“Amendment 1: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.”
Scientology is fast to claim protection under the First Amendment to the US Constitution — when it serves their purpose. Either to avoid responsibility for their actions or to try and claim some PR points as “champions of human rights.” (See Freedom magazine as Exhibit 1)
Yet they are not so quick to announce their support of others’ First Amendment rights if it does not forward their objectives. In fact, they will do everything in their power to prevent anyone speaking that they don’t agree with. There is a great deal of evidence to support this fact, but let’s just consider the recent events surrounding Phil and Willie Jones.
The Jones’ two children are in the Sea Org in Los Angeles. Both have “disconnected” because Phil and Willie are “not in good standing” with scientology (they have been declared “Suppressive Persons”). What earned Phil and Willie that distinction? They said things and associated with people the church finds unacceptable (and yes, as you can see above, freedom of speech and association are encompassed by the First Amendment). It seems the self-proclaimed champions of the First Amendment aren’t quite what they claim to be.
The “doctrine” (they like to use that word when they are trying to defend their activities as being religious) of scientology says that any scientologist who wants to remain in good standing with the church must disconnect from anyone declared an Suppressive Person (SP). And by disconnecting is meant severing any and all ties with the person. This applies to children, parents or spouses. And the prohibition on communication is absolute. Not even a birthday card. Scientologists will cross the street to avoid “interaction” with an SP. Apparently even physical proximity is unacceptable.
This practice (and many other abuses, including having people followed by PI’s, harassed by camera carrying “protesters” at someone’s home, training surveillance cameras on them etc) is excused by the church as being protected by the First Amendment. They claim “free speech” and “freedom to practice their religion.” You can see how far they take it by reading legal documents they have filed here and here. See also an earlier article I wrote comparing the practice of disconnection to the practice of segregation — also defended by its proponents at the time as their “right.”
So, one might ask, what can a parent whose children have disconnected from them do?
Frankly, very little. Except try to communicate to their loved ones that they want to hear from them. But scientology goes to great pains to make this virtually impossible.
- “SP’s” are barred entry from any scientology building and scientology will call the police and issue trespass warnings if you attempt to approach a church building (as they did to me when I found out my son in the Sea Org had cancer and I tried to visit him after scientology began telling the media “I didn’t care” about him – watch the video here).
- No phone calls are passed on to staff members, the best you can hope for is to reach a receptionist and “leave a message” which is not forwarded “because there is no communication with a Suppressive Person.”
- Mail is not delivered from an “SP” but is instead forwarded to the “Ethics Officer.”
So, Phil and Willie decided to deliver a message to their son and daughter (and to others similarly situated) in a novel way.
They crowdfunded a billboard:
The message is simple and inoffensive. It doesn’t call scientology abusers. Liars. Cheats. Criminals. Bloodsuckers. A cult. It is a communication of love. (BTW, the images that form the background represent some of the people and families who have been ravaged by the practice of disconnection).
How could a real church object to someone calling for loved ones to unite? After all, scientology claims THEY are the experts on familial relations and have “the tech” of successful and happy families, successful relationships and even the only real understanding of communication.
Well, as is so often the case with scientology, their altruistic claims of being caring humanitarians and bringers of happiness are exposed as a facade when the rubber meets the road. Their actions speak much louder than their words.
Scientology got wind of this particular effort to communicate and brought pressure to bear on the company that had agreed to put up the billboard. The next day the company chickened out and rescinded their contract without explanation. Though to anyone familiar with scientology, it was clear what had happened. And it was confirmed by subsequent events.
The Jones’ then found another billboard company who agreed to support their right to freedom of expression. Lo and behold, scientology was soon bringing pressure to bear on them too and even paying someone to try to stop it. It was so important to scientology to stifle Phil and Willie’s right to free speech they were even willing to buy EVERY billboard in the area! So far, the new company has not caved in and the billboard is scheduled to appear on 22 March.
Now, let’s examine a couple of other aspects of the hypocrisy of scientology here.
1. Scientology buys a lot of advertising — TV, print and billboards. Their advertising is offensive because they do not tell the truth. A recent decision in the United Kingdom banned a scientology ad because it contained unsupportable claims of “helping millions.” Scientology asserts their right to put out FALSE advertising, but wants to stop others’ speech because they don’t like what they have to say. Not because it is false. If the shoe was on the other foot, scientology would be very fast to shout that “bigots” and “haters” were trying to stifle their freedom of religion and freedom of speech (Again, see Freedom magazine). Only when an official body acts do they remain uncharacteristically silent. There has not been so much as a peep out of them about this incident – yet they send out worldwide press releases about their “help” to a local boy scout troop. Why no apology or even an explanation about how they could have put out false information to try and hoodwink the public into thinking they are something they are not?
2. In a sort of double irony, scientology claims they have an absolute right to practice their religion as a justification for anything they do that hurts people. Their “scripture” — the words of L. Ron Hubbard — is “above the law” and gives them the moral high ground to abuse anyone they see fit.
So, how strange is it to actually read on of the most fundamental “scriptures” of scientology: the “Creed of the Church.”
This is taken from the scientology.org website — highlighting mine:
As you can see, their own “scripture” guarantees EVERYONE the right to “think freely, to talk freely, to write freely their own opinions and to counter or utter or write upon the opinions of others.” The Jones’ billboard certainly falls squarely within this pronouncement.
The Creed of the Church is represented as the most fundamental document that underpins the church of scientology. As with so much else scientological, it looks good on paper. But the hypocrisy that underlies so much of the practice of scientology is made apparent every time they act contrary to the PR they put forth in the media and the courts.
Apparently, despite protestations to the contrary, when it comes to SPs, scientology and its adherents do not have the conviction of their beliefs. Or perhaps it is more accurate to say that the conviction of their beliefs is malleable. Within scientology there are enormous contradictions — in one place Hubbard says to do one thing and in another it is the reverse. And it is always interpreted to be for the “good of scientology.” So, they get to pick and choose which of their “beliefs” they are going to follow. And it is always the one that suits the circumstances for scientology. There is no principled belief in scientology — except to protect scientology at all costs no matter what the results is for others.
The bottom line in my opinion is this: scientology is heartless. It is cold, robotic and cruel. How can it be otherwise if it is willing to go to inordinate lengths to prevent parents who simply want to speak with their children from even expressing their wishes to be reunited?
Bravo Mike. Bravo. So true, especially your concluding remarks.
The Billboard Project is for everyone who wants to see Scientology’s toxic and destructive policy of Disconnection ended for good. When I talked to Phil about the fliers and posters he wanted to put up, all I could think of was all the body routers ecstatic to have a new stat – find and destroy fliers on Hollywood Blvd.
That’s why I thought a billboard was needed – harder to reach, heh heh. The message had to be kept simple and the basic part of the message visible from a good distance as well as foot traffic. Then there were all the legalities to consider. I fortunately knew of the professional who could do the job and was pretty sure he would offer his services for free and I knew he would nail it.
For the person with the marketing guru friend, you will see “CALL ME” from down the block and this is not about selling anything, so the analysis doesn’t fit. The faces Had to be blurred out for reason of no one person could be targeted. When Phil mentioned setting up a website, I told him one already existed so there again, more people whose generosity and compassion helped as well. Tourists and locals may or may not look twice if they see “Scientology” on a billboard. In fact, they probably have trained the brain to ignore it as they’ve seen them around that town often. Call Me will get many more interested in taking a closer look.
So many generously gave for the GoFundMe so fast. This is a billboard for all concerned. And stay tuned for events and festivities on billboard launch on March 22 starting at 11 a.m. As far as any dirty tricks Scientology drums up, any move they make will be spotlighted. Page Six of New York Post already posted an article as well as a few others. Scientology can only prove by their own actions that Disconnection does exist! On and after March 22, expect even more exposure. It’s time to put an end to Disconnection.
Great. Looking forward to seeing it go up.
I think it is a brilliant billboard design and thank you for your work in helping Phil. Do you know if some sort of security camera is being installed so OSA or some other goon doesn’t deface the sign?
Don’t have any details to share. But I will say that because Scientology (allegedly) got to the first billboard company, the current one is much bigger and closer to Sea Org buildings. :0
allegedly my ass.
Standing Ovation!!!!!!!!!
This is so terrific, Hole. It WILL be seen, and people DO care. That’s what makes this a perfect message. Sending you and Phil and Willie and Artoo such huge hugs and high fives for this enormous effort. I hope people know that even tiny donation can help keep this up for a second three-month contract.
The message, and of course the families behind this, make me cry. Good Lord, if someone here is lurking, shut off from family, please please please pick up the phone and tell them you love them. I miss my dad every day, and he knows how much I love him. I cannot imagine what it would be like to miss that chance to spend time with him, and to say goodbye.
Love you, dad. I know how you felt about all this–we’re trying to get this done, ok? 2016 may well do the job.
Thank you, Hole.
I think what you folks have done is phenomenal, It can have more ramifications than you think, for instance just ordinary folk not connected with scientology calling home to say hi to the dad and mom, or other cult members of a different breed, calling.
I hope it goes viral by many means. If even for a reminder when nothing is wrong. “Pay it Forward”.
That’s great news and a info, thanks for sharing. I’m a huge fan of Mike Rinder’s and a monthly contributor to his blog so I feel like I’m allowed to say that I’m disappointed that he didn’t share this info with all. It could have had a bigger impact since not everyone reads the comments section. I’m trying to think about why that might be and maybe he didn’t have all the info? Not sure but perhaps he will consider revising and at least adding the address for people to contribute to the or project.
