet claims Ethics had nothing to do with it and it was solely a self-determined decision? Nice, eh? I’ll tell ‘ya, you can’t make this stuff up! LRH is right; people choose their slavery.
+1 Ooh! Thanks for that, Conan!
thx
Mike,
Great article.
I recently ran in an old friend who has been disconnected from me because I’ve been declared. I had the opportunity to communicate with a Scientologist in good standing and I took it. I have been wondering for a while how a Scientologist on lines would respond to being informed about all the entheta things going on that they are uniformed about. As I communicated about these things, the response I got surprised me. This person not only knew about these things but was also aware of far more things than I knew about. I asked how they could support this when they knew the harm it would bring to anyone that is connected. All I got was a weak, almost apathetic response that they can’t do anything about it because they don’t want to lose all their comm lines. It was clear to me at that moment that I was dealing with someone who is very very PTS.
I don’t know that this person is typical of everyone on lines, but I assume that just about anyone that remains on lines is most likely PTS to DM. They are accepting his suppression and feel helpless to fight back. Those on lines who are educated on the PTS tech must know that their prognosis is not good. It might be extremely unpleasant for a Scientologist on lines to confront and deal with the current state of affairs but the alternative of doing nothing is far worse.
Interesting Post, Paul. It is indeed frustrating when all one’s efforts to remove the blinkers from friends and loved ones alike, are met with such blind resistance. IMHO, the major obstacle one is up against, is a series of UNevaluated “stable data,” holding the attitude/s in place.
such as:
1) All the SP’s have banded together to destroy my church and therefore my eternity!
2) The church has to be protected, so I will just have to come up with the money – somehow!
3) The OT levels are the only hope I have, to get out of this, so I will just do whatever.. to get them!
4) Poor David Miscavige is holding the forces of darkness at bay, for now, but can he hold out?
5) I’m nothing without my org to keep those SP’s from caving me in.
6) Super Power just HAS to have the answer to the terrible state my case is in.
7) Its terrible to have to disconnect, but I have to do it to save my eternity.
8) It’s my fault that I can’t afford to move up the Bridge, I’ll have to now work at 4 jobs, not 3!
9) I’ll have to divorce him/her. They are antagonistic to me spending so much on scientology.
10) If I look at the internet or blogs, or read something “anti” I’ll be sec- checked and declared.
Unbelivable? —Well, pathetic though it may seem, those could well be the typical thoughts keeping those blinkers grasped so tightly, to the eyeballs, that it is in effect, “self imprisonment,” no less!
The shocking irony, to all this, of course, is that we’ve had ALL the LRH stable DATA we could ever need
to straighten out this introverting bullshit in an instant. Starting with — Fully clear the word — “FEAR.”
Calvin – you are dead on the money! If I may add:
– Yes they are delivering services in the field but they are delivered by Squirrels (as if everyone who walks out the door will forget and purposely disregard their training by LRH) who will mess up my case. Besides, they DON’T have OT 8, 9 and X in the field. They can’t.
– Everyone has upsets with the church, and of course there are things that need to be corrected but, when someone airs their dirty laundry in the press, the public A=A this with Scientology and that keeps people away from the only hope for their eternity.
– “But the tech is FINE. I know lots of people who are coming back from Flag allll keyed out! You should try this new tech NOW! It’s so good.” It blows my mind that these people don’t even THINK about what a degrade this is to LRH, even though they swear that they will always defend standard tech.
– If you’ve heard of people being declared without a comm ev, you should write it up.
Sheesh. What denial.
Well said indie8million, I especially get the last “word” ;—DENYALL
Calvin, perfectly stated. I know so many public who “evaluate” exactly as you said in points one to ten. I’ve heard it from people in some form over and over again. Yes, self-imprisonment is an apt description.
Perhaps clearing the word FEAR is rehabilitative here. Maybe also Suppressive Reasonableness?
Thanks for your ack, Pepper. I’ve always felt that getting into the “head” of someone, that is to try to duplicate, or approximate their viewpoint, is key to understanding them. If there’s a faster way to find their “reality, ” I would appreciate someone sharing it here?
