Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath is back tonight. It is the first episode of Season 3 — though it is a “special”. There is another “Special” coming next Sunday night (18 November) and then the season proper begins on 27 November.
Tonight’s special episode is at 9pm on A&E. It covers the Jehovah’s Witnesses. We felt an obligation to the MANY former Jehovah’s Witnesses who reached out to us letting us know of the pain they had suffered — many of which are eerily similar to the experiences of former scientologists. They did not have a voice like Leah to speak on their behalf. Tony Ortega has an excellent piece about the show on his blog this morning.
I want to thank the contributors who stepped forward to tell their stories on the show — they are brave people willing to expose their pain to the world in order to try to put an end to abuses of others. And a special thank you to my friend Lloyd Evans who has been a very vocal advocate for victims of JW abuses for years, and who helped mightily in getting this show to come together. Without him I doubt this would have been pulled off.
Tune in and let us know what you think.
The show was FANTASTIC. You and Leah are shining a bright light on another destructive cult, the similarities are frightening. The isolation these poor people have dealt with, the loss of family…please continue your good work!
I will never see these folks on the streets the same anymore. That you for revealing this, These elders or men at the top are super creepy. These doctrines are super sicko.
Insanity is a word that comes to mind. You guys are doing God’s work. Christianity is having a hard enough time these days without JWs adding to the problem.
Kudos for this very important revelation.
Amy and I just watched the show regarding the JWs. OMG!!! Powerful. Informative. I wish the whole world would watch it and get educated on the danger of cults. People need to understand what a cult is BEFORE they get lured into the control of a cult.
It appears to be the only thing to prevent pain and heartache and losing one’s sensibilities. Education.
I’m so appreciative of the JW’s that came forward to do this episode and to Leah and Mike and A & E. They are saving lives.
I lived next door to a family of JW’s and thought it always odd that they would never socialize with us as our other neighbors would. They would have big barbeques but we were never invited-strange. Now I understand. Thanks for the show, opened my eyes.
Mike, enjoyed the program tonight – haven’t finished it yet but the first hour was really great stuff.
Could the Aftermath foundation work to help people wanting to leave the JWs, too? We signed up as being willing to help someone in our area who needed help leaving the sea Org or Scientology in general but we’d like to help JWs too, or anyone who needs to be shown love and compassion when leaving a cult and starting their life anew.
I refuse to spend an eternity with the zealous followers of any religion that claims to be the only way.
Exactly! I have always thought that. There’s a million paths, all fine, as long as no abuse and manipulation occurs.
Sorry for the off topic but am just hoping anyone from this blog who lives on the west coast is out of harms way.
Same here. Those fires are terrifying even on TV. Has anyone heard from OSD? Beginning to worry. I wish you ex’s has never taught me the word “natter”. I caught myself using it. ?
That’s the only scientology word I really like! Lol. I love to natter about scientology.
I believe Mike said yesterday he is fine but can’t comment. Something about him being technically challenged. Lol. They tried to resolve it but couldn’t. He may need a new device. We all love and miss ya OSD! ☺?
Yes. I was thinking of OSD too but didn’t want to say anthing
AS I am an x JW … I want to say that I appreciate what you did Mike and Leah. I’ve been openly spoke about all the ideas I had in my head so this really covers most of my adolescent truly.
Keep up the great work!
I am really looking forward to the new series and to see the “church” squirm some more! When will this be available in the UK or on Amazon Prime?x
U.K. times are Sunday 18th at 7pm on crime and investigation channel. Sky 156 or 835
This is completely off topic, but has anyone reached out to ‘Old Surfer Dude’? He’s been uncharacteristically quiet for quite some time.
I have been in touch with him. He has been having difficulty posting. I do not know what changed or why and have not been able to resolve it with him. He claims he is technically challenged…
Wana bet he spilled a glass of merlot over his keyboard? Good to hear he’s OK.