The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution only applies to the government violating people’s rights, it does not apply to anyone else.
Strictly speaking that is true. But it is the interpretation in case law that has defined a lot of individual rights in preventing government intrusion.
Justice Kevin Victor Anderson QC, State of Victoria, Australia, Board of Inquiry, 1965:
“Scientology is evil; its techniques are evil; its practice is a serious threat to the community, medically, morally, and socially; and its adherents are sadly deluded and often mentally ill… (Scientology is) the world’s largest organization of unqualified persons engaged in the practice of dangerous techniques which masquerade as mental therapy.”
I rest my case.
Right, counselor, except you are in the wrong country. They don’t have a First Amendment to the Constitution in Australia 🙂
Fred, the POINT is that the CoS is being hypocritical in wanting those rights for themselves but not others. They hide behind what they would deny OTHERS if they can.
I know that technically it is aimed at the gov because they are the only body with legal power to infringe. Case law is not relevant in this particular angle BTW plus, “case law” isn’t even Constitutional. (see powers of judiciary in the US Const. for more data on that point)
By the way, to remove any confusion, what Hubbard considered to be Standard Tech and Admin are contained in HCOBs and HCOPLs. So, you can disregard any basic book, lectures or early publications, including the Creed of the Church of Scientology.
Statpush : “By the way, to remove any confusion, what Hubbard considere d to be Standard Tech and Admin are contained in HCOBs and HCOPLs. So, you can disregard any basic book, lectures or early publications, including the Creed of the Church of Scientology.”
To remove YOUR own confusions in the subject , Statpush , I am obliged to tell you that you are dead wrong about that.
This is a quote from HCOB 23 August 1971 , C/S Series 1 , “Auditor’s Rights” :
“Never take a verbal or written correction that is not in an HCOB or tape.
Don’t be party to a ‘‘hidden data line’’ that doesn’t exist
‘You ruined the pc!’ is not a valid statement. ‘’You violated HCO B page____’ is the charge.
No auditor may be disciplined for asking, ‘’May I please have the tape or HCOB that was violated so I can read it or go to Cramming.’
‘If it isn’t on a tape, a book or an HCOB I T IS NOT TRUE’, and no auditor has to accept any criticism that is not based on the actual source data.
‘If it isn’t written it isn’t true’’ is the best defense and the best way to improve your tech.” (End of quote)
”If it isn’t on a tape, a book or an HCOB I T IS NOT TRUE” , read that line well , Statpush. By the way, I am not trying to defend neither Scn nor LRH, but only attempting to clear up your obvious confusion about it. Of course , any auditor and C/S must take into account the chronological development of the Tech , when using tapes and books. That’s only the wise thing to do. DM’s “Survival Rundown” , for example is SOLELY based on 1951-56 lectures and books, while TOTALLY neglecting the updated HCOBs on the subject of EPs, F/Ns and Overrun. I have a chronological understanding of all the materials , Statpush, and not an “In a Scn academy” type of understanding , but a totally independent research endeavor that I had engaged in for quite some years.
” Standard technology is contained in HCOBs. It actually isn’t contained in any of the books of Dianetics and Scientology. Did you ever realize that? Modern technology is not contained in any of the hardcover books, or any of the other books. It’s contained in HCOBs, Hubbard Communications Office Bulletins, and there they just run off one after the other. And one of these fine days I suppose we will roll up our sleeves and publish them all in consecutive order, all corrected so that nothing ever corrects anything in the bulletins and make it very, very easy. But we will have to put them probably in about seven or eight or ten different volumes, because there are quite a few of them. But that’s standard technology. They’re on white paper printed with red ink. If I haven’t signed it, it isn’t true. And that’s standard technology. — (SHSBC 434 The Classification Chart and Auditing 26 July 66)”
Oh well….
You are posting a lecture from 1966 !!! , Statpush. BEFORE the C/S series and the class 8 course, the GUIDELINES used in C/Sing and the programing of cases. I gave you a C/S series from 1972 !!! , and the one that is used the most in C/Sing and in Cramming. So I stand by the correction of YOUR confusion that I posted. By the way., I couldn’t care less about “Standard Tech” ; I am one of the biggest “squirrels” there is. But I like to deal in facts and not in someone else’s interpretation. 🙂
No. there is a reference that also adds his books, tapes and Tech films to the list of “Standard Tech” references.
“Seniority of Orders” policy letter.
(I’m an atheist though, and today I read the NY Times faithfully on Sunday as my 8th dynamic activity.)
Thanks Chuck. After everything you compiled over the decades I should have asked you in the 1st place!
I’m bowing out of this thread. I probably shouldn’t have started it. The whole concept of “Standard Tech” is flawed given Hubbard’s methodologies (or lack of).
In practice, the only thing I see as “standard” application of Scientology is that the church will selectively enforce (or not) Hubbard’s words when it suits their objectives or needs.
Statpush : “I’m bowing out of this thread. I probably shouldn’t have started it. The whole concept of “Standard Tech” is flawed given Hubbard’s methodologies (or lack of).”
Peter : I TOTALLY agree with that ; it is not only flawed, but even suppressive to freedom of thought and free will.
Statpush : “In practice, the only thing I see as “standard” application of Scientology is that the church will selectively enforce (or not) Hubbard’s words when it suits their objectives or needs.”
Peter : You got that right.
I think that it is a documented fact that the Church of Scientology does not practice what it preaches when it comes to freedom of religion and freedom of speech. No argument there.
None of us should be surprised. Scientology has never been a democracy, nor has it historically respected its member’s rights. While Hubbard would bloviate about politics and government, he always spoke disparagingly about any civilization.
But look at the organization he DID create – the Sea Org, a para-military, communistic group of fanatics. Out of all the possibilities THIS is the one he chose. That speak volumes about the man and his intentions.
Greatest friend to mankind – HA! What a joke. This is someone who considered mankind to be his slaves. And slaves don’t have many rights do they?
… And that no agency less than god…. Of course what that means is since Davey is suspending these, he himself is god?
He’s the devil. 😉
What is it with conspicuous red haired guys? I know two of them, both equipped with a greater than life narcissistic disorder, spouting nothing but blunt lies and baseless hugely exaggerated claims to be the savior. At best they have a use as laughing stock but surprisingly they are able to gather a small but dedicated following and infect them with their own personality disorders. No wonder Scientology as an organisation manifests all symptoms of a narcissistic personality disorder it is the brainchild of one.
I think it shows our best and most valuable capacity is openness paired with skeptical and critical thinking. Once that goes out of the window the Trumps and Hubbards of this world have their game.
So teach your children a healthy skepticism, that is the best inoculation against the ills caused by these gigantic narcissists and their offspring.
“Heartless” – Precise bottom line of what Scientology’s main condition is.
“Heartlessness”, in my view, is accompanied by an ego which has been allowed to overpower the soul (heart) which seeks greatness, not in the way a soul would define it but as the ego would.
Regards,
Luis
Great post Mike and wonderful comments everybody.
Excellent post Mike.
Disconnection and how Scientology treats children are the worst of its precepts. The rest is bad, but these two things are atrocious.
May all who have been disconnected be reconnected. A difference in religious philosophies is no reason not to speak to your family.
All those still in: Call home! They miss you. You miss them. That is all that matters. Call your family, they love you.
I remember being appalled that we couldn’t even discuss Quentin. How could a parent not want their child mourned? IMHO, Quentin’s death was the first experience I had with brutal scientology disconnection and even though it nagged me in the back of my mind, I “believed” that “LRH knew what was best”. Yes, I willingly threw away years of my very kind, very nurturing father’s teachings to follow LRH.
It took a lot of years after I left for me to allow myself to feel feelings. Sometimes I still react in a “scientological” way to some situations. “No case on post” translated easily to “no case in life” when you were in Sea Org. There was no room to feel or react to situations, only time to keep soldiering on.
When your ability to feel feelings is squelched for years, it can either drive you insane or turn you into an unfeeling robot. I guess I chose the robot route. The first time I really cried after scientology was when my mom died and even then, it was embarrassing to me that I couldn’t control my tears.
I was not forced to disconnect from my family despite the fact that I was the only one who joined the “church” of scientology. A lot of the reason for that is because I chose to not communicate very often with my family “because I had so much to do”. However, this choice led my parents to investigate things such as a dsprogrammer and I believe in my heart of hearts that at some point, if I had remained in scientology, the issue would have been forced and I would have been forced to disconnect from them.
In so many little communications, the wedge had already been driven and I believe that I would have willingly disconnected, because that’s what scientologists are supposed to do.
My parents are both deceased, they died shortly after I got out of scientology in 1983. As brutal as it was (and sometimes still is) grieving for them, that thought that I would have possibly chosen to NOT attend either funeral had I still been in haunts me.
What “religion” encourages you to not speak to family? What “religion” forces you to suppress your feelings and emotions? The answer, obviously is scientology. The question remains: How is any of that spiritual?
I empathize with your situation Valerie. I had a similar situation with my parents. I was still in the clutches of Scientology when they both passed.
Regarding the spirituality of the alleged church and its followers, the answer awaits all the faithful at Target Two, and it’s a killer cog. Or more appropriately Spoof Revealed.
Spoof Revealed, indeed! Fatso played us all for dupes. The dwarf even more so. “Spoof Revealed: It’s all make believe.” Hahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!
