Scientology has long attempted to defend the sordid abuses of disconnection by proclaiming it is a “personal choice” and an “individual right.”
Tad Reeves, a devout scientologist and OSA frontman is active on social media attempting to promote and also defend scientology from “attacks.” He has a blog, and frankly, he seems like a decent guy caught in the distorted world of scientology-think. What is most interesting is that he goes into such detail about the subject of disconnection. His utterances on this subject are certainly coordinated/cleared with OSA before he posts them. This is the scientology “party line” with more specifics than you will find anywhere else. I thought it worth reviewing this and noting some of the conflicting information, deceit and outright falsehoods contained within it.
This is his website home page. As you can see, he is very upfront about his involvement in scientology:
Following is his main dissertation on disconnection.
I have italicized his article and my comments are in red type.
SCIENTOLOGY DISCONNECTION POLICY: WHAT IT IS, HOW IT ACTUALLY WORKS
The Church’s policy regarding what is called disconnection is easily understood: It is simply the handling of interpersonal relationships, an act engaged in by members of all faiths, as well as those with no faith at all.
The act of deciding with whom one wishes to associate is not unique to Scientology; it is common to all faiths and indeed to all groups. Scientologists have the same rights as everyone else to be left in peace from those who attack them or their religion and only intend to do harm. The choice is up to the individual, and the Church respects each individual’s right to decide what is best for them. This is the fundamental lie about disconnection — that it is an individual’s choice — expounded upon in the article below. What this should say is “The choice is up to the individual, just like Sophie’s Choice, we put you in a position where you must choose between children, choose between family members, choose between friends and associates. We tell you what your choices are and then it is up to you — choose your son or your daughter, but it cannot be both.”
Scientologists have the same rights as everyone else to be left in peace from those who attack them or their religion and only intend to do harm. Just as everyone has the right to speak up about being abused by scientology’s inhumane practices justified as “the greatest good for the greatest number of dynamics.”
WHAT IS DISCONNECTION?
L. Ron Hubbard defined this in a technical reference for Scientologists written on 10 September 1983 as follows:
“The term ‘disconnection’ is defined as a self-determined decision made by an individual that he is not going to be connected to another. It is a severing of a communication line.”
Why would one ever sever a communication line? Here’s the context for that, from the same bulletin:
“Perhaps the most fundamental right of any being is the right to communicate. Without this freedom, other rights deteriorate.
“Communication, however, is a two-way flow. If one has the right to communicate, then one must also have the right to not receive communication from another. It is this latter corollary of the right to communicate that gives us our right to privacy.” – LRH
Examples of the above abound. If you’re at work, and a co-worker begins making unwanted sexual advances toward you, it’s absolutely within your rights put a stop to that. If someone is harassing you about your race or ethnic background, you have every right to not associate with that person whatsoever. Nothing enjoins you to continue to receive communication you don’t desire, or which is hateful to you.
WHEN IS DISCONNECTION USED?
To clear away a common misconception right off the bat, disconnection is absolutely NOT used simply when a person has a different set of religious beliefs than you, or if someone who’s raised in a family of Scientologists decides he wants to pursue a different religious path. Scientology is a new religion. As such, any Scientologist is always in contact – with friends, family, co-workers, etc – with folks of every faith. It would be ridiculous and wrong to disconnect from someone purely because they have a different life philosophy or religion than one’s own. Another big falsehood — Scientologists “tolerate” other religions. They think they are lost “wogs” who will perish without the salvation scientology affords, but this is not unusual. Every fundamentalist believer thinks this way. The rubber really meets the road if you choose to no longer be a scientologist. When your religious choice is to be an ex-scientologist you become a pariah and in MANY instances scientologists “in good standing” will be required to disconnect from you. If you leave the Sea Org because you decide scientology is no longer for you, you are treated even worse. If you did not do a “standard route-out” that can take months or years, you are automatically declared a Suppressive Person.
So now, I’ll explain where disconnection is used. And it is absolutely not what the talking heads on TV are saying. So, if you’re upset about what you think this practice is, please take the time here to understand what it’s really about. I’m a “talking head”???
Disconnection is factually a last-resort, and is an integral part of a vital and well-documented set of policies and procedures regarding handling people and groups that are antipathetic to your goals. To understand when it’s used, you need to understand when it is NOT used. Disconnection is NOT “factually a last-resort” — it is factually a FIRST resort to try to isolate anyone considered to be a potential disruption to the smooth functioning in the scientology bubble.
UNDERSTANDING SCIENTOLOGY POLICY ON WHAT MAKES A SUPPRESSIVE PERSON
Explaining this will be made much easier if you watch this 8-minute YouTube video first. Not required, but it’ll make the rest of this make a LOT more sense. He includes a link to scientology video entitled “The Cause of Suppression: Scientology Tools for Life” if you are interested.
Everyone has goals in life. Whether it’s becoming a doctor, completing a college degree, having a happy family, raising kids, becoming a singer, being a successful minister at one’s church, saving the whales, whatever – people have goals. You can have folks around you that help you achieve these, you can have folks around you that just don’t understand what you’re about, and folks around you who are actively working against you to cut you down, and smash your goals and dreams.
Now, here is where it is absolutely vital to be able to make a distinct classification between two types of people in your life. Social Personalities and Anti-Social Personalities or “Suppressive Persons”.
DEFINITIONS
Suppressive Person: (abbreviated “SP”) A person who seeks to suppress, or squash, any betterment activity or group. A Suppressive Person suppresses other people in his vicinity. This is the person whose behavior is calculated to be disastrous. “Suppressive Person” or a “Suppressive” is another name for the “Anti-Social Personality.”
Social Personality: The Social Personality naturally operates on the basis of the greatest good.
He is not haunted by imagined enemies, but he does recognize real enemies when they exist.
The Social Personality wants to survive and wants others to survive, whereas the Anti-Social Personality really and covertly wants others to succumb.
Basically the Social Personality wants others to be happy and do well, whereas the Anti-Social Personality is very clever in making others do very badly indeed.
A basic clue to the Social Personality is not really his successes, but his motivations. The Social Personality when successful is often a target for the Anti-Social and by this reason he may fail. But his intentions included others in his success, whereas the Anti-Social only appreciate the doom of others.
Potential Trouble Source: (abbreviated “PTS”) A person who is in some way connected to and being adversely affected by a Suppressive Person. He is called a Potential Trouble Source because he can be a lot of trouble to himself and to others.
This page in the free course on The Cause of Suppression gives far more detail on the above. Please give it a read. (Another link to the Scientology Handbook page on scientology.org)
THE POLICY OF “HANDLE OR DISCONNECT” – HOW IT REALLY WORKS
The above definitions apply to the handling of folks who are helping or hurting you in any of your life goals – not just your choice of religion.
If you’ve got someone in your life who is actively attacking you, harassing you, or working against you, there are two choices you’ve got:
(1) Handle
or
(2) Disconnect
The vast majority of blow-ups and disagreements in life are simply due to lack of communication, and absolutely should NOT be handled by “disconnecting”. For example, let’s say you’ve always wanted to be a musician, but your parents always wanted you to be part of the family business. Likely, your parents aren’t evil in this case. Likely they’re not anti-social people (which you can verify by comparing their traits to the ones on this list). And the way to smooth out the situation is going to be through communication, through making it clear to them that your goal of being a musician makes you happy, and you never wanted in on the family business.
Now, conversely, let’s say you wanted to be a chiropractor. Let’s say you then have a friend who, at every turn, was not only directly opposed to your being a chiro, but then openly attacked you in front of your friends, would cut you down at dinner parties and social occasions as the “idiot who wants to go do that quack science”, and then posted negative articles about chiropractors on your Facebook page, and even went and submitted an article to the Huffington Post about how “deluded” you are, and how everyone knows that your dream is a stupid one.
In that second case, a person should have every right to cut that detractor out of their life. If, after attempts at handling, this person was still vehemently or covertly attacking you, who would even blink at you if you said, “yep – I blocked him on Facebook, blocked him on my cell phone, and cut him out of my life altogether”. And I suppose, for such a person, that would be a relief.
There is nothing inherently wrong with any of his theory here — and this is the meat of the argument that is always put forward by scientology in defending disconnection. But what this does NOT address is what ACTUALLY happens in the real world.
Sure, some scientologists do a “PTS handling” in the org and conclude they need to “handle or disconnect” from someone that is giving them grief. But that is a TINY percentage of “disconnection.”
FAR more often, scientologists are INFORMED that someone is “not in good standing” or is an “anti-scientologist” or is “disaffected” and they are ORDERED to disconnect from that person, whether the person was “suppressing” them or not. MANY family members have been ordered to disconnect from someone that had no intention of preventing them from participating in scientology and never said a negative word about it. I know several parents who have children who disconnected from them simply because the parents refused to disconnect from someone the church found unacceptable. They had never said A WORD to their child about their life choices.
