Here is a truth you can always rely upon.
Nothing in scientology is free.
They give NOTHING away, unless it is some sort of loss leader to put you within striking distance of a reg to get more money from you. Thus the “Free Personality Test,” “Free Introductory Lecture” and “Free Film.” But once you are done with them, you PAY. No more free services — because that would violate Hubbard Policy.
Also part of the bait before the switch is the Free 6 month membership to the IAS.
And when it comes to “nothing is for free” the IAS makes scientology org regges look positively warm and charitable. They are rapacious. They take and take and take, but don’t take “No” for an answer. Their con is the worst as they claim they are performing all sorts of humanitarian actions around the world that your money will be used for. That is all smoke and mirrors. At least with the org Regges you are paying for something you can see – the course may be jumbo jumbo or the auditing useless, but at least it is something specific you are entitled to in exchange for your money. Even the Ideal Org boondoggle ultimately results in an empty building. Nothing tangible with the IAS. Just photo ops.
So things must be really desperate in IAS land for this offer of extended free membership to be going out. They must be losing a LOT of members and their ranks shrinking. They have never had more than 40,000 members in the IAS. Today it is likely half that — even though they are VERY slow to consider anyone to no longer be a member. Some of the people who are still mailed their magazine (Impact) are astonishing – even people who have appeared on our show. They don’t want their numbers to go down — as they DO keep them. There is no question the most accurate “number of scientologists in the world” is actually the number of members of the IAS (about half that number remain) but this is one of the most closely guarded secrets in all of scientology.
It’s always heartening to spread the good news of scientology organizations floundering. This one more than any of them.
PeaceMaker – exactly.
I know in the tiny Morgue in our big city – I have friends that go to events just to see who shows up. They are spies for the UTR members who want to know what is happening in the morgues. There are quite a few of us out here.
The morgue here is shrinking like crazy each and every year. Since Debbie Cook’s email – about 1/2 of the members are gone! Vanished into nothingness. The people left are the hard core Scientologists that have simply invested too much money and time and their fragile egos can’t handle being wrong. So they will most likely die to be right
How wrong can a Scientologist BE? DEAD!
How right can a Scientologist be? They may be filled with shame and regret but they will be ALIVE and can heal from the betrayal.
Stat, thanks for that bit of insight into what’s actually going on in the orgs. It’s that sort of report that helps me form as accurate as possible an impression of the state of things, and also confirms just how the orgs are suffering in recent years in spite of trying to keep up a brave face and continue on with the “ideal” campaign.
Last I knew, probably around or just a bit after the time of the Debbie Cook e-mail, it seemed as if orgs in larger cities typically had fields of 100 to 150 people who would show up at least once a year such as for major events, with only about half of those, or around 50 to 70, really active. Orgs in the largest cities might have done only slightly better – there seems to be a sort of size limit on orgs, probably due mostly to one facility not really being able to serve a large metro area conveniently* – and so we saw a while back that Chicago (3rd largest city in the country) had just over 130 people confirmed to attend a big holiday event.
It sounds as if those numbers have dropped significantly in recent years. Though maybe the number of really active and committed members hasn’t gone down so much, as overall numbers. This would also help explain the seemingly desperate “recovery” campaigns, trying to get people involved again. It’s also very interesting if the proportion of UTRs attending the major events is that high.
* In a large metro area a single location is really only within convenient travel range of a small portion of the population, particularly when it comes to optional activities other than work and attendance once a week or more frequently. This, incidentally, is a fatal flaw of the “ideal” scheme.
Jesus H, Mike, please keep up the the good work. I am proud of you!
At the end of last nights show Claire and the rest of you weren’t the only ones without dry eyes. I felt for her and her disconnection from her mother. $cientology has the greatest designed conceit and rationale for denying people their humanity. It’s the only way they can control people. And that by definition is a nasty evil cult run by sociopaths/psychopaths.