Phew. Thank you for letting us know.
Thank you, Mike. I’m relieved to hear he is alright.
Isn’t it amazing? And doesn’t it show how far away from Scientology we who read this blog are (either because we were never in or have left)? Only a very few of us have even met or talked to OSD in person, yet we all not only notice his absence but actually CARE about him and his welfare. Definitely NOT KSW!
OSD, you rascal you! We’re all mentally tracking and mother-henning and clucking around here wondering what the Sam Hill happened to you and if you’re OK…now, stop this nonsense immediately and call home and let us know you’re safe and well!, and that’s an order, Young Man! 🙂
We miss you, OSD.
We may need to organize a search party Aqua.
Hey OSD, send us a smoke signal dude!
Your buddy,
Newcomer
And we all know what the source of the (THC) smoke signal will be. We miss you OSD!
Good luck with the show! (Or should I be all theatrical, and say “break a leg”? Nah.) 😉
Thank you so much for this. As a former JW, I’ve watched every episode and had a strange mix of emotions ranging from identifying with what some of the people speaking out have experienced to joy that someone is shining a light on a hurtful cult to appreciation that my kids can kind of understand better what it was like for me growing up, to sadness and anger that there was nobody to speak up for JWs. I firmly believe that whatever you have done, it will be well researched, accurate, and due to your past work, will be believed by those who watch it. Thank you for branching out and shining a light on cults other than your own, from the bottom of my heart.
Just to let you know, you and other exJW who comment here or on other sites are heard. And understood.
(like e.g. also here Lloyd Evans with Chris Shelton: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpVKMj5Sm04 )
Wish you all the best!
another exscn. 🙂
Pluvo, you must also be aware of Jonathon Streeter, an ex Mormom, who is one of “The Three Apostates’ (so named by Chris). He, Lloyd and Chris occasionally get together for a session to highlight both the differences (which are few) and the similarities among the three cults. Enjoyable, enlightening, and Funny! (e.g., Sensibly Speaking Podcast #106: The Three Apostates)
Thank you Belynda. I’ve gotta check this out.
Are any of you familiar with the Gospel Hall? I was raised in this fundamentalist religion and from my earliest memories, told I was on my way to hell. Hell was vividly described.I would like to see an investigation of this group and would find it helpful to have contact with other adult survivors.
Just from a sincerity aspect, it’s about time that religion of all denominations begin to come clean and/or be exposed about the abusive practices within their ranks. Exposure such as what Leah, Mike et al are doing, while heartbreaking has finally given a chance for the suffocated victims to breathe some fresh air.
Religious abuse has many aspects but Wikipedia has a good summary:
“Religious abuse is abuse administered under the guise of religion, including harassment or humiliation, which may result in psychological trauma. Religious abuse may also include misuse of religion for selfish, secular, or ideological ends such as the abuse of a clerical position.”
Pure evil is found in so many religions. If your “eternity” is ever threatened by a religious body while you are being subject to any kind of misery, then it is a sure sign that you are a victim of a con, a cult, or a dictatorship. Stand up and fight back.
The internet has been a wonderful gift in shining the light of day on all those abusers hiding in religions. I am so happy to know that these abusers are worried, because guess what you creeps?… The world is coming for you and it is only a matter of time.
I get what you mean, but people talk about “your eternity being at risk” all the time. Muslims generally believe Christians like me are at risk of eternally being a charcoal briquette, and many forms of Buddhist faith would say I was condemned to the cycle of reincarnation, never to achieve Nirvana.
What I am interested in seeing is if Jehovah’s Witnesses make the abuse a matter of policy. There is a difference between some jerk in a clerical collar being a jerk and someone being demanded by policy to be wicked. The first is all but unavoidable since people are fallen and act like jerks, but the latter is where Scientology shows its true colors.
Omegapaladin, the short answer is, yes, abuse is policy-driven in the JW’s.