This is pursuant to scientology policy. It is considered to be a “Suppressive Act” and “High Crime” to refuse to disconnect from someone when scientology deems them to be an SP. There are “chains” of SP’s. One person declared Suppressive by scientology has friends who refuse to disconnect when ordered to do so, so the friends are then declared Suppressive. And all their friends are now expected to disconnect from them because they refused to disconnect from the first Suppressive. The circle keeps widening. And the number of people expected to disconnect keeps growing. It is an ever-growing list of people.
But this part is never mentioned.
The “choice” is: “Disconnect from who we tell you to disconnect from or we will tell your friends and family to disconnect from you.”
“HANDLE OR DISCONNECT” – WITH RESPECT TO SCIENTOLOGY
This is where we start to get into the nitty-gritty of things, and where the actual policy and practice of Scientology differs entirely from how it’s been portrayed on TV. First, here’s another L. Ron Hubbard quote from the main reference on how disconnection is used: (and again – see the above definition on PTS or “Potential Trouble Source”)
“In the great majority of cases, where a person has some family member or close associate who appears antagonistic to his getting better through Scientology, it is not really a matter of the antagonistic source wanting the PTS to not get better. It is most commonly a lack of correct information about Scientology that causes the problem or upset. In such a case, simply having the PTS disconnect would not help matters, and would actually be a nonconfront of the situation.”
So, if one family member is a Scientologist, and another is not, it would absolutely be the wrong thing to do to just “disconnect”, as that would not handle the upset at all. It would only make it worse. The right thing to do, presuming that one is dealing with Social Personalities who do indeed have your best interests and continued survival at heart, is to handle.
This rarely happens because this is NOT the circumstance most people find themselves in. They are not given an option of trying to “handle” the SP. They are FORBIDDEN from doing so. If scientology has declared the person an undesirable (SP) then by scientology POLICY you are forbidden to communicate with them in any way. Their “only terminal is the International Justice Chief.”
I’ll quote here from the Cause of Suppression course:
“In the great majority of cases, where a person has some family member or close associate who appears antagonistic to him, it is not really a matter of the antagonistic source wanting the PTS to not get better. It can more commonly be a lack of correct information about what the PTS person is doing that causes the problem or upset. In such a case, simply having the PTS disconnect would not help matters and would actually show an inability on the part of the PTS to confront the situation. It is quite common that the PTS has a low confront (ability to face without flinching or avoiding) on the person and situation. This isn’t hard to understand when one looks at these facts:
“a. To be PTS in the first place, the PTS must have committed harmful, contra-survival acts against the antagonistic source; and
“b. When one has committed such acts, his confront and responsibility drop.
“When an individual using the data in this course to assist another finds that a person is PTS to a family member, he does not recommend that the person disconnect from the antagonistic source. The advice to the PTS person is to handle.
“The handling for such a situation is to educate the PTS person in the technology of PTSness and suppression, and then skillfully and firmly guide the PTS through the steps needed to restore good communication with the antagonistic source. For example, where the PTS person is a Scientologist, these actions eventually dissolve the situation by bringing about an understanding on the part of the antagonistic source as to what Scientology is and why the PTS person is interested and involved in it.” – L. Ron Hubbard
The point here is that if situations come up between Scientologists, or between a Scientologist and individuals or groups of another faith, in the majority of cases the individual will be assisted to confront and handle the situation. It generally can be pretty uncomfortable to confront people that are antagonistic to you, especially when you had a hand in making them antagonistic. The Right thing to do is own up to what you did to cause the antagonism, and restore actual communication.
Yeah, scientologists talk a lot about “confronting and shattering” suppression. Just that none of them can apparently do it.
Not one scientologist in the last 5 years has been willing to even SPEAK to me. They literally run and hide if I see them in the grocery store or get up and leave the movie theater if they see me sitting there. They will not come on our TV show despite being invited dozens of times.
They can no more “handle” suppression than they can give you the ability to be stably exterior with full perception. They claim it, and apparently believe that if they say it often enough it will be true. As a general rule, scientologists have terrible “confront” — they cannot observe what is before them and deal with it.
WHEN DISCONNECTION IS USED
One can encounter a situation where someone is factually connected to a Suppressive Person, in present time. This is a person whose normal operating basis is one of making others smaller, less able, less powerful. He does not want anyone to get better, at all.
It is in this case that a person must be permitted to cut ties with that individual or group. And whilst this procedure is formally documented in Scientology, it is by no means unique to Scientology. In fact nearly every other major religion has a version of this selfsame process of social exclusion, as documented exhaustively here.
“Must be permitted to cut ties”? Really?
This is where this write up is so deceptive. This is NOT reality in scientology. It is the THEORY of how this works. The reality is that people are directed to disconnect or be declared Suppressive themselves for failing to disconnect from a Suppressive.
REGARDING PEOPLE WHO LEAVE SCIENTOLOGY
Respecting the religious beliefs of others is a core part of the Scientology moral code. If someone is a Scientologist but then chooses to leave, or if a person is raised in a Scientology family but then chooses a different moral or religious path, that is 100% up to that individual, and nothing in any Scientology code or creed forbids someone from having contact with them.
Well, that is a distortion of reality again Tad. You are assuming that the person remains “in good standing” with scientology. Then it is true, there is nothing that forbids a scientologist from having contact with them. But being “in good standing” with scientology is incredibly arbitrary. You can be instantly declared if you have the wrong friends on Facebook. If you refuse to disconnect from your own children if the church has declared them to be undesirables.
Now, there is a vast difference between someone simply deciding that Scientology is not for them, and someone whose intention is to leave Scientology in the loudest and most destructive way, going to the press with anti-Scientology rantings, and publicly and privately harassing other current Scientologists.
This is where he finally starts to get real. But not fully honest still.
You see, if ANYONE complains about the abuses they suffered in scientology in ANY way, this is deemed by scientology to be Suppressive. Saying ANYTHING to anyone “not an authorized scientology official” is deemed an “attack.”
When someone is publicly and relentlessly attacking your religion, your goals, your participation in the religion, as well as overt or covert attacks at you personally, belittling the happiness and betterment that your religion brings you, anyone should have the right to not have such an individual in their life.
Of course. But they should not have the right to dictate to anyone else whether they choose to have that person in their life…
So, to be perfectly clear, someone leaving Scientology does not mean they “disconnect” from everyone they know who are still Scientologists.
Rarely does the person LEAVING scientology “disconnect” from anyone. That is a scientology practice. When you leave, you usually don’t consider their rules apply any longer.
Scientologists are urged to and are expected to have good relations with their families. In a few cases, however, bigotry or a lack of respect for the beliefs of others may cause a relation to aggressively attack the beliefs of a Scientologist family member. In every instance, the Scientologist is counseled by the Church to mend these relationships and try to come to an accord, even if only to have the hostile family member respect the Scientologist’s right to practice his faith. Only after all efforts at resolution have failed should a Scientologist decide, as would anyone else, if he wants to continue to communicate with a hostile family member or other hostile individual. This is the entirety of disconnection.
As above, this is simply not true. The unmentioned factor is that the church DICTATES who is or is not “in good standing” and dictates that your “choice” is to disconnect from them or be declared yourself and having all your friends and family disconnecting from you.
BEING EXPELLED FROM THE SCIENTOLOGY RELIGION
The only time when a person who leaves the Scientology religion does lose all of his fellowship with current Scientologists is when that individual is expelled from the religion, because of being declared a Suppressive Person. This is the most severe action in Scientology ethics & justice procedures, and is extremely rare.
Extremely rare? Come now Tad. These days it is extremely common. The list of people who have been declared suppressive is longer than the list of active scientologists. Think about that for a minute Tad.
Expulsion from the religion only occurs in instances of serious offenses against the Scientology faith and can also occur when an individual is found to be actively working to suppress the well-being of others. This can be done through criminal acts already recognized by society as unlawful or through the commitment of acts deemed Suppressive Acts in the Scientology Justice Codes.
Examples of such acts, as well as context and procedure for handling, are listed in the church’s policy letter entitled SUPPRESSIVE ACTS – SUPPRESSION OF SCIENTOLOGY AND SCIENTOLOGISTSwritten on 23 December 1965. They include items such as committing any felony, committing or threatening blackmail of Scientology organizations, falsifying records, falsely testifying against the Church or doing so without personal knowledge of the matters to which one testifies, receiving money or favors to suppress Scientology or Scientologists, and other items such as this.
Yes, and these Suppressive Acts also include the following “High Crimes”:
Reporting or threatening to report scientology or scientologists to civil authorities
Bringing a civil suit against any scientology organization or scientologist
Public statements against scientology or scientologists but not to Committees of Evidence duly convened
Delivering up the person or a scientologist without justifiable defense or lawful protest to the demands of civil or criminal law
Demanding the return of any or all donations made for training and processing
Continued adherence to a person or group pronounced Suppressive by HCO
Failure to handle or disavow and disconnect from a person demonstrably guilty of Suppressive Acts
When someone has been expelled from the religion, that person loses both his or her fellowship with the Church as well as with other Scientologists. The condition lasts until they have been restored to good standing. Once the person has been restored to good standing, the prohibition against fellowship with other Scientologists is lifted. Similar practices have been part of religious communities for thousands of years and have been recognized by courts of law as a fundamental right.