Valerie, You said “I remember being appalled that we couldn’t even discuss Quentin.”
What was the story line going around in the SO at that time?
There were a few rumors, but those people were instantly treated with harsh ethics conditions the minute they opened their mouths. There was no story line going around, we all just kept our mouths shut to avoid harsh ethics punishment. In the eyes of scientology, Quentin instantly became a non-entity when he died.
My suspicion from the “feeling” I got about everyone being told to zip it was that he had committed suicide. I did not talk to anyone else about it, nor did anyone talk to me about it.
One of many instances of cognitive dissonance for me was the death of Quentin. I learned to keep my mouth shut, which was a total contradiction of what Hubbard said about communication. The real processing was sorting out all the bullshit I swallowed while a member of the cult. So glad I escaped the clutches of those whose only goal for me was toeing the party line and joining the ranks of the mental midgets.
Hi Gadfly, Thank you so much for your post and Valerie’s too about Quentin.As I have posted when I originated to Qual about the vision picture I had of his passing,one would have thought I had opened the gates of hell.I genuinely believed since he was Ron’s eldest son & Mary Sue loved him fiercely,that we would be given a second of time to mourn him.No no all that mattered was Thurs @ 2:00pm.
Because I can be a persistent cuss the whole situation really bothered me.I cried about it, lost weight over it which I did not need to do I was bones as it was and generally felt sick about it for months.I believe Asho had a medical officer for Day but Fdn did not as I recall.The day lady told me to eat more and focus on being an upstat only.Period.
Then I started having nightmares about Quentin and at this time Dec76 a lady her first name was Barbara and she was doing the Class 8 course and had been to Flag for all the upper levels, started really pushing me on the next little time off days we had around Xmas.I was going to go to the San Gabrial Mountains with Asho F.She was insisting I go with her past Santa Barbara to an area cos had bought further up the coast.She said there were friends there who could help.The whole thing sounded most fishy to me and I politely declined, but then again 1977 loomed and Guardian’s Office rougue Intel was waiting eargerly for my presence.
Crazy days and nights indeed! And not one word was ever spoken about Quentin again.Not even in the orders of the day.Stone Cold with No Heart and No Soul, that is the Cult yesterday today and tomorrow! I so enjoy both your posts.Love,Ann
A great post pointing out the forked tongue. LRH had it going both ways I suppose the strict laws or rules were things he tried to use to protect the group….or maybe just himself. But is sure has backfired. The Creed vs. rules and policy to shun your own family/friends. And this is the stuff that is overshadowing any possible good the tech has done or could do. Makes me sick because I have seen hundreds of people benefit from the tech. That is, just the auditing and training procedure done correctly. And not any of the policy and rules. This is how the indies will pull it off. Leave the policy and policing behind and just train and audit—by using the *original* issues and books.
Gato Rojo : “Makes me sick because I have seen hundreds of people benefit from the tech. That is, just the auditing and training procedure done correctly. And not any of the policy and rules.”
Peter : That has been my experience as well.
Gato Rojo : “This is how the indies will pull it off. Leave the policy and policing behind and just train and audit—by using the *original * issues and books.”
Peter : “Will ‘pull’ it off” ? I seriously doubt that , Gato ; SERIOUSLY doubt that , and it is not that I don’t want them to succeed at it. It is just that Indies seldom “leave” policy alone except perhaps the obvious destructive ones like Disconnection , Fair Game , and heavy Ethics actions including forced Sec Checks. But Indies DO use KSW#1 which all by itself – due to fanatical and fundamentalist uses of it – creates cult-mentality , and propitiate exclusion from and invalidation (and thus a total neglect) towards many other practices , philosophical concepts , and methods that are needed as well to keep a correct balance of it all.
This isn’t an issue of using the “correct” materials or the “original” ones. This is an issue of a fundamentalist interpretation and use of such materials , and a lack of proper discernment and power of choice over data. But with just the auditing , C/S , and Course Supervisor Tech – with power of choice and freedom of thought added to it – a lot of good can be done. But data MUST, MUST be able to be accepted or rejected at will based on INDIVIDUAL observations and not in Group-think and forced agreements. Indies – most of them – operate under the cult-mentality that LRH was always right as to the Tech is concerned , and that “Standard Tech” is ALWAYS the way to go. And that’s just a big suppressive falsity. That’s why they will not pull it off. Only people that can face Reality as it is are able to pull things up. Cultic individuals never can.
You are correct. The Church of Scientology and its members take for granted (in lieu of L. Ron Hubbard’s written research finding others do not yet have access to) that people outside the church are ignorant, are always this way and never any other way, and can therefore be overlooked as far as rights are concerned. The only thing that matters to church and its participants is that they are right, because they learned LRH’s tech before the people they harm. This has been the way of Scientology since LRH was still alive and working with the church. It is no different now. He may even be back and just keeping it quiet. DM said that LRH went to other planet to finish his reasearch. What other planet? 🙂
Here Gato ; read this article from MS2 (and the comments that I am sure will follow) , and see with your own eyes the cult-mentality of it all :
https://milestonetwo.wordpress.com/2016/03/14/from-the-horses-mouth/
By the way, Lana , Jim does seem to have a BIG influence in your perception of life. Just saying.
Peter,
Please tell me how I can get in touch with you on a one-on-one basis.
Dave
Sure , Dave ; you can contact me here :
thetaclear68@yahoo.com
Best,
Peter
Yes TC their statement is clear “KSW extremist”. They don’t accept any developpement like CBR or anything. The point with scientoloogy is to accept tht it is a subject with basic axioms, some rules of workability, and that the “how to audit” has been quite codified if someone can evaluate data. Now comm cycle, auditor code is basic. But the what to audit is open to research. To qualify CBR of squirrel is more or less a non sense. Doesnt mean Robertson is right, it means that the research line is continued. And people can experience.
FG : “Yes TC their statement is clear “KSW extremist”. They don’t accept any development like CBR or anything.”
Peter : Yes , FG , they just are a bunch of crazy fanatics KSW followers , not unlike any of those Churchies. And who the fuck they think they are to decide to hold anyone’s PC folders ? I reserve my fucking right to OWN my damn PC folders. They are MINE to send them to whoever the fuck I want to send them to. Bunch of crazy assholes. And the corrupt ex-lawyer Merrell Vannier (ex-spy for the old GO) attempting to “legally” establish the “Independent Church of Scientology” ; fucking hilarious!!! My God, what a bunch of nutties!
FG : “The point with scientology is to accept it is a subject with basic axioms, some rules of workability, and that the “how to audit” has been quite codified if someone can evaluate data. Now comm cycle, audit or code is basic. But the what to audit is open to research. To qualify CBR of squirrel is more or less a nonsense. Doesnt me an Robertson is right, it means that the research line is continued. And people can experience.”
Peter : Well , that’s EXACTLY why Scn became a destructive cult ; because of people with that kind of chimpanzee mentality as LRH had as well. To think that I wanted to reform the subject , make me feel very stupid indeed. Not that I don’t believe the benefits of the Tech INTELLIGENTLY applied. But WHO is appying it has everything to do with its workability and benefits. In the hands of a psycho fundamentalist extremist nutty KSW#1 follower like MS2ers , Scn becomes trouble, trouble, trouble.
If there is ONE subject that tells the story of “the decline and fall of the Scientology empire” more than any other, it is the story of how over decades, what is arguably the most important data point in all of the religion – that of communication of the truth, and indeed communication itself – has become inverted; that is to say, almost the exact opposite of what LRH claimed for it as a subject in his basic materials.
In DMSMH, it was returning to and then communicating the truth of the engram that freed one from it. There is the creed of the church as Mike points out and LRH’s comment that the only thing you can be found guilty of on this planet is being there and communicating, and so forth and so on over the decades. He made thousands of references to the point of truth in communication (and even the devastating consequences of a lie).
So, it was just the other day after reading this blog, over 45 years since I joined staff, that I fully realized how terribly encompassing in all of its implications was the lie of the SO#1 line. There was this OUTRIGHT LIE ABOUT COMMUNICATION posted in the reception area of every org where L. Ron Hubbard himself was telling everyone how every communication addressed to him was received by him. A complete lie as were all the responses sent to people as though he himself wrote them. And can anyone even wonder about the slide towards lying in almost every area possible that permeated the Scientology experience and how it happened, when this was this communication lie was presented to all its parishioners by the founder himself?
By the time LRH formulated the crimes and high crimes lists in the mid to late 60s, over half of them were crimes of communication. And not just criticizing one’s seniors or clears or standard tech, which by their very content was considered “bad”. The act of communicating TRUTH to one’s friends and family by publicly saying that you were leaving the CoS was itself a high crime deserving of being declared and SP and losing the ARC of one’s family and friends. Informing your family and friends about your own life was now a suppressive act.
Then there were all the daily “no no’s” of communication about one’s case, how the org was doing and many other taboo subjects. I remember when Quentin died, how it was made immediately clear to the staff not to discuss it in ANY way, that said discussion would be a distraction to performing our mission. And any critique, even respectfully voiced of any management decision? Surely you jest.
And so we have the subject of this blog post of the CoS devoting much money and energy to stopping legal and moral communication. Any surprise after the subject of communication has been completely perverted over the past sixty years by this organization?
Well said Joe.