I’ve never heard a Buddhist say anything like that. And it’s true, I think all religions are a bit cultish. I heard a comedian say, the difference between a religion and a cult is it’s a religion if the founder is dead, and a cult if their not….lol……..but there have been atrocities and brain washing in most religions….everyone wants to be right, and the best way to be right is have a bunch of people agreeing with you, that your religion is really the “right one”…….
As a person born into the cult of Jehovah’s Witnesses, I am overjoyed to see Leah and Mike take on the JW’s in this show. Shining a bright light on the despicable practices and policies of the JW’s is long overdue. Lloyd Evans (aka John Cedars) has long been shining a light on them through his You Tube channel and the website JWsurvey.com, but this primetime show on A&E is the ticket to freedom perhaps for many people in the cult who have doubts about the religion, as well as educating people not in the JW’s about the reality of the religion beyond the image of nicely dressed well mannered people showing up on a Saturday morning to talk about the Bible.
Exposing the policies that protect child molesters, policies that break up families and contribute to suicides and even in some cases murder, policies that treat victims of sex abuse as the perpetrator of a sin rather than the abuser, policies that demean women, force women to remain in abusive and violent relationships, exposing these is extremely important. It is very sad to me that the majority of JW’s have no idea of the reality of the impact their religion is having on people in a profoundly negative way. Most of these people are good people, who if they were able to see what is happening in a rational objective manner, they would be as outraged as those of us on the outside. Unfortunately, anything that is critical of the Watchtower organization is instantly labeled as “apostate” and they’re forbidden to read or view the material or risk being punished themselves. This isolation from the reality is slowly becoming less effective however, with the internet brimming with excellent information, like Lloyd’s channel on You Tube, Paul Grundy’s website JWFacts.com, and many more. Now, adding this show to the ever growing amount of good information there is always more and more hope that people will regain their critical thinking skills and awaken from the undue influence the Watchtower organization and the 7 men who lead it, the Governing Body wield over them. Thank you for doing the show generally, and this episode especially.
EXJW Thank you for enlightening me of this. I had no clue until recently. I’m glad Leah is doing it! And so grateful for what her and Mike are doing exposing scientology!
ExJW Jon, I had no idea. I will definitely be watching the show tonight.
Way to Go Leah & Mike and all the powers that be, who created the show. Freedom from oppression is something everyone deserves.
EXCELLENT!!!!!
To all of the apologists:
“Any system of religion that has anything in it that shocks the mind of a child, cannot be true.”
Thomas Paine
Yes! So accurate
Well, Thomas Paine said a lot of things that would shock the mind of a child…
Any religion that has David Miscavige as the leader cannot be valid.
Leah and Mike should do a spoof on Saturday Night LIve with the “church lady” (Dana Carvey) as the auditor and they are PC’s getting Sec Checked.
Yes and I think South Park should have another crack at them.
I saw the episode recently! ROFL!
I love church lady! This would be beyond awesome! Hilarious ?
And to add some additional flavor to the show, bring back Eddie Murphy to take on the dual roles of Louis Farrakhan and Tony Muhammad.
? Too funny Scribe
I will find this interesting, as I saw JW creep into my extended family in the 90s. Now there’s a good number of them in my family ranks. And I was the one smart enough to avoid them, but stupid enough to join SCN. Blah.
Yeah I hear you. I too signed up for the Scientology experience believing at the time I was helping mankind as well putting myself in a position where I could actually make a positive difference in & for life. Geezers… what a fuck up that turned out to be!
Looking forward to tonight’s episode. I know someone who was dating a JW….he is although divorced, a Catholic….she could not associate with him once “her friends” found out “he” would never convert to becoming a JW. She follows to a point the JW doctrine, but isn’t fully into it all. Her daughter opted “out” of JW once she grew up. The local JW have a nice building locally, once a year they have their big Mega Week end at the local Arena….thousands attend from pretty far away, many of them are Hispanic/Latino…& they all dress to the 9’s & flood the local Wal Mart on their “lunch or rest breaks”. She has said Yes “shunning/disconnection” is one of their accepted practices like some strict Amish & strong Christian religion who won’t associate with agnostics etc.