REGARDING GRADIENTS OF SCIENTOLOGY ETHICS & JUSTICE
An important note with respect to Scientology ethics procedures is this: simply committing a misdeed does not automatically get one expelled from the Church. The intention is always to guide a person to get honest and straight first, and to use only the lightest possible application of ethics and/or justice to accomplish such.
In a Scientology policy entitled Ethics Review (19 Apr 1965), L. Ron Hubbard states:
“Scientology ethics are so powerful in effect, as determined by observation of it in use, that a little goes a very long ways.
“Try to use the lightest form first.” – LRH
The policy then goes on to list out a gradient approach taken by any official of the church responsible for ethics matters, a list of 36 items, from taking up the unethical behavior with the person directly, to reports to the Ethics department, to formally-convened Courts of Ethics and Committees of Evidence – the most severe fact-finding justice action done in Scientology. The very last item on the list of 36 items is Expulsion from Scientology, taken only after exhaustive efforts have been made to get a person to reform.
This is a joke and clearly Tad has had little experience with scientology’s actual practices of late.
People are declared Suppressive Persons routinely without even being NOTIFIED — most often today people discover scientology has declared them SP because they hear it verbally from someone else. They do not even put SP Declares in writing any longer, in direct violation of Hubbard policy.
Note also this part of the policy on Scientology Ethics:
“Note that none of it carries any physical punishment or detention.” – LRH
I.e. no one is ever detained against their will or physically punished ever as part of any of this, and the mere act of doing so would make the perpetrator himself the subject of Scientology ethics proceedings.
Hahahaha. He is either extremely naive or extremely brainwashed. Or both.
Of course, in scientology, you can abuse anyone BELOW you without fear or repercussion.
Physical punishments and detention in the Sea Org are everyday occurrences. That culture has trickled down to all levels of scientology today. Thousands have experienced it and spoken out. It is simply ridiculous to assert that every one of them is a liar.
No, the practice of disconnection is not a “personal choice” for good of the individual, except in the very rarest of circumstances. It is a control mechanism for the organization to keep the flock ignorant.
Think of it this way: imagine someone explaining the value of taking showers, and how it keeps people clean and is a healthy activity that benefits the individual and people around them — to justify exterminating people with Zyklon gas in concentration camp “showers”. It all sounds very benign and harmless, in fact helpful, when removed from the actual context of its use. And that is what scientology does with disconnection. Explain the benign theory without mentioning the reality of how it is employed in practice.
Did you hear about this?
https://globalnews.ca/news/4814892/scientology-australia-stabbing-teen/?fbclid=IwAR1308_x5J6GdWIjUNn-86WuEndGvxHLAJw__5nfEHhLNevlxcEYFD8eO38
I woke as a Jehovah’s Witness. Finally.
When two people outside of Scientology decide to end their relationship, the results generally affects only those two individuals. It usually does not spread to include other mutual associates such as co-workers, family members, neighbours, etc. But with Scientology, disconnection leads to COMPLETE withdrawal of contact from ALL Scientologists everywhere, not just the one Scientologist who was directly involved in the dispute.
Another difference: it’s quite possible to have a disagreement with someone yet still retain civility, respect and good relations with that person. Not so with Scientology. A critic or an ex-Scientologist are labelled as “suppressives” and are only seen as “enemies” of Scientology, nothing less.
Hmmm…when I was in SCN, it would have been unthinkable to refer to it as “the Scientology faith”. No, it was “the Scientology tech” or “the tech” – never was it deemed faith. In fact, it was, on purpose, the opposite of faith – it was “proven scientific fact”. It was “the study of knowing how to know”. Very high brow and all that. Faith? Never.
Did it not take a great deal of “religious” faith, to believe that LRH was going to make his followers gods with superpowers? Even we people became an OT, and didn’t become some form of God?
If Disconnection was truly just an individual decision of who to associate with then it wouldn’t even be an issue. There would be nothing to talk about. He wouldn’t need to defend it. No one would object because that’s something that everyone already does. That’s a right we all have. So this is all highly illogical, but he gave it a shot I guess.
OSD, we will straighten you out …
Has Scn ever been known to reverse a SP declaration? Just wondering.
I have seen it happen a few times. There is a procedure to follow to get this to happen. It’s not guaranteed for sure, but does happen. Mostly my info comes from a while back. In modern times, I do not know of any cases.
Excellent job Mike. Yes TC is the real example of this type of behaviour. He has not seen his daughter Suri in many years. Of course I am sure he would be allowed to because of his status in the cult. My goodness, they even had a lady disconnect from a dog. How sad for the people left in this cult. The abuses continue on this money making cult.
All of your points make sense.
But, isn’t the criminal organisation known as the “church” of $cientology also guilty of forcing its victims to forego medical checks/care and instead try to cure physical illness by “disconnecting from the SP?”
(Oh. I see Terra Incognita got there before me with “PTS in Scientology: Bug or Baddie?” on this very blog. Carry on 🙂 )
I can’t leave today’s topic with just my previous comment, so here is a new one.
Hi Tad. You have kids.
Please give your money to them. Buy them nice gifts and support them in their lives and real-world educations (not scientology’s LRH flawed teachings).
Please, Please, Please do NOT give a cent to scientology.
You will regret it. Your kids will regret it. Your grandkids will regret it. Society will regret it.
Please take this message to heart.
Excellent article, Mike. You have outdone yourself here and it needed to be said.
I was saddened today by talking with the wife of a still in Scn. She has done an intro course or two but doesn’t consider herself a Scn, although her husband was raised in it and considers himself a Scn even though he has not made any Bridge progress on either side of the Bridge in decades. (Not since they arbitrarily declared him NOT Clear and he was upset by that.)
I asked if she has seen any of the Leah Remini Aftermath shows. She said no, that she doesn’t dare watch them because it upsets her husband, the Scn, and she doesn’t want to do anything to jeopardize her marriage to him and his family. She said he refuses to watch the Leah show because he doesn’t want his kids to disconnect from him. He has two of his kids who are on staff and drinking strong Kool Aid. He has a rich mother who would disinherit him if he was declared. But the irony is that I think the rich mother is an UTR based on her actions and lack of donations anymore and the fact that she won’t answer the door to IAS demanding donations anymore. So here he is afraid to watch the show for fear the rich mother would disconnect from him, yet she is probably UTR anyway and would be fine on it. Neither side is talking to the other about this for fear of losing the other. And the wife of his who is not even a Scn won’t watch the Leah show because she is afraid of losing her husband and meal ticket. She hasn’t been able to find work for 15 years and is older, so now it is too late for her to get a job and support herself, so she is not watching Leah’s show to make sure that she doesn’t lose her husband’s financial support.
This whole scene of being declared just for reading on the internet or watching at TV show about Scn is NOT what is said in the PR bullshit article that guy put up on his site. “Scientologists have the same rights as everyone else to be left in peace from those who attack them or their religion and only intend to do harm…” Really? I left the church wanting to be left alone and having no intention of harming the church and certainly I did not attack them. Yet they told my kids and friends and ex to disconnect from me, and they all did so like good little sheeple. So what Mike says is true: the theory of disconnection is NOT what is actually practiced by the C of $. What they say and what they do are totally opposite.
Nice try, Tad.
So reasonable… so eloquent… so NOT AT ALL WHAT IS REALITY within the human rights abusing cult of scientology.
Sorry Tad, your organization is extremely malevolent. Not in agreement? Test it out!
For example, send a group email to your entire Comm Line and question David Miscavige’s suitability as scientology’s leader.
I seriously think you indeed do know what would come down on your head. There was a nice lady in scientology who questioned some of scientology’s policies in a group email. She was doused in ice water in a prison camp for weeks, and someone was even instructed to break her finger.
Stop sipping the Kool Aid Tad!
This is brilliant, Mike. Thanks so much for this. I really appreciate the side by side comparison of the church’s spin with the reality.
Have the trends ever been quantified? I was annoyed by the vagueness of Tad’s assertions, such as “in a few cases” and “extremely rare.” Scientology watchers must be able to make a more quantitative analysis than that. You said, “The list of people who have been declared suppressive is longer than the list of active scientologists.” Even without every name, it should be possible for a statistician to come up with estimated percentages of people who were once members in good standing who have since been declared vs. the percentage who remain members. Also the percentage forced by the church into disconnecting, because the alternative was to be declared SPs themselves. Do you know how far away the movement is from having solid, supportable numbers on those things?
They have them but will never release them. The number involved today as a fraction of those back in the 70s.
In 1976 when I started the Briefing Course there were about 200 students on course. It was not in an ideal org but rather an old building full of folding tables and chairs. It was fun and we all had a good time. Today, ASHO is in an Ideal Building ………. and they do not even deliver the course any more.