I have a theory that many who are still in know or strongly suspect that something is really wrong, and are waiting for it to blow up, or show itself and to somehow be resolved by others, so that they can simply be r-factored and told what to do if and/or when it or anything happens. Sounds like apathy to me. But I think their reasoning is that whatever happens, THEY will not have caused it, in any way.
Aquamarine, your last sentence is very funny, particularly in light of the Martin Luther King quote on TWTH.
Yes, totally. Good advice that flyer is giving the Koolaid drinkers. I hope they take it, as what communicates to me is that they don’t want to be accused of contributing anything which could contribute to the demise of the existing church or DM. I’m getting that they’re not necessarily averse, mind you, to this happening if it happens APART from them They simply don’t want to be part of it, to BE cause. And that, of course, is the fear tone level. I always treat an RCSer as I would someone in fear. I can see their fear, feel it.
My wife once ventured what to me is a more plausible point: those IN have yet to be “ruined” enough by their experiences with the church. Meaning, for lack of a better word, they haven’t suffered enough or woken up to the glaring out-points that ARE the church.
Bruce Goldman
Recently, I talked to friends still active in the CofS about the torture of Debbie Cook and the five-star life-style of David MIscavige. One put his head down for the entire conversation – I guess what I had to say was to difficult to hear. The other squirmed and asked me to think of what I saying – I guess that meant – don’t you dare criticize ANYTHING at the CofS!
I said, “You are letting people who have no accountability to you, who demand tremendous amounts of time and money and won’t answer for anything, decide who you get to communicate with and make your life decisions. Think about that. This is not what I signed up for.”
I asked them not to bother reporting me, I put my name on my critical comments on sites I know OSA follows.
I told my sister-in-law, who works for Tom Cruise, to tell Tom to hire the best PR firm money can buy to restore his image and come clean about the mind-control methods of Scientology.
I mean, really. What do I have to do to get excommunicated from this sinister, totally insane hate group, masquerading as religion?? Is that enough??? I never knew before about the RPF, the forced abortions, the abusive forced confessions, the horrors of Narconon. I wish someone had told me. OMG.
I hope I can get declared Thursday before 2:00 p.m. If anyone can get me a copy of my declare order, send it to PO Box 788, Los Angeles, CA 90078, for my amusement.
Wow! You go, Madora! I wish everyone would do what you did!
I LOVE YOU Madora! ^^^
Personal integrity and courage is what will take the cult down! Refuse to let an organization that has absolutely no accountability to anyone tell you what to think, what to say, who to be friends with and how to act is what honest people that KNOW they have rights do…REFUSE to contribute to their motion. Everybody just say NO to Scientology’s tactics of BAD CONTROL!
Scientology does not even practice “Scientology”! Time to confront the truth about it once in for all!!
Thanks for the empowering post
Madora – you are in such a great position, being connected to Tom. If it were me, I would tell your sister-in-law that being connected and such good friends with Miscavige is hurting Tom’s personal PR and his box office bankability. Plus, if he knows about the Scott Campbells, the disconnection and everything, he is an accomplice. I’d ask him to go and talk with “Dave” about these things to see if the horses ass, I mean, mouth will tell the truth. If not, run, don’t walk away before his film stats totally crash.
I’d ask him to remember when he was pretty much out and how he felt then.
And I would tall him that the BEST PR move that he could do right now is to break up with his BFF DM (loudly), and tell Katie he’s come to his senses and that he would love it if she and Suri would take him back.
And that he has friends out here who love him. He will NOT be alone.
Wow Madora,
Good for you! Yes, it can be very shocking when you find out what really has been going on for so many years. The incredibly betrayal of so many, staff and public alike. It take some confront but when one comes out on the other side there is so much MORE freedom. Great post and well done on your courage!
You rock!
.
Thanks Mike for the awesome article.
This is an EXTREMELY EVIL and VILE practice. I was just with my entire family of non-scientologists this weekend for a wedding and this subject came up. They all made it abundantly clear they would not support or be interested in ANY INSTITUTION that willfully breaks up families; that family trumps religion every day of the week.