Hi Joe Pendleton, Thank you for another amazing post.All is echoing strongly for me. The trouble I got myself into when I went to Qual and originated @ Asho F that I had a vision of Quetin deceased in a car in the desert.I was hysterical and after seeing this.Boy was I brought up short! I was never Ever to mention his name or discuss him ever again! I really went into the fire over that.
I love you Quetin and always will.Soar On.xxooJoe,Ann.
Good to hear from you Ann B. Hope you are doing well today. Still live in Looziana? If so, eat some crawfish for me, ok?
Hi Joe Pendleton, Thank you my dear friend.Yup we are still in Baton Rouge,LA 20 years now.But in our sunset years we are thinking of moving to Pensacola,FLA- since Hurricane Katrina the traffic here is literally the worst in the US.All you OTS better brush up on your OTness if you want a parking space here! Laughter.
The hot sauce is hot and the crawfish are fat and gorgeous this year! Boils all over.I will eat some for you.I have a O/W though I have to get off,I adore shrimp and scallops more than crawfish! Oh no here come all the Cajuns for me! Love your posts and all here Big Hug,Ann.
You mentioned the order not to discuss Quentin’s death as it would distract from the mission. The MISSION to clear the planet. The great lie of scientology is that it aims to save mankind, the world, the universe. There has never been any such aim outside of Hubbard’s CONSTANT sloganeering. The ‘saving mankind’ bit made Hubbard’s opinion’s sound big and important and it made people who were on board feel big and important too. And there’s the rub. Hubbard painted a fantastical, self-important reality and invited others to join him in it which they did. They moved in lock, stock and barrel. It’s a fantasy people will fight to keep. They will disconnect from their family in order to preserve their sense of self-importance.
The first lie was the state of ‘clear’. It introduced the notion a person could be transformed into an ideal person. Then came the biggie, “clearing the planet”. That’s the lie that facilitates the true aims of scientology: acquisition of power. Fueling the whole thing all the way from Hubbard down to the RPF peons is vanity. It’s all vanity.
What a great comment, Roger. I could not agree more.
Correct Roger. From Day One (DMSMH) was a lie. The “research” was a lie. The “state” was a lie. The abilities gained were lies. The whole subject was built on a foundation of lies.
Damn good post, Joe! Damn good article, Mike!
There is a non-negotiable LAW is Scientology Inc. That is, one plays by the RULES….or else. The rules were created by Hubbard and now now Miscavige. Rules are inviolate and may not be challenged or even tweeked and certainly not up-engineered for the betterment of all.
One of the Rules and Laws in Scientology Inc which slowly and inevitably sink int the head of the participant is that Scientology Inc. comes first. It trumps commitment to family, to children, to spouses and to everything else.
This is educated into young children’s minds at a very young age, hence children can “Knowledge Report” their own parents, spy on them at the behest of OSA, write draconian letters to their own mom and dad. The Church has to be #1 in loyalty, love and devotion and is the reason, such brutal disconnections are accepted as normal as brushing teeth in the morning.
There is a slow and steady education that *Nothing* is more important than the survival of Scientology no matter how dark it becomes.
The motto is “We love Big Brother.”
Hmmmm…..I thought the motto was: We love Big Mother……
As Mike said:
The bottom line in my opinion is this: scientology is heartless. It is cold, robotic and cruel.
I wholeheartedly agree.
I saw this early on and what Karen has said as well. Unfortunately, in those days, I thought the cult had the answers. Oh, dear. Oh, dear. I suppose all of us fell into that trap.
I’ve seen Hubbard referred to as L. Con and L. Fraud and a few other appropriate names. They’re all true, of course.
A really great post, Mike. One of the best. Mind you, they’re all one of the best. Thanks for keeping this going.
Your posts are thought provoking, the opposite of thought stopping!
Hi Karen#1, Thank you from my heart.Your posts rip the veil off this Cult because you speak Truth Reason and Experience.You are one of the laser lights.Love,Ann.
In Scientology Inc you are OWNED. Your life is not your own. The dangling carrot “freedom” is in actuality a camouflaged snare. The more you go forward, the more the noose is tightening.
Scientology Mind Fuck 101
“We will not speculate here on why this was so or how I came to rise above the bank. We are dealing only in facts and the above is a fact…”
L. Ron Hubbard
Keeping Scientology Working
Notice how he uses the word ‘we’ as if he’s representing some silent majority. He should have used the word ‘you’.
He gets one to not question him by saying “we will not speculate…” My free response is: ‘why not?’
Lastly, the statement “We are dealing only in facts…” Really? Whose?
Once he gets you to agree to his twisted logic (and that’s just a small part of the policy letter), you are well on the way to joining the ranks of the Kool-aid Club.
somewhere along the way, I went to myself, wait a minute here, why is it called Hubbard Communication Policy Letter, (HCOPL), and not Scientology Communication Policy?
Pretty soon it’ll be called DMPL or DMOB.
All I can say about Gosney is, “WHEEE!”. I do have a question for him as well: have you managed to get past two votes two years ago for The Contingency Plan yet? http://soopllc.com/blog/book-ideas/contingency-plan-eamonn-gosney/
Gee thanks, Kronomex
I’d forgotten about that story that I was writing. Wrote more here at my blog: http://eamonngosney.blogspot.com.au/2013/12/the-contingency-plan.html some time back, but somehow — with various other commitments going on — kind of got distracted. Thanks for reminding me about it, because I’ve got a bunch of other stuff that I’ll now be able to add.
Reread my question carefully. I didn’t ask if you were doing any more writing but if you have had anymore votes since 2014. A simple yes or no will suffice. Maybe you need a nerve assist to unblock the standing waves you so seem to have with your story. To quote Stan Lee, “‘Nuff said.”
Eamonn is an excellent troll. See below
We of the Church believe
That all men have inalienable rights to think freely, to talk freely, to write freely their own opinions and to counter or utter or write upon the opinions of others in this best of all possible world’s scenario, but in reality, they need to be told what to do every step of the way, as they are not self-determined enough to make the right decisions, since they don’t see the big picture like we do in their current state of “understanding.”
Fabulous article Mike. You are the true historian of Scientology. When people want to know what happened to Scientology, they will only need to read your blog to see what happened.
CALL ME is a brilliant ad
The common denominator of our society is not “survive” it is the family and family connections.
Motherhood and apple pie is not just an idiom in America, it is the quintessential element of American home life. Disconnection rips apart families. It takes children away from mothers. This is as un-American as you can get. Disconnection will destroy Scientology utterly in this country and in every society that cherish’s the life of a family.
This has hit me hard recently with my 92 mother going into hospice and having so many of her family showing up to visit or take of her – but not her grandson, my son. Why? Because he has disconnected from me and now, by extension, his grandmother. And he does it without consideration or loss.
???
Hi McCarran,My heart goes out to you.My mother in law just passed in hospice at 961/2.Now hubby and I are the oldest of our generation left.I try and make the most of each day.
I have the hear no evil see no evil and speak no evil trio but they are kitties instead of monkeys.I will think of you a lot and hope that your family still in can see the light.Love you always,Ann.
Thank you Ann. It’s times like this that a missing family member really stands out. The church of scientology and its abusive practice of disconnection stands out too but the church is so ignorant of the far reaching consequences of disconnection.
Mary ,I think they very well know the far reaching effect of disconnection , they just do not care a bit.
LRH speaking from Target Two:
“Dave – No, no, no!”
Gadfly, Why would El Con be telling Dave “no”? He shut people down, declared them and harassed them into the grave, if possible, when they disagreed with the Great El Ron.
Because he’s source of course.
And no one can talk to a source or course, this is of course, unless the source is the infamous Mr. Dwarf.
There is a word that sums up Scamology since the psychopath took over, it starts with “m” and ends with “y” and has “o” and “n” and “e” in the middle. Anything that interferes with getting more and more of the above is suppressive and has to be stamped out.
Davey’s all-time favorite song.
She said I’m sorry baby I’m leaving you tonight
I found someone new he’s waitin’ in the car outside
Ah honey how could you do it
We swore each other everlasting love
She said well yeah I know but when
We did – there was one thing we weren’t
Really thinking of and that’s money
Money changes everything
Money, money changes everything
We think we know what we’re doin’
That don’t mean a thing
It’s all in the past now
Money changes everything
They shake your hand and they smile
And they buy you a drink
They say we’ll be your friends
We’ll stick with you till the end
Ah but everybody’s only
Looking out for themselves
And you say well who can you trust
I’ll tell you it’s just
Nobody else’s money
Money changes everything
Money changes everything
We think we know what we’re doin’
We don’t pull the strings
It’s all in the past now
Money changes everything
Money changes everything
Money changes everything
We think we know what we’re doing
We don’t know a thing
It’s all in the past now
Money changes everything
Money changes everything
Money changes everything
Excellent post today Mike. Went through 3+ years of chemo with my own kid, can’t even imagine how that shut out feels, I’m so sorry. To all of those suffering thanks to disconnection, please know that many, many of us wogs stand with you, our hearts have joined your journey and we too will not rest until it’s all a bad memory.
Hi justmeteehee, You are such a shining light. I am so sorry you had to go through chemo and have all the stuff that goes with it.I admire you for touching it out.Though not in the Chemo Club yet, I have been made a member of the Radiation Club had to go five days a week for weeks.Actually talked to my machine Encore it’s real name.Smile.
At least we are out and able to seek whatever treatment we choose unlike the cos and what is thought of as on source as pertains to disease.Always enjoy your posts.Love,Ann.