This is my idea of an ideal stat for dear leader.
Yo Dave,
Tomorrow is countin’ day good buddy! How many Briefing Course Students ya got on bored?
Excellent point Coop. In the days of folding tables and crowded spaces, the BC had 200 people. Now they have a renovated course room, beautiful solid wood tables, built-ins, expensive lamps, great interior decorating, and not one student on course because they closed the BC. Some stat!
Newcomer, you couldn’t scrape up 200 people in the USA in one place stupid enough to do the B.C. today. That generation of willing dupes is retirement aged. There will probably never be another generation like it for at least 1,000 years.
Nice slam, Wynski.
Just the facts Spike. A rare confluence of events. By stupid I meant because TODAY the word is out on the cult via the Internet and major media
Hey Newcomer – I can remember also being on the Briefing Course in 1976. Maybe we knew each other then.
Hi all – I’m going to alter my screen name a bit from Spike to Spike73, which was the year I got into the Big S. Apparently there’s another Spike running around out there, although not necessarily on this blog. Thanks and I hope you are having a good evening.
Jeeze, another Spike? One is already more than a handful!
Be quiet, you!!
I am so beyond outraged about this “disconnection” BS. My uncle took (hundreds) of thousands of dollars from my grandparents and gave it ALL to Scientology. She proceeded to live out her years in a very meeger (sp?) life as a result. We all lost touch with him for the remainder of his life. He died several years ago from cancer. Before his passing, I found him in a crappy apartment in Los Angeles, broke as can be….STILL a Scientology member. I just wanted to see if he was still alive. It had been YEARS since we last spoke to him. The last we heard from him….a fellow Scientology member called us to let us know he was dying, and that we should come “take care of it”. I know my story isn’t nearly as bad as many of the ones that you and Leah have shed light on Mike, however I want this “church” shut down!
Hi Mike I’m kinda the Anti-Social Personality but if I have a friend in need I’m right there will help anyway I can & have but being not real social the friend pool is a lil low along w my writing skills but because I’m not real social “we try to tear others down oh BS” okay some prob do but Not Me anyway other Religions use the same type of thing JW’s & prob others but least JW’s still talk w other JW’s family how can U not talk to a mom or child & I’ve followed other Bible teachings and Not seen this IMO there’s 1 Judge & Jury and No Joe Banana who could preach a few day’s and do wrong things outside were not perfect beings but if your in that position step down & get well I say but being the Best person you can help who you can,lift up ? who needs it that has to count and these stories are sad & the hurt so deep it causes….
Their definition of “Suppressive Person” does not have anything to do with the people they actually declare as suppressive. The people I see on Aftermath who were declared as suppressive persons seem to be exactly the opposite of that definition. They are nurturing their families. Does the cult expect us to just assume that the term suppressive only applies to Scientologists and no one else? That to me is their central lie. If someone is not actually suppressive, there would be no need to disconnect from them but who declares people suppressive? Show us the actual policy by which that happens. I bet that definition is nowhere to be found.
Hello, Total Outsider here. I’ve been lurkin’ around for over a year trying to get a better understanding before shooting off. But the itch to join in has finally overcome my desire to not show my naivete on the subject. Bear with me.
I noticed under the “BEING EXPELLED” section “Examples of such acts . . . receiving money or favors to suppress Scientology or Scientologists”
This explains why S’ology constantly claims the contributors on AFTERMATH are being paid. It’s not because it’s a big deal, to me. But to the Bubble People it’s huge.
Also busted out laughing at Mike’s comment “Yeah, scientologists talk a lot about “confronting and shattering” suppression. Just that none of them can apparently do it.”
PS I have plenty more to say, but other than professing my total CRUSH on Mary Kahn, I’ll leave it here for now.
I can confront & shatter suppression, I just don’t like picking up the pieces.
Clever. 🙂
I just looked at the coding behind this site…it would be very easy to take down, but then I would be not much better then OSA. I hope he escapes soon.
It’s been 10 years now OSA and you still haven’t been back to my front door…I am all over the Internet, I am not hard to find! But just a hint…next time do not send around such clearly low stat and degraded pair of individuals….and then the international justice chief called me because I said David was a short very sick individual…I am still not sure to this day if David was offended I called him a very sick individual or that I called him short?
He already knows he’s sick, but short? Lol that must’ve done it! (Can you say Napolean complex? ? ).
Great article, Mike! Three key things that stick out, always for me, re Disconnection, proving they are FOS:
1) My “SP Declare” Says in writing: “Her only terminal is the International Justice Chief via the Continental Justice Chief”….Neither who will speak to me in 17 Y E A R S!
2) EVERY Scientologist I know, once they actually leave the organization, the FIRST people they
re-connect with are the very people they had Disconnected from when “in”. This proves it is not really a
“Choice”..it is an enforced Policy, written by L. Ron Hubbard, to control the peeps “in”, years ago when many began leaving and exposing things he did not want known.
3) C of S says they are Pro-Family, and they are, as long as you are jumping through their hoops, their way.
Once one decides to think for themselves, certainly if they begin speaking for themselves (outside the Scientology-Truman Show), “dave” has them declared SP and no one is allowed to speak with them, or they will get declared themselves.
The final “proof” imnsho, is that all of us speaking out can say to anyone: “You don’t have to believe me, go LOOK for yourself, at both sides”. Scientology can never say that: CHECKMATE!
Love to you and all here,
Tory/Magoo …Ex-Scientologist after 30 Years “in”, escaped out in July of 2000
Much of my story and others can be found on YouTube: ToryMagoo44. 🙂
Tory — Your point 2 is wonderful. Never considered that before. But it is very true.
Always nice to see your smiling face shine through your comments!
One thing I noticed of just about every single re-connection story is that the person declared SP is the first person the new ex-or Indie Scientologist makes contact with if at all possible. So there’s your LRH PTS- SP Tech in all it’s infallible glorious ultra-maximus workability all shot to hell in a hand basket. Such utter bullshit!
Yes, this article really punched me in the gut (large gut too.) I have been “declared.” Yet the wasband stated i was not. I even have the declared paper. So dishonest, and evil. The wasband tries to keep up in “good standing” w/ our adult children. It is a nightmare for me.
I also thought point 2 was particularly appropriate. Always wondered why you didn’t try to get back in touch with Inge when you left?
Re: expulsion and declares – “This can be done through criminal acts already recognized by society as unlawful …”
Such as sex with minors.
No, wait … something doesn’t jive …
Miners have sex just like everyone else. Why is…..huh? Really? I see. Minors. I’m so confused.
“On the day when we can fully trust each other, there will be peace on Earth.”- L Ron Hubbard
Scientology cannot trust even it’s most spiritually advanced students to investigate their own religion and determine for themselves what is actually true. Hence, the ever present threat of disconnection. Truthfully speaking, there is no “spiritual” reason to maintain disconnection as a practice, unless Scientology views it’s membership as a 5 year old equivalent who needs to be told who the bad children are and not to play with them anymore. Much gratitude to you Mike for your expert dismantling of the ongoing lies and 10 mile thick layer of BS that constantly flows from those criminals.
Excellent observation. Thank you.
I just watched The Prophepts Prey, there are so many similarities in these two organizations i.e. disconnection, child abuse/labor, secret camps, imprisonment, hiding their crimes behind the first ammendment, etc.,
I have a question about all these hate web pages, handling procedures, etc. Can they (cos) be held liable for defamation, obscenity, fighting words, blackmail, incitement to imminent lawless actions, etc.? All which the first ammendent does not protect them from.
I am sure that it is very costly to fight cos legally and their dishonest scumbag lawyers put people through hell, but if a combined lawsuit with a fearless team of lawyers took all the victims and filed suit (much like thousands of victims of bad medicine that caused adverse effects) maybe a dent could be made in their lies or the FBI and law enforcement could do their job.
Who is that propaganda aimed at, insiders or outsiders? I suppose it’s aimed at outsiders, because every insider who reads it is going to know that it’s preposterously false.* Right? Right? But then if outsiders are the target audience, it will never land — because outsiders never read Scientology propaganda (except watchers, and we are few).
*I saw insiders won’t believe it, because that makes sense. But of course they believe a lot of things that don’t exactly make sense. Never discount the power of cognitive dissonance.
In the first response of the morning to Mike’s excellent, in-depth analysis and deconstruction of Scn theory of disconnection vs. its actual practice, Wynski has concluded that Tad Reeves is “…KNOWINGLY lying like a bad rug”
Instead of taking that tack and preemptively shutting down the channel of communication between us, I suggest that we give him the benefit of the doubt and just assume that he, along with many other parishioners in good standing with the cherch, is not fully apprised of the objectively verifiable facts concerning the actual practice of disconnection and SP declaration as they’re implemented today.
After all, even informal spokespersons for the cherch, such as Tad, are vanishingly rare. So, for that reason alone, we should do our very best to engage them by taking them as being sincere, well-intended and truthful, to the extent of their direct knowledge concerning the issue under discussion, and until proven to be otherwise.