It is what it is, sadly for those still deeply in…I don’t think COS is going to completely disappear other than shrink when the older ones die off..those “born in…will remain loyal until they receive their wake up call.
In my first year of college two pretty girls suckered me to a house party one night. After arriving I discovered it was the JW cult trying to snare me in. Happily I saw through their bullshit and left. Sadly, a couple years later the cult of scillentology did sucker me in. Embarrassing how I had the wisdom to avoid the first vampire but not the next.
Please continue to pour the light of truth on it all Mike and Leah.
The second one “got your ruin” and introverted you on it, ruined you with it and then said that they are the only thing that will handle it. Strong stuff.
Funny fact is I had no ruin whatsoever. Life was good and I wasn’t looking for any help. But I got talked into attending a lecture after which everyone had to do a drill called TR0. 10 minutes into the drill I exteriorized with full perception and I learned how to maintain the state. I was reminded how truly great and able I am and thought I’d found real truth. Sadly, no further truths were revealed even though I spent so, so much money and time wallowing around on “the bridge”.
I had a similar experience, Glenn. It reminds me of someone who tries a drug for the first time and gets an incredible high. Then they spend the rest of their lives trying to attain that same level of high from the first time they ever did drugs. It never happens again even with the larger and larger dosages. That is how people spend money and their lives going up the Bridge searching for that first high.
ctempster. What was your experience? Was it while doing TR0 too?
And kept ruining you, over and over, cuz yeah, you’re just not as OT as you wanna be and you have such super powers locked up that need to be released so the real you can be fantastic and better than everyone else on the planet!!!!! Hell to the yeah!!!!!
Ever since I saw your interview with him I’ve been following Lloyd on his vlog (aka John Cedars) and it’s been a real education. His rebuttals of the shameless JW broadcasts are both insightful and enlightening and quite often humerous. Any previous views I held of this organization simply being a rather benign and harmless religion have been thoroughly disabused thanks to his efforts. It’s also fascinating to observe so many parallels with scientology in their manipulative behaviour over their respective flocks. Been so looking forward to this union – so much more honourable than that diabolical one between scn and the NOI.
If Jesus were around today, he would most likely have this to say about the JWs: “These are not my witnesses.”
I am a BIG Lloyd Evans fan.please people after the show tonight and go to YouTube to follow Llyd at his John Cedars channel. Also go to Patreon to support if you can. His work is as important in the JW world as Mike Leah work is in the COS one.
Will do Cynthia! Just now aware of him. TY!
I can’t wait for the new episodes! I hope you could have a show on the FLDS as well. Having the girls on from the show “Escaping Polygamy” Would be fantastic! It’s amazing and disheartening that entire towns are run by one religion. This includes police, courts, city officials and everybody. It is very hard for somebody to find help and to get out.
Gail S, there is a good memoir written by a FLDS who escaped it but saw her family destroyed through that cult. It is called “The Sound of Gravel.”
I was born and raised as a Jehovah’s Witness. I “got out” when I was 16. I am 54 now. I can tell some interesting stuff.
I am grateful for the way that you have always, in your Aftermath program, focused on the people being hurt and losing their families to disconnection, and that this needs to stop. I hope that this program will help make the same progress for Jehovah’s Witnesses, to end their disfellowshipping practice.
To the people posting that every religion is a cult (yesterday), that’s definitely not true. Cults engage in mind control, manipulation, and intimidation practices like shutting off all outside opinions, ‘fair game’, declaring people apostates, diconnection/disfellowship/shunning. These are not common to all religious beliefs.