Hi Ann, I’m lucky, not in the chemo club, it was my daughter at a young age… She is now hale, healthy and ready to finish college but those three years were the toughest of our lives. The thought of Mike and all those others who are kept away from loved ones who are ill is just such a barbaric and in humane part of disconnection!.
Hi justmeteehee, Oh my I never thought my sixties would have me missing important details in posts! Ann pay attention!
I am so happy your daughter is hale happy and healthy I send tons of love to you and yours.May we win all battles against cancer and so glad you post here.Love,Ann.
I was also similarly instructed by a Flag MAA (Scientology thought police) to disconnect from my cousins who were never in Scientology and never had any comments about Scientology. Those Scientologists under the radar reading these accounts should know by now NEVER to take services at Flag, or the Freewinds, any AO, public Org or Mission. Miscavige has gone berserk and as a result the entire world with an internet connection knows all about it and hates Scientology and will hate Scientology for eternity. Fact, Don’t shoot the messenger.
Your post was very well written, Mike.
But I do have an issue with the billboard itself. I showed the design to my cousin, who is a highly paid marketing guru for several major companies. He was never in Scn, but follows Tony Ortega fairly regularly. Here are his comments:
“The basic idea is good, but I think the billboard design itself sucks. Marketing midgets. Looks like a T-Mobile ad to get family rates. “Scientology” is too small and unreadable from a moving car. Waste of $9k.
“Some ideas for a better billboard off the top of my head:
“Scientology breaks up families. Is yours next?
or:
“ Ask the Leader of Scientology if breaking up your family is right for you.
Better yet…ask his Dad, and his brother, and his niece…
“Okay, last one was a bit wordy but you get the idea. You want something the media will pick up on.”
I think his comments are worth considering.
His comments may be worth considering, but they don’t convey the message the people who are putting up the billboard want to communicate TO THEIR LOVED ONES.
The idea has nothing to do with marketing, but with reaching their offspring who work near by. They don’t drive, they probably don’t even have a car.
Very good post Mike, concise and very relevant. Thank you for being here and doing what you are doing. You have all my respect and admiration.
I think that your cousin has not considered how this billboard is intended to target its market. It’s not mass marketing. It’s niche marketing to a very small set of people — people who will not be at all confused about the message when they see it.
It will not only reach the market it’s intended for but the general market will have a lot to say about it, too. I believe it’s far reaching, way beyond its intended market.
Sorry to disagree so wholeheartedly with your cousin, John Doe. I’m a marketer, and I believe the billboard is spot on. It reaches the audience, and has a succinct call to action. It also conveys in few words the emotion and love behind the message.
However, you can use your cousin’s recommendations on your own billboard. Can’t hurt, right?
For Mike and every single person here who has disconnected family members, my heart goes out to you. I hope your sons, daughters, brothers and sisters, moms and dads see the message in this billboard and call you.
Mike, of many outstanding posts here, this is one of the most meaningful.
Disconnection is evil.
“Scientology breaks up families. Is yours next?
or:
“ Ask the Leader of Scientology if breaking up your family is right for you.
Better yet…ask his Dad, and his brother, and his niece…
This would really get the cherch going with a legal action. This guy, full of ideas maybe, obviously doesn’t know his subject.
I disagree. “Scientology” might have been in smaller print but the beauty of it is, all one sees at first glance of the billboard is “CALL ME.” I personally found those words very compelling, prompting me to want to know what the rest of the sign said. That’ll be hard for even scientologists to turn away from. Then there is the pathos of it. Hard to ignore.
It has been said the opinion of a highly paid marketing guru is as good as anybody else’s but there are exceptions and this is one of them.
Okay okay, you are all making really good points. I’m telling my cousin he owes me a margarita for putting me through this, haha!
Dear Mike
Regarding the beatings you have been subjected to:
Do you have locked up ‘standing waves’ that are preventing your full recovery from injuries of long duration? A Nerve Assist could be just what you need to dissipate the un-flowing energy that is held in place and not going anywhere. To read up on the technique and steps to teach someone to perform this procedure on you:
http://www.volunteerministers.org/sites/default/files/booklets/assists-en.pdf (5.96 MB)
Are you serious?
I think he actually might be. The woo is strong in this one.
Indeed, the poo is strong in this one…
Somebody got an early start on Saint Patrick’s day celebration.
Of course!
Nerve Assists are brilliant — they really do work.
And as an auditor who interned on the Happiness Rundown (where I learned about the human virtues of Good Sportsmanship, Fairness, Kindness, Consideration, Compassion, Friendliness and Love), I believe everyone should be feeling wonderful and right at the top of their game).
Dude, it’s time for you to do the Kool-aid rundown.
Eamonn,
Does the C of $ have all your credit card numbers ?
Your not holding back are you ?
Of course!
Nerve Assists are brilliant — they really do work.
And as an auditor who interned on the Happiness Rundown (where I learned about the human virtues of Good Sportsmanship, Fairness, Kindness, Consideration, Compassion, Friendliness and Love), I believe everyone should be feeling wonderful and right at the top of their game.
Sir,
As a result of the heart attack I suffered anoxic brain damage. Is there a peer reviewed study on the repair of brain damage by nerve assists. If there isn’t I will have to dismiss your posts here as so much noise.
If nerve assists worked, for anything, doctors all over the country would be using them. The fact that they aren’t using them (most haven’t even heard of them) should give you pause for thought.
I hope that you will do a little research of your own into LRH’s “healing” claims. If he had indeed done honest scientific research you should have no trouble finding non-Scientology sources containing that research. That includes peer-reviewed studies and legitimate documentation from outside of Scientology demonstrating this research.
Also, you might to rethink suggesting Scientology “cures” to someone who has literally had his entire life ripped apart by this organization. Nerve assists are not going to do anything for the hell that Mike (and many others) have been put through.
Reminds me of the Keystone Cops, wonderful 3rd Dyn release. What are you peddling exactly?
There is no doubt in my mind, Eamonn, that assists help. But the subject is disconnection, and this doesnt help, it destroy families, friendship, and finally scientology itself. And as a matter of SP déclare, I expect only one : the SP declare of David Miscavige!
Laughter!
Come on, Mike. You’re saying you don’t want a completely useless “nerve assist” to help combat your “locked up standing waves that are preventing your full recovery”?
What in the Hell are locked up STANDING waves? And why do they keep them locked up? Are standing waves dangerous? And how can waves stand? This sounds like science fiction to me…..
LOL!
There are standing waves in physics but as Hubbard tearfully admitted to Barbara Walters on national television, “I don’t know nothin’ about physics I’m a liar, always have been.”
Were you to ask him about locked-up standing waves he would probably spin a yarn about female Navy personnel in the 1940’s behind bars without chairs to sit in.
Hi RogerHornaday, I just found your post on standing waves and I cannot stop laughing at your image of them.Thank you so much!xo,Ann.
OSD,
Locked up standing Waves are female US Navy sailors
that are in the holding cell at the Navy Brig in San Diego.
You need a key to release them for meals or court martial.
Jose, I’m calling you from San Diego. I got the key and had a blast! Really, man, thanks for the great tip! We played all kinds of games. A few of which I barely remember….
Cool,
The Navy Brig on Treasure Island ( San Francisco)
is a huge wine cellar now. Get the key to that
and we can get stoned into the next 10 lifetimes.
If you remember the 60’s you were not there.
OSD, standing waves are those ones you get in West Africa that go forever and you can just stand there and ride them. It’s in Liberia http://www.surfersvillage.com/content/robertsport-best-unknown-west-african-surf-spot
“Are you serious ?”
Yes, Mike ; he is dead serious! But it is ok ; I have already compiled and researched the “Being a Delusional” RD. Eamonn is my first candidate in my list on the pilot project. “Scientologists” like Eamonn give an even worse repute to Scn than it already has on its own. They are in TOTAL unreality. Poor souls.
Mike, I thought it was very laudable that you posted the Gosney fellows comment. I doubt that is his/or her real name.
His snarky statements show how clever these OSAbots think they are. It seems to be a fact that when God(Ron Hubbard) is on their side they can make complete asses of themselves.
Eamonn is an excellent troll. “Nerve Assist” is squirrel. It didn’t exist before Hubbs died. It might be a good procedure but would need peer review. That assumes CoS doesn’t copyright it. (joke)
Well, that’s not true. It certainly existed long before Hubbard died.
Really? I split in the early 1980s and never came across it. I’ll take your word for it and un-squirrel it.
FYI I was with LRH when he developed the Nerve Assist, in the same room and watched him do it on someone else.
🙂
Dear Eamonn,
You acknowledge Mike had been beaten during his time in scientology, yet you offer unproven, unscientific, ‘scientology cures’ for an ailment?
What’s next? Telling everyone to smoke more in order to avoid cancer?
Well of course people should smoke to avoid getting cancer! Hubbard said so, so it has to be true. I’ve already smoked two packs this morning. Cancer ain’t going to get me!
This Creed makes much more sense than any scientology creed:
https://youtu.be/6cN-FNzTbLY
And maybe top it off with a Joburg, just for old time’s sake?
🙂
Well yeah! That’s just what Mike needs to recover from Scientology…….more Scientology. SMH
I truly hope this was intended as satire.
It wasn’t.
Yes, so I see. I’d make a joke if it wasn’t so sad. All I can say is Mike is better off sitting next to his beautiful wife, cold drink in hand, watching a sunset, than he is with an “assist” of any kind.