To that end, we can simply ask Tad (or any other informal representative of the cherch willing to engage in civil debate concerning the issue of disconnection) what he knows about the practical implementation of the cherch’s policies governing disconnection and SP declaration, rather than just the theory of how they SHOULD be implemented.
If the cherch allowed him to engage in a free and open discussion concerning the issue, it would very quickly become evident that despite his very in-depth understanding of how $cn policy concerning disconnection and SP declaration is supposed to work in theory, he can not speak at all to the particulars of even one specific case in which those policies have been put into practical effect. That’s because he’s not the one and only person in $cn who’s authorized by the cherch (i.e., $cn’s International Justice Chief) to look into the particulars of those individual cases.
Perhaps if he were, then he’d be able to perceive what’s readily apparent to every knowledgeable person dwelling outside of $cn’s bubble world who’s taken the time to read the official cherch policies pertaining to disconnection and SP/PTS handling (i.e., $cn theory,) as well as becoming familiar with the many hundreds of individual cases in which its been implemented (i.e., $cn’s actual practice).
Tad is taking the word of cult officials there, instead of observing for himself, as Elron himself advised all $cilons to do. If he can’t speak to the very well-documented disparity between the theory of $cn policy and its actual real world implementation, then the question that he should be asking of his cherch is: Why am I not allowed to read what I want, talk to whomever I please and to engage in open discussions as I see fit on a self-determined basis?
If he were, then folks like us could provide him with the objective facts concerning the “disconnect” between $cn’s theory of how things are supposed to be done, with respect to the cherch’s internal system of “justice,” and how things actually are done in real world practice. Right now, he hasn’t a clue and, as a result, can only spout the party line of a cherch founded on the BIG lies of its creator and perpetuated by those of his successor.
What lies are those? Folks like Tad can’t even ask that question openly, much less conduct his own inquiry, without becoming subject to the same kind of internal control and fear-conditioning methods that he seems to believe don’t actually exist.
Don’t believe me, Tad? Well then, test it out for yourself by doing your own open and exhaustive inquiry, then see what becomes of you at the hands of the cult’s interrogators and “ethics” officials.
I suggest that we give him the benefit of the doubt and just assume that he, along with many other parishioners in good standing with the cherch, is not fully apprised of the objectively verifiable facts concerning the actual practice of disconnection and SP declaration as they’re implemented today.
He may not know of anyone who has been declared. He may have never been ordered to disconnect. But he knows this policy and what it means. It is very clear.
I wrote guff like this all the time. I knew I was lying. Not in a cartoonishly evil way. I was simply “outcreating” the awkward truth. It made me feel all warm and fuzzy.
Cognitive dissonance. No more, no less.
I’m sure he’s a lovely fella.
Harpoona, in general I agree that as regards communicating with still ins its a workable policy to accord the benefit of the doubt and treat him or her as basically a decent, well meaning if deluded and brainwashed person.
In this instance regarding Tad I would disagree.
That he’s authorized by OSA to explain away Scientology’s Disconnection Policy on a blog under his own name is de facto proof that he IS OSA.
He takes their orders. He reports to them.They trained him. You can bet he was drilled over and over in TR-L.
Sure, he looks like a sunny, happy, innocent type. Especially holding those adorable babies.
Well, some people have the right “look”. That open-faced, kind-hearted LOOK. And they can act. They know how to act out a part even if they’re not professionals on the stage or screen.
Looks can be VERY deceiving and ACTIONS speak WAY louder than words. Look what this man DOES.
He’s one of OSA’s little elves, is what he is.
No way I’d trust him. I wouldn’t give him even the pretense of politness or consideration, this covertly hostile All American Father Phoney. I’d spit in his face.
It will be interesting to see what Mr. Reeves kiddos decide to do in about 10 years when the See Ogres come calling. The Cult will likely have already absconded with Tads cash and the kids college funds so they will offer (demand) a fulfilling career where the kids ‘won’t have to study for four years before they can begin producing’.
Life in the Cult is sooooooo wonnerful!!!
Yes , he better keep his kids close to him. Hopefully by the time they are of age , things will have changed…dreaming…
My daughter is the one who called us to tell us we were declared , Julian didn’t bother to let us know.
And in the same breath , she disconnected from us , crying that she didn’t have a choice.
The pain caused to my children , I will not forgive.
Benign and harmless , ha !
Thank you for taking the time to craft such a valuable essay/take down.
It’s exactly correct from my knowledge and experience, and having this to refer to is quite an asset.
It’s also always so therapeutic to read articles which use hubbard’s own words and documented evidence to repudiate the lies.
Mike,
You did yeoman’s job of dismantling Mr. Reeve’s thesis. Congratulations. As always, look at what they are doing, not what they are saying. In truth, if everyone in the church were to take the highest road with Ron’s writings (as touted by Mr. Reeves) they would not now be in this mess of their own creation.
Two parallels come to my mind. In the book “1984” there is a Ministry of Truth; “Whatever the party holds to be truth, is truth. It is impossible to see reality except by looking through the eyes of the Party.” And then; There was Baghdad Bob, Information Minister in Saddam Husseins’ regime, spouting incredible lies with a straight face to the TV world at large.
As long as Mr. Reeves holds to the party line he and his family are safe. Let him stray but a bit and he will find that ‘the 36 steps of gradient of ethics’ (HCOPL 19Apr1965) have been compressed into one giant step into hell. Only if he has the money to buy his way out of his sin will there be a guaranteed eternity for he and his family.
I will bet my life that Tad has no idea that HCOB 10 Sept. 83 was never ordered, written, seen or approved by LRH. This is the brainchild of DM, written by Vaughn Young at ASI, and strictly kept away from LRH until his dying day. Sad but true, Tad boy.
Well Dan, I think you are taking things a bit far here.
I well recall specific “advices” in 1983 about squirrels (remember, Mayo and the other US “squirrels” including the Mission Holders) were at their peak. Hubbard was ordering ASI and OSA to ensure that if anyone associated with Mayo or the declared Mission Holders they were to be declared forthwith and immediately and all of their connections were to be declared too. The Finance Police were in their gestapo heyday. The “High Crime” of “refusing to disconnect from anyone declared SP by HCO” came into being around this time. Hubbard was incensed that people were NOT being disconnected from the “SP’s” who were “seeking to take over the church.”
Whether he did or did not see that HCOB is a bit irrelevant. You may not have seen the traffic about this subject at the time. I assure you it was absolutely Hubbard’s intent to sever any SP’s “lines” to other scientologists. This HCOB was issued in response to this as until then some had responded with “disconnection is canceled” when ordered to sever connections.
Mike, I was at the Riverside Org a few days after Bent Cordyn got raked over the coals. He was one of the nicest individuals I’ve ever met. That was a strange time period with the Finance Police. I was stunned at the turn of events. Bent said,, “I just pulled Ron’s rug out from underneath him.” And that’s when I realized it was all a scam. This was probably ’82 or ’83. I think…
Mike you didn’t publish my post. I know your viewpoint on the authorship of Hubbard on few issues as PTS and disconnection and you know mine. But I actually wanted to communicate with Dan Koon with whom it seems I share some viewpoint.
Write to him on Facebook
yes good idea !
Mike, I had to read this meaty article twice. You wiped the floor with this Tad guy. A masterpiece of D/A ing if you’ll pardon the lingo. You are one hell of a writer.
This guy needs to explain why TC has not seen his 10 year old daughter in several years. The mother has said nothing publicly against the church so why is she an SP?
That’s a really good point. Tom Cruise’s apparent disconnection from his daughter Suri is the most obvious proof that disconnection as currently practiced in Scientology can be cruel and extreme, and not the reasonable policy that apologists try to present it as.
I guess Suri is just an unhandleable SP that is hell bent of preventing all the good that Tom does and his personal happiness. All Tom’s efforts to handle her failed and so he decided he had to sever all ties because she was ruining his career.
Or maybe she is connected to someone (Katie) declared persona non grata for not wanting to continue in scientology…
An SP & a “junior SP” receiving a divorce settlement & child support….how ironic is that?
Believe it or not I recently spoke to a OT8 friend of mine and we discussed disconnection and he has never heard of such a thing. I gave him a few hints of people to look into because he told me he would never support disconnection. I told him it exists so look into it. I doubt he will. I also brought up TC and Suri as an example and he said “oh TC sees Suri all the time”. I said oh really why do you think this? He said because people in the church have told him so. He doesn’t believe in People magazine so that didn’t work either. It is really difficult to get through to some people.
As a parent my call on this one is that KH most likely got TC to agree to not see Suri as part of her agreement to say nothing about Scientology going forward….if I was in the same position and wanted my child to have no contact with Scientology then I wouldn’t want the child to have contact with the parent connected to Scientology…especially seeing as TC’s current children were turned against their mother by the church using pts/sp technology.