If you walk into a normal church for example, you’ll usually hear people being *encouraged* to question what the pastor is saying and to compare it to the scriptures, and disregard it if it doesn’t match up. They are funded by donations, but nobody is obligated to donate anything. If you never donated anything your entire life no one would know. People are encouraged to grow spiritually however they like, and to read and learn whatever they can, whether the material comes from the church or not. If you want to leave for another church or no church, people might try to help you see the light and return out of care and concern, but nobody is going to tell you that you can’t leave, or that your family needs to shun you if you do.
So, for anyone who sees the program and hasn’t been in a regular church, I hope they don’t been conflating the JWs with the rest because unfortunately this group is in many ways more like Scientology than Christianity.
More tell tale characteristics of a cult:
1) Our way is the only way
2) If you don’t follow our only way you will be punished in eternal damnation
3) You are evil for daring to question and be critical of the cult
4) gaslighting on steroids
I’ve been in an Eastern practice for 25 years, some might view as a cult….but, it was like the opposite of what Brian said. We celebrated all kinds of holidays, Jewish, Christmas, Diwali, Kwanzaa, etc, I mean actually had programs dedicated to them….and our “leader” always said you must always choose your family first. If they don’t want you to come and meditate at an Ashram, don’t come. You can meditate under a tree. They said don’t flaunt your practices in front of people that are uncomfortable with them, and your first duty is to your family. Our leader also said you should always question your teacher, leader, priest or Guru, and my husband was on staff for over a year, and got room and board, 3 healthy vegetarian meals a day AND a stipend of $800 per month. And there wasn’t a bombardment of money requests….no passing of the plate….I feel lucky to have found it, and it has served me well all these years….I’m not anti religion, I’m just very leary of the ones that claim their way or the highway to hell. I’m soooo excited about tontines episode. Can’t wait!!!
Jehovah’s Witnesses?
On “Scientology And The Aftermath”?
This show is supposed to be about Scientology!
Or is Leah running out of material?
Who’s next? The Mormons? The Amish? The Salvation Army?
Sorry but I cannot condone a show that attacks other religions. The JWs may have some questionable practices but they are nowhere near the shit that goes on in Scientology! The good that they do far exceeds any dark side that they have.
Come on, Leah! Keep it within Scientology!
You do realize that JW is FULL of child molesters and victims who are told not to go to the police, right? Nobody is “attacking” other religions, they are simply listening to people who have had experiences that others do not know about. And then your quote, “The good that they do far exceeds any dark side that they have.” You are as clueless as they come LOL.
Well, everyone can make up their own mind after seeing the show tonight…
i will watch it but sadly i bet you have no JWs on it. Most who say they are exJW do not accept any beliefs. However, they all think that those who do accept beliefs al wanna go back to it. The issue is not the doctrine of bible characters, their moral, the historic timeline, genesis chronology etc. The issue is one of judicial rulings; false accusations versus the true, victims accused of being the attacker, and criminals defended as victims. NONE of this is religious, it is judicial, court judgement politics, government defying. That is the facets it shares with scientology and gets tagged as cult. It is not about tagging it cult because it uses the name Jehovah. Not about deity or not of Jesus. The issue is all about backroom court lies abusing children the same way as your little lie detector tests. You dont need a fake machine (like police) to be manipulated into statements intending to destroy your life. I have dozens of dozens of stories, from murder, to serial divorce, beyond just me (like my mother beating me with a belt buckle because a sister said blood is in Tootsie rolls) yet i get no camera time from you to vent this. You go to the ones who will smear beyond real truth. I recognize several of these faces you selected. At least they didnt get tagged a homo at 9. They now have wife kids home and MONEY.
http://elijahs-armageddon.org/doc/The%20Origin%20of%207-Day%20Creation.PDF
This will not open for me…
Clueless? CLUELESS?!!!! Excuse me, Jack but I have friends who are JWs and they are quite happy being such. There are things about the good ol’ Watchtower Bible And Tract Society that I don’t agree with but I won’t stand for them being put down. And as far as I am concerned there are stories about abuse and hsrm in just about every religion including my own. I just don’t want this to turn into JW bashing.