My personal disdain for this practice and the church’s LIES about how it doesn’t exist can not be OVER-STATED. Whatever I can do to help put an end to it – I’m in.
I assured my family that the technology of Scientology is extremely worthwhile, but they should advise anyone and everyone they know to stay as far away from the church as possible.
Excellent Scientology auditing is available outside of the church. I’m auditing my first PC since very recently being “declared suppressive” by the church – and he LOVES it.
Nice comment Sheldon.
Well done for starting your first PC. That is brilliant and lifts a finger to all the horror inside. Nice one.
VSB
Dear Mike,
Thank you for voicing this heartbreaking situation. Before 2 years ago when Cathy True presented me with my declare notice I would never have thought that Conan or Jamie could possibly disconnect from me. We had been a loving family. My Sophies choice is to violate my integrity and become a Stepford wife zombie or think for myself and lose my kids. No one can understand the agony and pain of losing your children except the parents!
Conan works for a “scientology” company and would lose his job. His wife Suzi turned us in. Jamie works for middle management of the church. Both he and his wife Hillary are totally brainwashed. I try not to think about the situation or them and go on about my life. It is painful.
Hey Richard. Strength man. Thanks for letting us know .
VSB
Mike – I have a few questions for you. In your hypothetical example, the Smiths cave in to church pressure, and disconnect from their son and their grandchildren. In an alternate universe the Smiths don’t cave in and tell the HCO to go screw themselves since no-one tells them to disconnect from their beloved son.
What in your opinion is the difference between the two examples? I mean what is it that makes one family cave in, and another family stick together? Is it simply personal integrity and balls, or is there another major factor, such as where they are on the bridge, or time in the church, or whether they are 2nd or 3rd gen? I know the answer is not how much the Smiths love their son, since some very loving families have been split apart.
Secondly, do you have a view of how often disconnection then occurs, versus how often the church is told to go screw itself? I mean are disconnection orders 99% successful or is it 50/50.
Lastly, for just how long will disconnection policies continue to be issued? The Orgs are fairly empty places now anyway, so how many more people are there who can be disconnected from? Are we at the peak of this problem now for the church, since so many people now have access to the facts and a social media network that can be spied upon?
Sid,
“Lastly, for just how long will disconnection policies continue to be issued?
It won’t be long.
My 1st grandchild was born 4 hrs ago. I will not stay still.
Thanks for caring about them and us and …
Thxs.
Gives us strength.
Hugs, Cece
4hours ago!!! Wow! Congratulations and to the mom too!
VSB
Perfectly stated Mike, as usual. It is ironic in the extreme that the Price of Freedom quote is oft used by the IAS vultures to extract ever more money from long-suffering corporate Scientologists with the result of even greater enslavement. I’m sure I’m not the only one here who remembers that hollow, empty numbness after yet another “closed doors” briefing having put yet another £5k or so onto already stretched credit cards due to intense – and insane – pressure and abusing of help flows.
Now, in this arena anyway, the true freedom fighters are you and the others you mention; Marty and Mosey and too many others to name. Not to mention Anonymous and all the “fringe bloggers”. But now the corner has been well and truly turned, and there’s no reverse gear on this one. The weight and volume of truth coming out, the multitude of law suits being brought, the empty Idle Orgs – it’s all coming together to create the inevitable collapse of this nefarious cult. In 30 odd years “in” I never thought I’d agree with Mr Justice Latey when in 1984 he called Scientology “corrupt, sinister and dangerous”. If it was then, it certainly is now.
Great comment Martin. I noticed the irony also, on the Way to Happiness booklet. The MLK quote is the antithesis of what’s being practiced in the church. It’s more like, “if you don’t stay silent, your life will go FUBAR, and…..you’ll deserve it.”
Hallie Jane, that MLK quote is also used regularly by someone on an Anti-Scientology site, I forget which one, but it is posted repeately under this blog poster’s comments. The irony, eh?
Brilliant and well-written, Mike.