That’s funny you wrote of this today. I saw a video on STAND with Tad. He was telling A&E every one on your show is a liar. I even made a rebuttal video (never posted) asking him to have a dialogue with me about that and about parenting/child development in general. I still want to. I noticed he really chops up the quotes from Dianetics about silent birth as well. What i wouldn’t give for a public debate with Tad. And yes, ultimately he is a good man I think. I was friends with his little sister at Delphi, where his parents were also staff members. They were a kind family and relationships seem very important to all of them. I wish I could talk with him, but I doubt he would respond.
I am a “never in” but have been learning about Scientology for a few years now and trying to follow/support many ex-Scientologists and hopefully help/see these abuses come to an end (just as an FYI of where my perspective is coming from). I just wonder if Tad has ever had to disconnect? It seems like this would all be perfectly believable while you were still in but had never been forced to disconnect yourself.
I mainly just wanted to join the discussion because 1. I never really have, I guess, and 2. because I have been a Christian my whole life and I can testify that my church (read: the physical place I attend as well as the “body” of people around my in my same faith) has never forced ANYTHING like this. That’s not so say all organizations or individuals operating under the Christian name have had my same experience (and I really don’t want to debate on the validity of my faith/beliefs because I really respect that they aren’t the same as everyone’s), but I just wanted to point out that Tad’s repeated statements of “most religions have this type of policy/practice” is just not true and that’s the most saddening thing to me. I have had multiple people in my life, who I met at my church, leave the faith and I’ve never once been instructed, encouraged or even inclined to “disconnect’ from them. In fact I’m friends with all of them still (except for one who chose to distance herself from pretty much everyone from her old faith besides her mother, though we have had vague “happy birthday” type communication over the years and there was never a falling out or argument or anything like that – just growing distant).
Anyway, just my thoughts from someone who is very committed to her faith and has experienced the exact opposite of the terrible stories I’ve heard from this church. Like I said, I’m aware that not all Christian organizations/individuals/experiences can hold up to this so I’m not trying to push my faith on anyone with this post – just trying to offer some perspective from someone who can firmly state you can have “religion” without this type of experience. It does not have to be “common practice”.
Just another kool-aid drinker, to be brutally frank. Smart people fall for stupid ideas all the time. This particular site gets no visitors. The Alexa ranking at this writing is 7,116,020. That qualifies as oblivion. For a site that was created in 2010, Scn Parent is really just a lot of nothing. Even my inconsequential, less-than-impressive site checks in at 1,172,533, which I would never brag about.
This was needed for me Mike. Great filler. Tad is the 1st scientologis that tries to be rational and address concerns, not just block and scream. Hopefully he will keep looking at what is out there and slowly will learn.
Thank you Mike for once again breaking down their babbling into something coherent. I look forward to your blog. Also I would like to thank everyone that has participated in the making of #scamologist the aftermath. I cry for you and with you during each and every episode
I hope you and yours and everyone everywhere has a Happy Holiday!
What a great article that really explains how the policy actually works in reality. Going through this with the church over a 2-3 year period was one of the most horrible experiences of my life. Gary & I were one of the people who would not disconnect from friends/family members who were declared and being told we have to “handle” our non-scientologist oldest son – who would have been impossible to “handle” since he was connected to his in-laws (who were declared) and he was the one who had already read stuff on the internet and read the book Going Clear, not only was he not a scientologist, but he knew the story and was connected to many family-members who had been declared. How can you tell a non-scientologist that I cannot be connected to you because your in-laws are declared Sp and therefore you must disconnect from them.
We had been quiet with our mouths shut for 3 decades because of the fear of having family members disconnect from us. But it finally came down to a Sophies Choice – the scientologist son or the non-scientologist son. We did not want this, but it was what was forced upon us and ultimately the scientologist son picked the church.
In the end, the freedom of not having that fear is amazing even though we have lost a dear son and I have lost all my side of the family.
A 3rd son was also a scientologist but we got him out thankfully, but what was on the line for us was losing 2 out of 3 sons, which came at a huge cost – see episode 7 of Season 1 of the Aftermath.
Of course, the scientologist son was told that if you write up knowledge reports on your parents they will be handled and then not declared. I believe that my son truly believed we would not be declared. I know this because of the other son (who is now out). The 2 of them were “assured” that we would not be declared because of the knowledge reports.
There was no attempt to “handle” us by any family other member. Once we got declared all communication ceased immediately……full stop.
Thanks Mike for continuing to bring disconnection to light and to explain it.
Crap, Lois, that sucks. Back in the day I was told to ‘handle or disconnect’ …
Back in the day, what did “handle” mean? How would you have ‘handled’ the situation above – where one son, who was not a Scientologist, was connected to declared persons?
“Handle” means to endeavor to understand and solve a problem or an issue. “Terminatedly handle” is Scientologese for solving a problem or an issue so that it is no longer a problem or an issue.
gtsix, it was 1973, I was in my late teens and had walked in the door of the local org and joined staff as a first step. Something indicated. Over the summer, my father objected, gave me a hard time and in fact got me in touch with some local ‘sps’, the McLeans, who invited our whole family out to their cottage for the day, including my slightly younger brother who was on the brink of starting university but had also just joined staff. The McKeans did their best to deprogram us; it worked for my brother but I stayed on staff. The Ethics Officer, who was a really nice guy BTW, offered to accompany me out to my parents place do we could both talk to my folks and cool the situation off. Didn’t work. So I was advised to handle or disconnect. My handling took the form of getting in comm with my parents, and we agreed to disagree. That was pretty much it. I was allowed to continue.
Yes – It seems to me that this is exactly what scientology does, explains the theory or rule and doesn’t touch on how these things are actually employed. I also agree that, considering how many people have left scientology, calling all of them liars is major league ridiculous!!! Spouting words from scientology books will never make me believe that this is a benign organization. Too many people have left after having suffered deeply for me to ever believe that written scientology policies are telling the real story. I believe the defectors!!! If scientology were a benign, benevolent organization, why have so many people left? By the way, this is a rhetorical question.
My experience of disconnection is that the final act of disconnection was no surprise and in fact for me was welcome. I have had two very close family members disconnect from me, and when it finally occurred it was if anything a relief. Years before that final severing of the communication line, they had indicated their complete contempt for me as a scientologist. I was not attending events as I ought to, not attending every fund raiser (and at my org at its height these were three a week) and I was continually agreeing to come on course and then not doing so. I might add, a high proportion of the org staff were my family members.
In their eyes, I was a piece of shit. Yet what was happening is that I was struggling with my disagreements: I was still relatively ‘on purpose’ but not wanting to come out and say what I thought. Yes, I was lying. For several years, my relationship with these two family members soured to the point when every contact with them was just a haranguing session, and “how much better I would be doing in life if I attended fund raisers and events, and went on course…”. They never reached out to me at all except for unavoidable family events.
The final straw came when my son (who was the lead course supervisor at the org) told me he was planning on leaving staff and was offered several jobs. I proffered some fatherly advice based on my experience in the business world, and my god did I get savaged by him for doing so. I was told in no uncertain terms what a DB I was (I was on OT7 and a major donator to the ideal org) and “all the staff members” thought I was a piece of shit. I was stunned, shocked and it was essentially the last real conversation I had with my son.
When, a few years later, he disconnected, I had nothing to say to him, but in my mind I was saying “Good riddance!”
Disconnection really isn’t an sudden event, it’s the sum total of drifting apart.
Dr. mac, that was essentially the same with us. Very, very sad. We also felt so relieved when it was over. I had felt that I was tip toeing around forever, so afraid……..
Dr mac, You bring up the logical next step which involves the disconnector returning at some point and asking to be let back into your circles. In my instance the disconnector would need to factually do good deeds in my favor for me to even consider reconnecting, much less welcoming back. I know of few who have atoned in the full sense. I think that Leah Remini and Mike Rinder are shining examples of taking action to right what they feel they did in the past. Their personal integrity shines through.
ditto that Dr. Mac. It is very difficult to watch the slow progression of the disappearing individual spirit as the tentacles of Cult Think (group think) take over. As Lois says ….”very, very sad.”
Mike, thanks for exploring the seemingly logical and benign website overseen by osa.
As a long time member and someone fully educated in Scn doctrine this sweet, sincere man Tad Reeves is the equivalent of the PR face for Hitler, Stalin or Mao.
The difference is Scientology does not physically murder people. They spiritually and economically murder them.
And from the gitgo Tad uses “my religion, our religion, this religion that……………”.
From decades of being in the cult, I know firsthand, it is NOT a religion.
It is a godless, dogmatic, plageristic, pyramid like, selfhelp group!
I think everyone should go to Tads Facebook and post the truth about Scientology.
It’s easy enough to find.
Interesting that he is using two terms: ‘social’ and ‘anti-social’ to describe the whole of the human race. Two terms typically used by psychiatrists/psychologists.
Ohio….I noticed this also. However…he has INCORRECTLY defined the Anti-Social Personality….