Selective justice hey? Just like a selective victim’s checklist is to you I suppose
There’s something smelly about your comment. Scientology is far from unique in the matter of religious abuse. If there is a God, I wonder what he/she would think of you voicing such a thing… or do you already know?
Well, I Yawn, I do already know how God feels about my comment and I feel he would pretty much agree with it.
I just don’t want ‘Aftermath’ to break down into religion bashing. That’s why I made the comment in the first place.
Alcohboy….I think just try watching it….we should all keep an open mind to be educated about what goes on in peoples lives and religions….and I don’t think Mike and Leah are done going after Scientology…..they just got so bombarded with requests from people they felt compelled to follow through.
” Who’s next? The Mormons? The Amish? The Salvation Army?”
If you don’t know who is next then proceed with caution Alco …………. it could be you. Sounds like you might have adopted a new belief system.
I agree the old beater cult known as $cientology is a good focus for the show. I applaud Leah and Mike for their willingness to ‘listen’ to a wider audience of folks who have experienced the abuse which occurs when you choose to challenge an existing belief system. Unfortunately, the human condition does not have a shortage on this type of behavior.
Alco,
I get your intention and passion which mandates exclusive focus only on Scientology’s abuses. I do get it.
But instead of hindering or diverting from these, enlightening the millions of A & E viewing public about OTHER religious human rights abuses will enlarge the audience, the public out there, who are INTERESTED in these causes and indirectly attract MORE attention to the Scientology abuses. Do you see?
To illustrate, consider the people who read and post on this blog who have NEVER BEEN SCIENTOLOGISTS.
They came here because of Aftermath. They had no dog in the race. Co$ never did anything to THEM.
They were deeply affected by what had happened to OTHERS.
And here they are with us now, posting, sharing, communicating, on our side!
Well, apply that same principle to someone who watches AFtermath and learns about the JW’s abuses. This will trigger people. JW is much larger and more well known than CO$.
I believe you fear that attention on OTHER religious abuses will water down the purpose of bringing attention to Co$ abuses but I suggest to you that such televised broadening of the attention to include other organized religious abuses will have the opposite effect and not only strengthen OUR cause but protect it as well. 🙂
Thank you, Aqua. I need to be honest and say that you are one of the few voices on this blog that speaks with reason, fairness and balance. I can communicate more effectively with you than with some of the axe grinders who post here.
And, yes, I see what you’re saying and I agree with it. I just want to be sure that Leah’s episode is not because she is running out of material about Scientology and is going after a different religion. If she sticks to actual cases of harm suffered by people in this group and it somehow effects change or if the victims can find relief from the pain that they have suffered, then I’m all for it.
Just voicing a concern, that’s all.
Just a little presumptuous don’t you think? I just want to be sure that Leah’s episode is not because she is running out of material about Scientology and is going after a different religion.
Clearly, this is not the case. But what if it were? What would you do about it and why would she or I or anyone else not be entitled to do so?
Mike, you and Leah are welcome to do whatever yoy want. That is your right.
As for what I am going to do about it, well, let’s see, I’ve already tried handling so I guess the next step would be disconnection.
Excellent and whatever else we can do to contribute to these exposures, please let us know Mike.
I strongly recommend those on this blog, and whoever has been entrapped by another cult other than Scientology, to read a book that explains thoroughly the mechanism used by any cult. The book is from Steven Hassan and the name is: Combating Cult Mind Control.
This will complement what Mike and Leah are talking about.
And Leah, thank you very much for what you are doing.