Hope all is well in your corner of the world Gadfly. 🙂
Thanks NOLAGirl – best to you.
NOLAGirl, can I assist you in anyway? I give really good assists…
What kind of tire is a satire anyway? Are they better than Michelin’s?
No, but it’s more fun than a sad tire.
OSD I’d rather drink a Fat Tire maybe you’d join the party and we’d get snokered drinking to the end of Scientology
My favorite thing to drink to, the end of scientology! Here here!
that was funny.
you funny.
Eamonn, it sickens me to hear you presume to advise Mike on injuries you don’t even know about in order to plug scientology tech. Some might say you mean well but I’m not one of them.
Eamonn is just another bot trying to masquerade as something else.
Yo Eamonn,
I suggest you try the new GAG II Solo version of Dave’s new Nervous Assist. Take it to a full Eee Pea good buddy, you will know it when you’re on the floor twitchin!
And I think Mike had quite enough of Dave’s nerve-racking “assists” while he was in, thank you very much.
I had a nervous breakdown once. But I got assistance for it…..
I like Touch Assists and Nerve Assists … and Self Analysis Lists and hundreds of other Scientology processes. I think there is value, sometimes great value in them. Just don’t offer them to me coupled with thought control over every idea I might have on any subject and behavioral control over every aspect of my life, backed up by punishment and threat of force. (in other words, give me a touch assist, but leave out the “briefing”, ha ha)
I’d like to give Dave a touch assist. With my foot.
Stuck permanently in his tiny butt?
No, I need it to walk away.
I’d let him keep the shoe as a remembrance of your short time together…
I was planning on wearing a jackboot, but you’re right, I could just leave it behind, er, I mean in his behind. 😉
I can imagine Mike’s ‘standing waves’ loosened up every time he was speaking out. I find him quite agile kick-boxing the little emperor more and more into the corner.
Hi ka,I loved your post.I agree Mike’s ” standing waves “are standing and waving just fine. He can certainly deal with any Coser in true and quick fashion if and when warranted.I too love the image of dm being kicked boxed into a corner.Thank you.Love,Ann.
Another good post Mike.
The simplistic truth about the Scientology organisation is that it is indeed a cruel and meaningless religious organisation growing more and more corrupt. Within the church there is no self conscious recognition of their own antisocial behavior and all responsibility for their acts of increasing criminality and the creation of more and more lies are manipulated to justify that it always blames others.
There is no doubt imo there is a duality contained within the thinking process of the human mind and this is reflected intensely and magnified within the technology of Scientology, but the level of dramatization within the church is so over the top it’s criminally insane! It has morphed into an “us verses them” mentality which in scio parlance has become their stable datum. They don’t recognize they are doing cruel and insane acts to their own family and friends but since it’s what management enforces they are unable to see it let alone turn it off. Their growing stupidity fooling around with technology they don’t understand forbids self awareness. It acts like a contagious disease spreading and growing in intensity from one person to another within the ranks of the organisation. It’s easy to surmise that Scientologists are scared shit-less of life without church management. Scientology Policy has failed so miserably in application (it reads well though) that it is only Scientologists who can’t see that it doesn’t work and has never worked.
It’s impossible to fully understand the Church of Scientology because it is insane but we can at least try to contact and communicate to the individuals as individuals in it. I really hope that billboard has the desired effect for which it was created. It’s a good step in the right direction.
Oh yes, the 1st amendment it’s something I do use very often to demonstarte the total hypocrisy of the cult since 1953, since it started when LRH declared the cult as a religion, convinced by some of his that that could avoid some problems.
Well, that added more than anything else in scientology. The cult being declared civil and not religious when it is better in some countries…
Mike,
This is your most brilliant and poignant article ever.
That Flag told your son, suffering from cancer, that you didn’t care about him, and then prevented you from seeing him, from talking to him, holding him when he was gravely ill, that they this horrible lie in his mind while he was sick and vulnerable and in pain – it is too much. I don’t have any words for how bad this is.
I’m weeping inside for you, for Phil and Willie, for each of you here and elsewhere, for all who have been victims of the cult’s soul-less treachery.
Mike,
On October 13, 2011, I was hospitalized for pneumonia and had a heart attack two days later. This has effected my memory, speech, and motor skills. I was so bad off initially that arrangements were made to have my remains cremated and buried at the Fort Snelling National Cemetery.
I was actually unconscious for a month and it was a shock when I woke up in an ambulance when being transferred from one hospital to another. My Mom was in the ambulance and has supported me throughout this time. That CoS has blocked you from contacting your son is simply beyond the pale.
Wait, pneumonia? Did you read OT3 before you were ready for it? 😛
She must have, TrevAnon!!! My God! Reading OT III before you’re ready is a death sentence! This is really serious! When I read OT III after I had left the cult, I almost died…..of laughter. Really, I laughed myself silly! I couldn’t even breathe!
She?
Hi TrevAnon, It is good to meet you.I was following your post about OT3 and to that irrepressible surfer who makes me laugh.Your post reminded me that even though I did not stay in Sea Org to get to the OT levels,I was around many SOers who were on them or had done them.
A person I was very very close to freaked out on OT3 he was so scared of getting pneumonia and dying he would burst into tears.All I could do was be there.This person was up in the SO and otherwise was extremely On Source or appeared so when I was KoolAided to the max.But OT3 really messed with him.
So in the end it was a blessing I did not get to them the way I am wired I shudder to think what might have happened to me otherwise. I enjoy your posts.Love,Ann.
“Wogs just don’t understand we’re clearing the planet and like it or not we have to get anybody off our lines who isn’t on-purpose with that star-high goal. We’re fighting a war and the whole universe is at stake!!!”
I speculate this to be the rationale of the standard Hubbardite who is by definition morally and intellectually diminished. The billboard stands as a great beacon of light because it doesn’t express its indictment in words. It merely points to a truth most people, including scientologists, know about. Nobody can argue with it and it has emotional clout. It’s a PR disaster for the CoS.
Mike Rinder, good post, good points. I love that billboard sign, and hope it gets put up as planned, we know to what lengths the Church of Scientology will go to try to stop it. I also really feel for you, knowing that you have children still in the group who are disconnected from you, I’m sure it must be so very hard for you, and others who are in the same situation, sad, upsetting and painful, and hope someday soon you will be able to see them and talk to them again. We all hope for that day when parents and children are reunited.
Great article. I hope Phil Jones includes it in the http://stopscientologydisconnection.com/ site.
Church of Scientology’s Creed: “All men have inalienable rights to think freely, to talk freely, to write freely their own opinions and to counter or utter or write upon the opinions of others.”
Taken from The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 19: “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.”
The CoS has painted their façade with altruistic paint to deceive. They have the effrontery to call themselves humanitarians when having some very inhumane doctrines and practices like disconnection and the RPF. As Hubbard did and with his policies enforced, any critic or even questioning of their doings gets squelched or covered up with PR.
Great post, Mike. So well written.
Mike you are right .. I gave force on the Creed of a Scientologist .. but did end up as an declared SP .. my free speech brought me in this state .. one of it was to say that David Miscavige looks to me as an idiot .. and I am not willing to follow such a guy .. never ..
Per LRH there are 25% of human beings who follow SPs and are therefore PTS .. and only 2,5% of them are real SPs .. and this guys are PTS to themselves .. there are some real SPs around .. the basic point in all works fom LRH is .. you may not met an real SP yourself .. you get in transfer to him through the PTS person .. which means the PTS shares the meaning of the SP .. and acts like a SP .. what PTSness is .. you are in one way or another connected to an real SP ..
You are then exposed fom the church per LRH with the Sources of Trouble policy .. but you should not find a high percentage of people who did fit into this .. because you can handle PTSness easily ..
LRH says that a PTS went into the valence of the suppressor .. very good, because one lost a viewpoint and found not a new one after .. so it is PTS and in valence of the SP ..
Declaring somebody as a SP needs some work .. if you do it right in the senses of LRH you can everybody clear .. because a SP is basically PTS to himself .. LRH said you can crack that only on Power processing .. maybe ..
I will not be the auditor who takes David Miscavige on Power processing .. so that he can find out of himself and all his bullshit he did in his maniac .. to find out that he is PTS to himself .. which is the only definition from LRH for an SP .. and this definition seems right to me .. maybe it is my own analysis about all this balderdash what LRH gave us about SPs .. scientology is basically a PTS production machine .. it means, if you do not follow LRH rules .. you are an SP .. that’s all ..
“… one of it was to say that David Miscavige looks to me as an idiot…” There you make a dangerous error. Miscavige is anything but an idiot. He is a dangerous psychopath, willing to do anything to anyone in order to protect his turf. He’s been quite clever for much of his reign and the group, as a whole, defends him totally. He makes great use of fear and will use punishment of all kinds in order to keep the herd in fear of him should they even *think* of any kind of revolt. Hubbard was himself so fearful, he went into total seclusion, terrorized that his mistakes would take him into prison. At his worst, he was a minor player in the long run. (That does not in any way excuse his errors and crimes.) Misavige, however, is made of much tougher stuff and will hang in until it’s clear that he no longer has any chance. My bet is that he has a number of escape routes planned, multiple passports and surely more than enough money lodged in many locations to keep him living high off the hog for the rest of his days. I would not doubt, either, that there are multiple homes already awaiting him should the situation turn totally dark. At the moment, he has most governments – including the US – totally at bay. He will sacrifice anyone and anything to keep his freedom
Every time you say, “per LRH,” “LRH says,” or similar such things, the following statements are severely compromised. Just try to imagine trying to make your presentation while relying only on corroborating sources other than LRH. Single sourcing these kind of things is simply a terrible idea.