It is defined as a mental health disorder…..it is someone who VIOLATES AND DISREGARDS the rights of other individuals….usually on a LONG TERM basis. The Anti-Social Personality also displays a lack of empathy, cockiness, callousness, arrogance, violennt behavior, and sees no problem with breaking or bending the law. It CANNOT be cured.
This is the CORRECT definition.
In fact…it ACCURATELY describes L.R.H. and David Miscavige.
Where do I even start? The Beatings? The Abortions? The Rapes? The Disconnections?
The Incest? The Hole? The Lies? The Ruination of Families?
It goes on and on and on. It is beyond disgusting. It is abhorrent. And then you dare hide behind the Freedom of Religion? This is no religion.
I made the mistake of going to Mr. Tad’s website. What a tool. A tool for the OSA.
Mike…This was an excellent article. Thank You.
Yours….. OverTheBridgeTPA
Dear Tad, be sure to come back and tell us all about it when one of your darling kids grows up and decides Scientology is not for him. We’ll be here to console you.
Just leaving this here… LOTS of proof of how the COS ENFORCES disconnection
http://whyweprotest.wikia.com/wiki/Accounts_of_Scientology%27s_Disconnection_Policy_by_Former_Members_and_Others
Great explanation, Mike. There’s also what I call “preemptive disconnection” where you’re not declared, but they cut you out and stop talking to you simply because you say things they don’t want to hear about Scientology. That’s what my family and life long friends did to me. I never said much to my friends about scientology, but they’re so afraid of hearing anything negative they stopped talking to me because they knew my family had. No declare but who cares? Disconnect preemptively.
And here I thought communication was a good thing!
Of course. What happened to “communication is the universal solvent”?
I had a look at their “Suppression” video and I was gobsmacked. Their classification of all people into the binary “social” and “antisocial” molds beggars belief; it’s juvenile and, frankly, ridiculous. Example: a young would-be artist is told (by an “SP”) that everyone thinks his work is no good. Cut to young, would-be artist in his studio, having a tantrum and throwing his canvases around, all because one person, albeit an “SP”, told him that everyone thinks his work is no good. Realistic? Perhaps. Common? No.
The video seems to suggest that “social” folks – apparently 80% of the population – are sitting ducks to the 20% of the population who are “antisocial” and who go around ruining everyone’s day. Apparently we are incapable of maturing and building up some emotional resilience, so that when an “SP” ejaculates their SP-ness all over us, we collapse in a screaming fit like a four-year-old might.
It seems we are all suffering from a serious case of arrested development, according to whoever thought up this rather Python-esque video, and in dire need of the sort of SP-fighting juju only scientology can provide.
But you already guessed that, didn’t you?
This whole article was sugar coated, meaning when they decide to sever ties, shave off, any family member even a wife or husband, they use falsities, slander, malice, secret plans of creating bankruptcy (Cal. Law), using all means of protocol, lying to you and living with you while waiting the year (if married) bankruptcy takes a year, Using lies and stall tactics to keep you un-aware of the severance till foreclosures happen, false accusations are created on paper, then the shitty slime ball lawyers produce a 14 chapter divorce package when Cal. law only needs 5.3 for submits to court in a divorce battle.
The Sea Orgs elders (few left) will have to answer to a real God one day. Better never marry a Scientologist. That will be the end of your married life. They will make sure you don’t even have money to buy toilet paper, end up in Federal prison, or worse, like you become so depressed wondering what the hell just happened to my family? and end upcommitting suicide and then your SCemented in. Sad because when LRH died, Scientology should have gone with him.
Thank you Mike. The old saying one can guild the lily for Eternity but the root of the plant will always be poison in this case. Disconnection is one of the cruelest, harshest, evil punishments the Cult imposes. And I no longer use the word “ church “ because there is no church. A machine primed and ready to take in as much cash as David can squeeze out of the remaining celebs and whales who have no conscience,heart or soul. Scientology can scream Mr. Tads rantings from the CST mountaintops but the practices of Scientology are twisted, sordid and Criminal. It will implode at some point. I believe….???
Guilding the Toxic Lilly… perfect, Ann.
Tad Reeves is sadly brainwashed just like I was….
“Brainwashing is believing an idea that ISN’T YOURS and you are willing to die for it”
Anthony DeMello
Tad needs to answer this:
a) When one of Tad’s daughters grows up, and by chance becomes labeled “SP”, what is the long required path SHE would be required to go through, before Tad would allowed to even receive yearly Christmas time well wishes or a Christmas card from her?
Would Tad be allowed to receive a Christmas card from his daughter if she were declared an “SP?”
My dad decided to walk away from Scn in 1975 and was immediately SP declared, with goldenrod. He has never spoken out about Scn ever.
From 1975 to 2004, the entire time I was in Scn, I fought having to be disconnected from him. It was not a personal choice. I was not allowed to be part of his life. I was a child who wanted her father in her life.
He did nothing to Scn ever, except walk away when he decided it was not for him, and he was punished for decades for that.
And to try to say that this is something DM started simply is not true. Disconnection has been alive and well in Scn for decades and decades. Long before DM.
Of course Sunny. It is El Con’s policies that created and MANDATED disconnection. Only criminals argue that it isn’t because of LRH.
Mr. Wynski,
I have watched your total lack of ARC (“you are wrong, I am right”), comments, usually dressing down another poster for their having written their own (god-forbid) viewpoint and opinion. I have read responses from you designed for the sole purpose of nullifying any possibility of another having a win in whatever they might have done while in the church while attempting to make them feel stupid for having said anything along the line that doesn’t conform, and adhere to your way of thinking.
But this takes the cake.
“Only criminals argue that it isn’t because of LRH.”
Really?
Even if you KNOW BECAUSE YOU WERE THERE that LRH created and mandated disconnection, no one else is entitled to their opinion on the subject without being a criminal? Does the fact that someone might not agree with the way you look at the church threaten you in some way? Can you really not let another have their own viewpoint and express it, or is that luxury only reserved for you?
I am writing this at the end of the day, so it won’t be viewed by many and perhaps you won’t even see it. But Mike will see it. And I know whether he agrees with what I have written or not, he’s not going to go out of his way to try and squash me into regret that I ever offered my opinion.
I don’t know you, what you’ve been through, what life has been like for you, what your experiences with the church were, or what you have to deal with on a daily basis. However, just from your posts and particularly your responses to other posters, I have to say Mr. Wynski, you sir, are an ass.
WhatWhenAllWho, Thank you for your intelligent comment. You said what I have felt for a long time, only you said it way more eloquently than I could have. Thank you for standing up to a bully who cannot for the life of him, “grant beingness” to others in Scn parlance.
WhatWhenAllWho, I can’t help that you don’t agree that supporting and promoting a criminal is criminal in itself. It’s my opinion.
What/who you are quite right.
What Winsky says is really OSA style. He should write a
“Winsky Policy Letter”
Non critics of scientology.
Anyone who is non critics of scientology or Hubbard , or says that wins are possible with scientology, become an accessory of scientology crimes and shall be labelled a criminal.
Anyone supporting such a person is also a criminal.
Signed Wynski
One mention of “criminals” and look who shows up! Hi FG
Outstanding post, Sunny! Well done!
Tad, Tad, Tad… Disconnection is a capricious, random, and duplicitous means of control, that involves no semblance of free will, nor ethical or moral behavior, and essentially prevents one from using the norms of society, to engage in productive and healthy human interaction. It provides a dodge for all sorts of illegality, and enables rampant malevolence throughout Scn; yep, lots of real ethically and morally sound “choice” there, Tadster…
Such an excellent demolishment of these lies regarding Disconnection. One more brief example about how it works. I left the Church in the late 80s, and lost many dear friends (of course) by doing so; over the last few years there’s developed this tacit “let’s not talk about it” attitude and some of those old and cherished friendships have rekindled, once or twice in person, mostly over Facebook. But I have a memoir coming out next March about my time in the Church, called FLUNK. START. When those friends heard about it, one wrote—and it can’t be put any more succinctly than this: “You know if it is not positive you are cutting the line to us,” adding, “With that title, it can’t be good things you’re writing about the Church.” I emailed back to say it wouldn’t be me cutting the line; it would be their choice—but I understood why, to remain Scientologists in good standing, they would have to. Since then, of course, silence.
Mike: I’m so grateful for all the work you are doing to get this information out there. I wish I’d figured out a long time ago that I could post a response to thank you. Here it finally is: Thank you!
By the way, anyone involved in Scn for any real length of time understands that despite some useful theory and formulas, the Scn “ethics” system is about as much about ethics and justice as was the Soviet system. The Scn ethics system is about CONTROL … both behavioral and thought control backed up by group intimidation and threat of force and loss.
+1!
I think you could have avoided going all Godwin’s Law in the last paragraph but otherwise this is a great post
If you can think of a better analogy I will gladly substitute it.
Actually, I thought it was a terrific analogy!!
Me too. Let’s see if John has something better to offer.
I just got here. What are you guys talkin’ bout?
As an option to an analogy, you could quote this line from the book “1984”:
“If you want to keep a secret, you must also hide it from yourself.”