Thanks for mentioning him, Silvia. His website is freedomofmind.com I would recommend Jon Atack’s openmindsfoundation.org as well. International Cultic Studies Association and Cult Education Institute are worth checking out, as is Margaret Singer’s classic work, CULTS IN OUR MIDST. Janja Lalich’s cultresearch.org is another site to bookmark…
Thank you Mark, valid books on the subject do help to understand these cults. I will check the book of Margaret Singer.
Thanx Mark! I will check this out as well.
Thank you Silvia! I will.
This JW special will increase awareness of child abuse inside church organizations. Get the cockroaches into daylight, then stomp them.
A very insulting remark, Ammo. Please apologize to cockroaches everywhere.
Thank you Leah, Mike & A&E for standing up to the bullies and abusers and helping to give a voice to those who are their victims. If you can save even one life, shine a light on these cults, that’s more that most people can accomplish in a life time.
I hear you Peggy. Even though we are NI’s, we can help with the cause. I just keep reading books and blogs, learning all I can because if any of us can influence one soul, it’s completely worth it. ?
Marvelous. Thanks, Mike. Every episode…you’re just standing there kicking DM in the balls.
Every episode…it’s just, “thwack thwack thump thump thump”
Over and over again…. right where it counts.
(all the while, simultaneously giving outlet, relief, and a bit of justice to the abused)
Yeah, and Davey boy ain’t so special after all, is he? Show him he’s just as nasty as some other cult leaders. Oh wait, did they do OT levels too? hahahahahahahahahahaha NOPE! Doesn’t take much, does it?!
Rip, I must correct you on a point of anatomy. You see, Dave lost his balls several years ago.
So Sad that shunning/disconnection is such a powerful weapon it keeps a person tethered to an abusive situation. It sickens me.
I am really looking forward to this. I personally know a JW who was kicked out…her family disconnected from her but she was still allowed to go to certain events where they were. She was very unhappy and still afraid she would “go to hell.” Forever! I guess the lesson is try to learn to think for your self or something along those lines. A lot of good people get hurt before we learn that lesson.
“She was very unhappy and still afraid she would “go to hell”. Forever!”
When I was in Sunday school we children would sit in a circle, about 4 or 5 of us with the teacher. She’s read the Bible to us, snippets from the Old and New Testaments. She would explain in her own words what the verses meant and why they were important. We could ask questions. I don’t recall what verse it was but I asked what “hell” was.
The teacher replied that hell was “everlasting fire”.
I was a Girl Scout and we had learned how to make a fire. So my question to the teacher was who started the fire and who kept it going? And what was burning? Was it wood? I wasn’t being a smart aleck, I was curious, so I asked her.
She replied that hellfire everlasting was God’s punishment for those who seriously sin and do not repent. Which didn’t answer the question, but by that time she was reading something else.
When I got home later I went to my father and asked him what caused hell fire to burn forever. What was burning – wood or bad dead peoples bodies? He was watching a football game and he ignored me because there was something very interesting to him happening in the game right then. I heard the crowd roaring. When the noise died down he looked at me and said,, “What?” I repeated my questions.
My father was honest with me always. He had a very precise, mathematical mind. If he knew the answer to something (and I asked a lot of questions) he’d tell me without worrying whether or not I was too young to hear it. He didn’t “scale down” his answers. Once I asked him why the sky was blue and got a thorough, scientific explanation of that phenomenon that went way over my head but I knew that I had been answered. He never faked anything, never pretended to know what he didn’t know, so I trusted him to tell me the truth, at least, from his perspective.
So when I asked him who started the hell fire and what was burning and who kept it burning he looked at me impassively and said, “I don’t know.” Then he asked, “Why do you want to know?” “Because we read it in the Bible in Sunday School today and I want to know how a fire can keep burning forever”, I answered.. He said, “Well, I don’t know, and its probably not true anyway, so don’t worry about it and go ask your mother what’s for dinner.”, and then the TV crowd roared again and his attention went completely off me and back to the TV set and his face lit up in a delighted grin as he slapped the arm of his chair and said, ” Damn! They did it, they did it, by God!”, as I trotted away.