You’re right. As LRH says, “WHAT I SAY IN THESE PAGES HAS ALWAYS BEEN TRUE, IT HOLDS TRUE TODAY, IT WILL STILL HOLD TRUE IN THE YEAR 2000 AND IT WILL CONTINUE TO HOLD TRUE FROM THERE ON OUT.”
Sorry, I couldn’t resist. 😉
Per LRH, you’re very CI.
I find it very useful when I’m at my favorite diner to use counter intention.
I love it when I get ‘counter attention’ from one of the pretty waitresses….
I have been a daily reader of Mike’s blog for a year now, this is the first time I am making a comment on any blog.
This is one of your best blog’s Mike, thank you!
I have lost a son now for a year and the church has made an enemy out of me. Clearly Pissed Off is my husband and he has been on here many times. I have had enough and will do anything in my power to stop disconnection. It is such an absolute hypocrisy! I have actual evidence (an email) whereby my loved ones (I have lost my whole family as well, not just my son) were ORDERED to disconnect from me and this is 4 YEARS before I was actually declared, and during this time, we were onlines trying to “handle” our situation with the church, by going through grueling sec-checks & a comm-ev. My son disconnected from us a year ago, BUT we were only declared this January. I actually had an MAA tell me that we could no longer even have ties with nieces and nephews who are non-Scn, but whose parents are declared (family members on husband’s side). It is absolutely insane. I felt as though I was going through a real nightmare. On the one hand I could not communicate with my whole family (who are in) and we also could not communicate with husband’s family (who were declared), in one fell swoop we had NO family on either side.
We are trying everything in our power to find our son (who has changed his phone # and moved) and get some sort to communication to him. The only thing going for us, is that he is not in the SO but is on staff at an Org.
It blows my mind how evil they are. But people are rising up as we have had enough of the criminality.
Thanks LMS. Nice to have you here 🙂
Hi Lost My Son, A pleasure to meet you.I could not have kids this life,your post made my eyes well up.Thank you for what you wrote.May all who have been broken or hurt by cos in anyway find true light and peace.I will think of you each day.Love,Ann.
Thanks Ann. I always enjoy your posts and your support is very much appreciated.
Wow. This past January you were declared? That recently. I thought the church was backing down a bit from the insanity of declared SP’s. I have several friends and are quietly “done” with the church but are known to be communicating with SP’s and known to have read the internet who are not declared.
Thanks to you and your husband for sticking to your guns and fighting the fight against this vile “church” and its abusive practice of enforced disconnection.
Nope, at the end of 2014 my oldest son’s in-laws were declared because they were “inactive” and “connected to SPs”. They did not even have the courtesy of being contacted by the church, just declared. So in addition to our 2 families being disconnected from us, we then had to disconnect from other sons in-laws and in fact, they also wanted us to disconnect from this son. We got into a situation of “Sophies Choice”. So the declare situation is very much alive and well in the COS. That was the last straw – to have to also disconnect from one of our sons who has never been in Scn. The connections just went on and on……being 2 old Scn families from way back when, it was endless………truly mind-boggling.
.
Horrible. I am truly sorry for the pain and suffering you and your family have had to deal with. Glad you are fighting back.
LMS and my recent declare could have something to do with the fact that we have “friends” in high places, within the cult. I get the feeling that INT or Gold or whatever they are called, have kept this disconnection policy strongly in place. It is not because of my son who works in some lowly org. Plus, our SP family and friends are REALLY well known SPs. Screw them all….
CPO and LMS,
You are in MUCH better company out here among the SPs!
“SPs R Us.” They have a huge store in downtown L.A. You can get anything related to Suppressiveness you want! I bought a darts kit with the dwarf as the target. In his underwear. Crying like a little girl.
Welcome to the blog 🙂 it’s nice to see you here. *hugs* Wishing for a speedy resolution to your disconnection from your son… stay strong and determined, knowing you are in the right and believe it will have a positive outcome. We’re on your side. Love, T.J.
Thanks so much T.J. it is great to have so much support. We will win!
Sorry you were subjected to that treatment. If it is any comfort, you are not alone. I consider Mike’s blog and it’s denizens to be my group therapy. It was only after I got declared did I realize how much the church suppresses your communication.
The church has gone quite mad on the subject of disconnection. Delusions of grandeur, is the only explanation. When I was declared they issued PTS Ethics Orders on non-Scientologists that were connected to me.
Here is something to consider, which may seem obvious, but since you are no longer oppressed by the church mafia, you can communicate with ANYONE you want, whether they are on their list or not. They can no longer control you, so take advantage of it. Don’t empower their Stasi social engineering fear campaign. Fuck ’em.
Thank you Lost My Son and clearlypissedoff for your reports about the cruel, insane, inhumane and abusive executions of the disconnection policy perpetrated by the Church of Scientology.
“I actually had an MAA tell me that we could no longer even have ties with nieces and nephews who are non-Scn.” Unbelievable!
I like to ask everyone to report their story of disconnection on Phil’s site (http://stopscientologydisconnection.com/ ):
Your Story
There are many stories of those who have suffered the abuse of Scientology Disconnection. We’d love to hear yours.
Please enter your story below and we’ll publish it:
I’ve the idea that there could be a similar list like http://whyweprotest.wikia.com/wiki/Former_Church_of_Scientology_members_who_have_spoken_out
to show everyone with one click to what extent the Church of Scientology is destroying families with the inhumane disconnections. They shouldn’t get away anymore with their PR-drivel about “voluntary” and “other religions”. There need to be headlines and warnings like “Church of Scientology is Destroying Families with Disconnection”, warning the public at large.
Thanks KA, yes we will put our story on Phil’s disconnection site and everyone who has experienced this should do so as well. People will see that billboard and go to the website, so it’s very important. Hopefully media outlets will do the same. Phil has now made it easy to do when you go on the website.
Boy oh boy… that’s quite the ordeal, what an insane situation… and they disconnected you from your son before you were even declared???!!! My heartfelt wishes that the Cof$ gets disbanded quickly and you get your family back asap.
I long for the day I get the rest of my family out of that insanity factory of a church too. What day that will be…
Thank you for posting this LMS. You and your family will be in my heart and I will continue to hope for re-connection for your family and all families suffering from this toxic policy.
I hope you and your husband will continue to speak out. The more stories that are out there, the better. You may not know us all but please know that you have a ton of support in this community. You have the truth on your side and it is a powerful weapon. *hugs*
LMS, I know your husband. We’ve communicated via email more than a few times. As with everyone here, we hope your son wakes up soon. The destruction of families must come to an end.
Yes, welcome. It’s only a matter of time before the Cof $ implodes on itself due to all the internal insanity. In the meantime, hang in there, be strong, and do not give up hope!
Hi Mike, If I read today’s post correctly, I am very empathetic towards your son & cancer. So tough cancer in or out of any religion or any part of life for that matter.I will think of him and hope he can get out and heal,heal,heal! Admiration & love to you both,thank you for another thought provoking post.Ann.
Excellent post Mike. Thank you again.
Hi petlover 1948, You are a hero to me and your adult kids too.I just thought would it not be great if one could just throw a bucket of water on hypothetically the OT8 father and all cos would just melt away instantly! Like that old witch in Oz-land.Love,Ann.
Ann, you always have such good suggestions! Wouldn’t we all love to see the Wicked Witch of The Orgs just disappear in his own bubble of steam??? LOL
This is not a church, nor a religion, and is not in any sense of the word humanitarian. This is an organization of hate and hypocrisy with a shiny veneer of PR and false statistics.
Perfectly said – with one addition – not only is it not a religion, it’s not even a good business.
Scientology is a cross between Jonestown and the Mafia…
Excellent column. As always. Thank you.
Hey DM,
I stayed away from your cult for 34 years, after blowing the S.O. I didn’t read one page of a book, a bulletin, a policy letter – nothing. I had family that were still heavily involved, but I let them carry on and didn’t even read anti-SCN blogs or books. I was just living a normal, happy “wog” life. Even when my son joined staff, due to influence from in-laws, and although I was wary of the decision, I allowed his free speech and free thought. What I remembered of SCN, before you took over, it was tolerable, but little did I know how you turned this cult into such an evil, staff-punching, family-hating group of thugs.
Now, I haven’t heard from my son in a year. His motivation, for this disconnection, was because I had “SP” friends and family. He moved, changed his phone number, removed me as a friend on Facebook – he basically removed himself entirely from his entire family, completely. His last communication to my wife and I described what horrible parents we are and how we attempted to stop everything he ever wanted to do in life.
David – you haven’t heard the end of me. You took someone who had little interest in the cult, to someone who wakes up every day trying to think of ways to see your evil ship sink. I have come to the conclusion that the only way for my son to ever communicate to me again, is for your cult to go down.
So, your cult will be hearing from me David. Your disconnection policies have given you the gift of 1,000’s of enemies. It is going to come back to haunt you, you evil, little man.
Hi Clearlypissedoff
I am in a similar situation and feel the same way.
The billbord is a good step.It is already picked up by media.
A Clearwater billboard would be good too and I will contribute to that.