Putting myself back in the mindset of when I was “in,” I think you might have impinged on Tad – and other still-ins – up to that last paragraph. Great post otherwise. You didn’t demean him or his core beliefs/religion in any way, and as a result the post was that much more effective and powerful, IMO.
John, Godwin’s Law is nothing of the sort. It is a stupid saying that was created to stop discussion. Anyone invoking “Godwin’s Law” is a thought stopper.
That’s Wynski’s Law.
And of course in one of his very last issues, LRH said that you not only HAVE to disconnect from a declared SP, but if you don’t, then YOU become a declared SP yourself and people have to disconnect from you.
I have virtually no personal respect for the many people who disconnected from me after upwards of 35 years of closeness. Most I know had no personal animus towards me, they just took the path that would cause them less bullshit and disconnection themselves. Some believed the lies, but all of them in any case have nothing to be admired for and are in a sad condition as beings.
“I have virtually no personal respect for the many people who disconnected from me after upwards of 35 years of closeness”.
And, one day, when they have their realizations, they will have no respect for themselves.
That’s the worst punishment there is, because its self inflicted. Rough for them, because they’ll realize that no one did it to them, they did it to themselves.
The people they wrongly accused and punished will have long forgiven and moved on. With no hate, no revenge, with compassion and conviction and with self respect fully intact, these people will continue to create happiness for themselves and others.
Yes Joe and Aquamarine – I’m not even declared but my 25 year friends disconnected from me. I told my friend that I agreed with Debbie Cook, showed her some other links to look at and she and I discussed what we’d read in the links. She was just as offended as me at the heinous things that were being done in Ron’s and Scientology’s name. Shortly after, she got a chunk of money to do more Bridge and give to the IAS. All of a sudden she is telling me “I’m going to do my Bridge and stay in and so I can’t have someone on my lines who doesn’t believe in my church (since when is it not my church too?) 100%. So I have to disconnect, at least until I’m done with these services.”
Then, our mutual friend tells me, “You’re a good person but you can’t be connected to suppressive people.” This was when I just disagreed with what was happening. I said, “I’ve always been a good person and nothing’s going to change that. I just can’t believe that I disagree with some things and you guys have me all buddy buddy with SPs”
Crazyville.
That was about 5 years ago or so. Still under the radar and planting seeds. Some have grown into new people out who are way more productive and happy than before.
How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. How do you get someone out of a cult? Give them truth in small increments and wait till the church violates them. It will happen. Just keep planting seeds so that when it happens to them, they can see as many aspects as possible and have that a-ha moment.
“…and wait till the church violates them. It will happen”.
I think this is the key, Indie. They won’t leave until something is done to them that shocks them into PT. “This is really HAPPENING? Is it possible?”
Get the truth out there, sure. Will they listen to it? Some will, some won’t.
If I put what shocked the hell out of me on paper here it wouldn’t sound like much.
But shock me it did.
Then I started looking for truth in all the right places, to paraphrase one of my favorite C&W songs 🙂
After that it was only a matter of time before I knew I would be leaving.
But you’re right, first there was that violation. “WHAT?”…”WHOA!” That first shock.
Same here. A little shock here; duly noted, then a little shock there; duly noted, and another shock…annnnnd I’m out of here! Didn’t matter what anybody tried to show me or tell me before it actually happened TO ME.
Well, I would say that the former victims of the mid-fuck blaming themselves is another aspect of the victimisation. IMHO, the organisation inflicted its horrible choices on the victims (using undue influence).
Jon Atack’s “opening minds” is a good book about this.
So, ex-victims, buck up! And remember to blame the organisation!
The “Suppressed Person Rundown” has as its goal to get “enemy” family members to reach out positively to the Scientologist who has deemed that family member an “SP.”
But in real life, when “SP” family members call Scientologists around Christmas time, the Scientologists can’t take the phone calls due to Scientology’s rules.
BUT this is a normal human family interaction to wish each other well around the Christmas holiday season!
Scientology doesn’t allow well wishing from “SP” family.
That is abominable and a detail this Scientology Parent web site can’t deal with.
When in doubt, lie lie lie. And keep lying. That’s Miscavige’s SOP.
I got declared based on unsubstantiated reports I had never seen and by an org I had never had service at, then went through the Comm Ev process, only to be declared innocent by the committee, but then they wouldn’t lift the declare until they restablished control of me and thousands of dollars in Sec Checking at my expense of course. This is when I learned Scientology justice, the supposed last hope, is totally rigged and BS. No thanks, I think I will save my money and put it to better and more lasting uses such as exposing the abusive mind-control of Scientology. (And OSA, I have all of this documented, so go ahead, make my day.)
I have been out since 1991 or so after having been in the SO. This is one of the best articles I have ever read. I find your analysis very insightful and accurate. It really opened up something for me. It clearly shows the mind trap that occurs and how to dispute it line by line. This has to be done to truly become free from the indoctrination.
Are you the Anthony S from Chicago who I knew?
Hi Dave. Yes I am! I just sent you a friend request on FB.
Scientology hits their members with dire consequences for RECONNECTING on their own.
Can’t the members decide on their own when to RECONNECT?
Scientology’s damnable rules prevent free RECONNECTING
The fact is, I tried to walk away quietly. The church and its representatives like Kathy Feshback, Kay Champaign, IAS reges and then, in the end, the MAA’s would not leave me alone. I wanted to keep my mouth shut about my grievances, about being sick of being pounded on for money, about over the top sec checking year after year, about no desire to do any more services and drift away quietly. (Some, in fact many, have done this successfully.)
“to be left in peace from those who attack them or their religion and only intend to do harm”
The church of scientology has it all hardwired where it can violate the individual’s rights to be left in peace and attack you and do you harm, and if one speaks out about these violations, then they will be declared a Suppressive and lose friends, families, incomes and your whole rhythm in life.
Mrs. Kahn, I want to take this opportunity to let you know after your appearance on Season 1 of the “Aftermath”, I continue to include you and your family in my daily prayers. You are a good, brave Mom and Wife. May God continue to bless you. Stay the course and fight the good fight with Mr. Rinder. You are helping to change lives, too.
Thank you. I appreciate that very much.
in 1983 where all went crazy, i succesfullly disconnected from the org. I just walked away without saying anything. Never returned a phone call. Finally they simply forgot me.
Believing the madness was off I returned in 1985. They asked me why i was away so long I simply not answered.
The clue is no Q and A.
More recently in 2010 it seemed obvious that the church under Miscavige was no longer anything acceptable. I left very noisily, my family was with me, I lost few friends. I have attacked so many time disconnection, writing letters etc….
I think a law should be made which forbid enforced disconnection for “religious rules”. It can be done in Europe, of course they wouldn’t give a shit about scientology, but with Islam they practice to “fair game” family members who don’t obey by the religious rules.
There is also the same rules with Amish and Hassidim Jews. Anyhow disconnection rules because of “religious rules” should be forbidden, abolished.
It is not democracy.
’83? It went nuts in ’67.
I’ll bet there were several waves of ‘nuts’. What happened in ’67?
Xenu, Sea Org, LRH becoming Captain Bligh, S.O. Missions to orgs to “manage them”, HEAVY ethics in the Church was born. On and on.
It was the single biggest nuttiness on the timeline. Come on, everyone in the Church knows about 1967.
Wynski, when you put it like that, I understand your comment.
Explanations and or justifications of Scientology disconnection are not worth anything. Case in point. A father I know in Scientology will not communicate with his daughter. His daughter grew up in Scientology and accepts her father as he is as an OT VIII. Yet the father OUT OF FEAR will not communicate. Very sick indeed. This father arrives at the worthless state of OT VIII and knows there is no more to Scientology than nothing. He is paranoid.
From my perspective, Hubbard (Lucifer), disconnected from the monotheistic God. Thus disconnection in Scientology is really disconnection from the good intentions of people. Hubbard had light and darkness confused which is a common Occult error.
I agree with your perspective George: Lucifer.
Hubbard was not a man with “Good will towards men”. From his perspective, he rose above mankind by creating slaves and lying to them. He had no friends. No peers. No conscience.
Hi Bob!
The more I read Milton’s Paradise Lost, the more I see Hubbard in the role of Lucifer.
Here is Lucifer speaking in Book 1:
“Oft to the Image of a Brute, adorn’d
With gay Religions full of Pomp and Gold,
And Devils to adore for Deities:”
That sounds like Scientology.
My observation of these people who disconnect, is that they do so out of fear that their future bridge will cost them a great deal more if they have disaffected people in their environment. For commercial reasons, they will not hesitate to disconnect with or without HCO’s advices.
Astute observation
I was astute once. It gave me a headache that I observed.
OSD … you need to be astute again … ( “what turns it on will … )
…turn it off.
This guy is KNOWINGLY lying like a bad rug.
The REAL product of scamology is: “A person able to lie without any compunction in order to further the criminal activities aslaid out by its founder.” HCO PL 3 June 1965 (confidential)