Excellent well written article that gets down to the basics of Disconnection and Human Rights. My opinion is that Disconnection will be the axe that brings the Church of Scientology to it’s demise. There are many, many upset parents, Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, Cousins and Friends all over the world whom HATE the Church of Scientology for it’s Disconnection policies. And with that the outrageous abuse of individuals.
The bottomline is that anyone involved with Disconnection needs to be very transparent with the situation and very vocal. To do nothing will get you nowhere with your family and friends. Disconnection will not “just go away”.
I truly believe that the more people that get vocal, or come out from under the radar will help Disconnection be a thing of the past. It takes great courage, but isn’t that why you got in Scientology in the 1st place? You were idealist and wanted to make the world a better chance. Well here is your chance!
I think this is very good advice.
Cindy, absolutely right!
I agree Cindy! Thank you.
^^^^^ This.
yes
Thanks Mike for another great article. Disconnection is a heinous crime and should be outlawed.
Another great article Mike.
Your article made me think of the previous one you wrote about the anti social characteristics of cob. The fact that he is surrounded by cowed and ill associates. I revisited the definition of “cowed” and it could be argued that the ones that are sticking to his disconnection policy are also cowed into it .
Definition of COW
: to destroy the resolve or courage of; also : to bring to a state or an action by intimidation —used with into
— cowed·ly adverb
Examples of COW
I refuse to be cowed by their threats.
Origin of COW
probably of Scandinavian origin; akin to Dan kue to subdue
First Known Use: 1581
I think more and more people will see the Church and Miscavige for what he is and cease to support or be controlled by it. I don’t think the practice should be illegal. It’s just a stupid decision made by everyone involved. Hopefully there will soon come a day where people just don’t comply. The MAA tells the family to disconnect and they say no, so he tells their friends, family, business associates to and they also say no.
What happened with Michael Fairman’s lawsuit?
Just want to add- as in Michael Fairman’s situation with his doctor, or with business situations- where disconnection causes loss or real damage the parties responsible should be held accountable, financially and otherwise. If you have a job and they fire you because you don’t want to be in the church anymore I think you should sue. If you have a business relationship that is destroyed and you suffer loss because of it you should sue. If it’s a personal choice they should be made to make right the damage caused.
Great post, Chris! I agree completely! You should be able to sue someone who does that to you.
Best article ever written by Mike Rinder !
Very sad, but there is no other solution !
Excellent post Mike!
This is a fantastic commentary on the cult’s steadfast refusal to take any responsibility whatsoever for its disconnection policy.
What do you mean? It’s LRH!
And thank you Mike Rinder for all you do to help put an end to this very cruel, family destroying “DISCONNECTION”! Your awesome and we love you!!!
Lori Hodgson, Silicon Valley Californian is the Poster girl of the Toxic, Evil enforcement of disconnection. She has lost her Children to Scientology Inc who have been manipulated by the Church to disconnect (SHUN) her. This is part one of 5-6 videos telling her story.
You will learn how her teen age son was locked in a cabin, kidnapped and held against will with no cell phone for several days including Thanksgiving Day. Lori shares some surreal stories and blows the lid open on the ridiculous LIE the “Church” spout ~~
“There is no disconnection.”
It was Lori’s visit to Marty Rathbun that gave birth to the 199 day siege of Marty Rathbun’s home and the lunatic posse of “Squirrel Busters” ~~ A David Miscavige creation.
Lori spent some 25 years in the “Church”/ Her children are not permitted to speak with her and the recent Birthday gifts sent to Jeremy were returned to her with no comment,
http://youtu.be/KEBj4pakhpg
Thank you for sharing Karen!!!
+1
I didn’t know you were inside the house when they came, Lori. Wow.
Yeah, just got out of Session for a lunch break.
Rinder Rocks 🙂
Thank you Mike and Lori for shedding light on this horrible breaking up of a family. Despite the official church lie about disconnection, the stories like this shine light on the truth. How to get rid of Davie sooner rather than later? Follow the money. I remember that the evangelical minister on TV got busted for taking donations and lining his pocket with the money and he did jail time or is doing jail time for that. That is what needs to happen with DM. Does anyone know how we can get evidence of financial fraud to take down DM just like that evangelical guy was taken down? Any ideas?