“Wogs” don’t care about Xenu.But many of the young people from Anonymous protested against family destruction.
Seems disconnection could be the 2016 nail in scientology’s coffin.
The faster this evil money grabbing cult disappears the sooner they have their lives back.And we have out family back.
2015 was the best ever year for implosion of the money cult.Lets hope the numbers from the Dolby and Valley indicate that 2016 will even be better.
I’m sorry to hear of that you are in a similar situation as me. We’ll get ’em, and hopefully 2016 will be the year. I’ve got a very good idea that will further harm the church’s reputation and I hope in a big way. The plan is to announce it in the next few weeks.
It will have “screw you, DM” written all over it.
Can’t wait to hear about your idea, CPO! May your son wake up this year.
A truly heart felt statement, CPO. My heart goes out to you. I was fortunate in that one of my dearest friends, for whom I had a lot of love, left about the same time I did. We quickly reconnected and remained close friends for decades. Now she’s my beloved mate. (I’m a low mover at times!) I can only hope that your son comes to his senses and leaves him realizing what true friendship and love actually means.
It is so nice to hear of a good story coming out of the church. So glad for you and your wife! Lost My Son and I met and got married in the SO and left at the same time. My problem is I just can’t shake that cult out of my life!
Same here, CPO, hard to shake off.
Clearlypissedoff
Your thoughts and intentions are echoed by many more people everyday. Your numbers are growing far faster than new people join the cult. And, every single disconnection from inside the cherch creates multiple enemies outside the cherch. It’s tick tock for David Miscavige and the cult of greediness and meanness.
Wonderful post, CPO! I wonder if the cult wrote the script he read over the phone. It wouldn’t surprise me one bit.
Totally agree, Mike. Scientology exists solely for the sake of Scientology. Members are simply resources to be consumed to achieve the continuance of Scientology. Once they are no longer considered valuable, or have become too troublesome, they are discarded…no, not simply discarded, destroyed.
If that’s how they treat their own, imagine how they would treat the general public if they had the opportunity? God forbid.
This group has no moral compass and is a public menace.
I’ll go one step further stat…..scientology exists soley for David Miscavige and Tom Cruise.
Once real scientologists recognize and admit that, they will hopefully wake up and LEAVE.
Save their money, go independent.
The dam has too many holes now. Miscavige no longer has enough fingers to plug all of them.
Sure, COB can throw money and lawyers at a problem, but they can’t stop the stampede of members as they run for the exits.
No its not. The “Creed”, while technically “scripture” is PR. The most fundamental document which underpins Scientology is KSW. Further, one will find within Scientology tech the bald statement that “A truly Suppressive Person or group has no rights of any kind and actions taken against them are not punishable.” (cf: Hubbard Communications Office Policy Letter, 1 March 1965, HCO (Division 1) “Ethics, Suppressive Acts, Suppression of Scientology and Scientologists”) That simple statement completely negates the creed and shows it for what it is – PR.
I agree, slightly revised the wording of this to say “the Creed is presented as the most…”
I’ve read so many stories where someone tried to take the creed as gospel in the face of policies or command intention that ran against it. None of those stories ever ended well.
The most fundamental document just happens to be whatever writings of L Ron Hubbard that explain away the crimes being leveled at the church at that given moment. In other words, they always have something to point to by Hubbard that magically makes Scientology right. One of the worst slams against the subject Scientology is to use the subject of Scientology itself to hurt people and then lie about it. No quicker way to turn an entire planet against the works of L Ron Hubbard, deserved or not. Isn’t that right Dave Miscavige?
Er, ah, well… I don’t understand the question.
Er, ah, well…..I’m impressed! You speak a little Martian. My Martian is still very rusty…
David Miscavige is a crook who has twisted Scientology
into his own personal “Golden Cow”
My thoughts are he should face justice and be sent up the river
so far that when he looks out the window of his prison cell
he see’s Eskimos and Polar Bears.
Ain’t that the cold truth.
And that truth is making me shiver…..
Perhaps you should join The FreezeZone.
I tried once to join, but, they left me out in the cold.
I couldn’t because I soon reached the boiling point.
Wow! You hit the boiling point? I’m impressed! I guess that means you’ll be joining the HotZone. I hear they have some unbelievable parties….
Nailed it, Mike. Great article.
$cientology is an evil criminal organization that pretends to be a church, so they can steal more money.
I have a question. I’m always bemused by the spokespersons that lie about the practice of disconnection by citing the fact that scientology considers family important as the “second dynamic” of its beliefs. From what I understand, the first dynamic is “keep scientology working.” Is this essentially saying, as policy, that scientology should come before family?
Emily, scientology comes before everything.
Truer words were never spoken. Gadfly. Emily, NOTHING comes before Scientology. Not your family. Not your friends. When you join, you will be expected to hand over massive amounts of money. And your time, won’t be your own….
The only reason the church considers the 2nd Dynamic important is how it will benefit them. Like getting your spouse on the Bridge (lots of money), and getting your kids to join the Sea Org. Other than that, the church uses a parishioner’s 2nd Dynamic against them. It’s leverage they can use to get you to do something you would not normally (or ethically) do.
Perfectly said, Statpush.
I have wondered a couple of times before, why excios or scios who think they are disenfrenchised, do not use the “creed of a scientologist” as their defense or rights in their arguments or battles with the church?
Stick the creed in DMs face!
Dio
I did just that but one cannot speak out against management or david miscavige (as the main example that applies here) as that overrides The Creed.
The Creed is, in fact, “provable bullshit” as far as the church goes. It’s just pretty words that the church likes to put out there for PR but it’s a lie.
You’d think it would be a good idea. The problem is that they have that line of reasoning covered. Every single one of those people have to go through Mike Ellis (by their own rules), and the only thing that Mister Two Tons Of Fun is allowed to say is, “How does this apply to doing your A To E and getting back into good standing with the church?”
There is no appeals process to reverse an SP Declare. It’s a Kangaroo Supreme Court, now without the court part, since SP Declares are issued without any due process. Remember the mass declares in South Africa in late 2013? It started off with innuendo from one person, then a second person made the decision to declare everyone, without CommEvs, arguments for the accused, or anything resembling the supposed 36 steps of “Scientology Justice”. What has that led to? Essentially, South African Scientology is decimated forever, with the DeBeers having absolute power over their shrinking fiefdom and Arbitraries Restored at their whim or on the orders of their dread master in Hemet. And our Shelley’s mother, Rhona Smit, a woman who worked with Ron in the 50s and who no one ever had a bad word about, died on a plane in large part due to the stress of being caught in the middle of Disconnection between a daughter in and a daughter declared.
The cult is doubling down on Leader Of Anonymous Tommy Davis’ infamous CNN declaration that there is no Disconnection. It’s the last real public pronouncement that the cult has had on the policy, and it can’t be contradicted in any way, shape, or form. They were too impotent to do anything about Larry Wright or Alex Gibney, but they can try to pick on two parents who just want to hear from their kids. We’ve seen that a lot, going after parents like the Joneses and the Goldbergs and numerous others, who don’t have the resources to fight back. They only fight back against the minnows of the world, behaving like the Big Swinging Dicks they think themselves to be.
I’m nervous that the billboard can go up. Nine days is a lot of time. I’m hoping the billboard company has Caller ID and won’t answer the phone if they see who’s calling. I’m also hoping that the yo-yos don’t do something stupid like send Sea Borg or OTC Committee members to picket the company. Actually, no, I’m hoping that they do do something like that. That will get some nice mainstream press. The cult is constantly carrying a loaded pistol and can’t resist aiming it at the nearest foot.
I feel the same, nine days is a lot of time.
And yes, scientology in South Africa collapsed. It never recovered from the mass declares which included some very generous whales! It is dead, I’m pleased to say.
Talk about shooting themselves in the foot! “They” are professionals.
No wonder DM doesn’t want to step foot in South Africa. And those guys don’t mess around.
Yesterday, South Africa….. Tomorrow, THE WORLD! Cheer up.
Hi Espiando, Thank you for another informative and interesting post.I will add the lady who passed on a plane to my list of those so harmed by cos that leaving this life is easier on them than the stress of hanging around.If I may add I can be one stubborn lady when I choose and I feel you too,so dm and all you OSA lurkers-We two are still here,and we are still kicking your butts! Love U.Ann.
I used this defense at my Comm Ev and the closest I got to a response was something like “Yes, you have the right to speak, write, read anything you want, but WE reserve the right not to accept you as a member.”
In the twisted mind of the Kool Aid drinker this makes perfect sense.
Stick the Creed in DM’s face….after being pulled out of a fresh cow pie.
excellent post, as usual…..recently some of my adult kids tried to reunite w/their OT 8 father…He spoke a little, & then ran back to the Org. He had told them he was leaving Staff. What a crock! He spent about 3 weeks @ Flag “to route off of staff.” Such a lie! they just got him for even more $ (never helped his kid’s get an education.) and he is still on staff and totaly brain-fried to be @ his Org constantly
So he just turned his back on his own children? How sick and degraded. And he sounds like a born liar…
Well, his OT8 Mother is definitely a pathological liar! One who believes their own lies. I am over 10 years divorced since theo cult told him to leave me as I am declared. I cannot get over it. I have an excellent therapist though. I am SP because I asked him to not be @ the Org everyday & night.
Petlover, it sounds like he’s a Kool-Aid junkie with a ‘jones’ on.
you know it! Brain fried and unable to even communicate properly