So much for the possibility of fear of hellfire everlasting taking root in my life 🙂 Thank you, Dad.
A big thank you to Mike, Leah and A&E for what they are doing to expose abuses and archaic, inhumane practices in the church of scientology and now JW’s. Enough can’t be said about the lives they are saving but more needs to be done by the powers that be.
Keep up the good work, Mike, Leah and all involved. Season 1 opened my eyes to Scientology, but also made me think harder about some manipulative things I had been through in my life in terms of both religion and personal relationships.
Love Lloyd Evans. I’ve watched many of his interviews and am struck by his big heart and his understanding of so much, including his own personal understanding of the effects of shunning and the number one thing used as a control mechanism within JW’s (and the church of scientology).
Shunning is abuse. Straight up. If people had a neighbor that they knew was being denied adequate food or water, they would call the authorities and something would be done about the perpetrator. People at large need to understand the devastation caused by shunning and authorities and legislators need to do something about groups that use it.
Good Morning Mike.
There is nothing more wonderful than to wake up in the morning, grab a cup of joe and open up my laptop to check the one source of “real news” we watch – Mike Rinder’s Blog: Something Can Be Done About It
And to discover once again….Something IS Being Done About IT!
You are delivering Blow after Blow after Blow to this evil cult
And we are having Win after Win after Win!
If I were on the cans – my tone arm would be floating.
Truly grateful to you and Leah Remini for speaking out for other cult victims as well as us – the ex Scientologists.
THANK YOU!
Please – do continue! It is the right thing to do.
Stat just said almost word for word what I was thinking. Thank you, thank you, Mike and Leah.
I said it before but it truly bears repeating: Mike and Leah are doing more to help this planet than all of the SeaOrg combined could do in a billion years.
Can’t wait for the new season and we stand ready to fight the Scientology fallout.
Agreed. I’m actually hoping Mike and Leah signed billion-year contracts with A&E, so I can watch this show in my next life. Of course, that’s assuming LRH isn’t back by then.
I believe he’s working closely with Dave on a new show for Scientology TV called Target Two.
Scientology TV – upcoming episodes
Streaming Xenu Live
Lions and Tigers and Body Thetans, Oh My!
Keeping up with Missmanagement
How to Keep Ethics Ruthlessly In ….starring Tom Cruise
How to Get Rich Using Other People’s Money starring Dick-tator, David Misscabbage
What to Audit! What to Slap! Featuring Lou Stuckenbrock and David “Blackheart” MIscavige
How to Get Out of Lower Condtions by Moving Up in Status Starring Lead Extortionist, Teddie Braggin, IAS
The Hole and How Theta It Was – Narrated by Eliot Abelson, Attorney for CO$ with a guest appearance – Debbie Cook
The Benefits of Off Shore Banking – Mark C “Marty” Rathbun
As the Turncoat Turns – Starring Monique and Mark C “Marty” Rathbun
I Just Can’t See Anything Wrong With Scientology
by Attorney “Blinky” Monique Yingling
How to Beat a Murder Rap by David Miscavige
Can’t wait to see the series! The final episode in my opinion should definitely be: Ron is Back!
How to Handle the Aging Parent by $cientology Ecclesiastical Leader – Mr. David “if he dies…he dies” Miscavige
The Benefits and Perks of Religious Cloaking and how to Hide Your Crimes
You Can Worship Toe Nails and Call that Religion
An Eccleastical Approach to Extortion, Blackmail and Fraud starring David MissManagement
My Overts Doeth Speak Loudly featuring Shelly Miscavige’s Communicator Lou Stuckenbrock
I was a teenage Int. Base RPFer.
LM@O!!!!
Or a least an email. tweet, sms or something from him. Hang on… what if came back as a female? That’ll put a curve or two on things hey?
Great comparison and spot on Stefani.