Remember when you used to get the Impact magazine from the IAS, 1/4″ thick or more with up to 80 pages of global news? Well, the latest issue is only 8 pages!!! I started lmao when I got it because it sends a deeper message that the IAS is shrinking just like their mag.
The IAS, in my opinion, was the most effective self destructive force to be dreamed up by Scientology. It is the catalyst hastening the demise of the subject.
The “successful actions” of the IAS spawned a dozen or so similar money raising schemes, which collectively alienated all but the most die-hard Scientologists. And even they cringe when they see the rapacious reg gaze turned their way.
Miscavige knows the tech doesn’t deliver what is promised and never will be able to. So he’s likely shifting from a seige mentality started by Hubbard to a “loot the city before you retreat” footing, as the world closes in on Scientology with a mixture of scorn, ridicule, and/or indifference.
Wow, excellent description and explanations. I especially love, “rapacious reg,” which puts me in mind of a horror movie character, wearing a dark cape, dead black eyes, relentlessly twisting the knife into you for more money. Scary as hell. And ridiculous and mean. Evil
Very O/T, but hopefully of interest.
Defending R. Kelly (“but look at who the real pedophilia’s are”), Scientology Freedom Medal Winner Nation of Islam Minister Tony Muhammad engages in whataboutism —
Tweet: https://twitter.com/IndieScieNews/status/1084702252043067394
ESMB Post; http://www.forum.exscn.net/threads/scientology-awards-freedom-medal-to-nation-of-islam-min-tony-muhammad-who-promotes-anti-semitic-book.44564/page-13#post-1194564
/
What stung the most was being told membership was mandatory each and every time I drifted back in for my next service. The church lied when it told the IRS that “requiring membership in the IAS in order to participate in religious services never has been valid and membership in the IAS…remains wholly voluntary.”
If any currently-under-but-soon-to-be-over-the-radar type is able to record their next reg cycle to see if this lie is still doing the rounds, that would be gratefully appreciated.
mwesten, Agreed. Get some fresh crim regging recorded and made viral.
You are so right – you must be an IAS member in order to take a course or get auditing. I have a lifetime membership which I got on a two-for-one special. I kid you not. Only thing missing was a coupon. I split the $5000 with another person I didn’t even know. Such a bargain! Such a racket!
Wow Mike and Leah
Last nights show delivered a blow to Scientology that was EPIC
Please – don’t stop
You both are true humanitarians saving lives!
The truth will keep people out of the evil cult of Scientology.
Thank you
Count on me to testify against this evil thing called Scientology that lies and manipulates people out of labor and money. You have my contact information
Season 3 is the best! We love Leah Remini and her passion!
So proud to be on the winning team.
Remini and Rinder Rock!
In 1988 my wife paid $3,000 for lifetime IAS membership. It was a complete fraud. The salesman for the IAS took her money and thousands more from others and skipped town like a carpetbagger. If you want to know why Scientology is shrinking look no further. These people lie and steal. Scientology is actually death.
george especially since in ’88 lifetime memberships only cost $2,000 🙂
Thanks, total slime from the IAS.
Not gonna lie: I’m pretty excited about the Danny Masterson epi. Feb. 18 cant come soon enough.
…huh. Is it weird that i kinda want an IAS membership card now? Before it disappears?
I have one of the original 5000 limited edition ‘Shards of Narsil’ replica swords and i’m kinda getting the same feeling here. I’m not sure it’d be worth burdening our local postal workers under the mail i’d be getting though.
What happens to the “in for lifers” when this all comes tumbling down (and I believe it will)?
The people like Cruise and Travolta etc – what do they say when their ‘be all and end all cult’ is not there for them? I am so curious about their reactions and how they’ll spin it!
I just hope we get to find out!
Sue,
Group talk-therapy at their senior center?
Sue, I dreamed someday they’d playact out a TV movie/docu- drama of their movement’s history, as amends and for making up their damage as posterboard advertisements all these decades.
Sue, They could come on Leah’s show and make amends.
Anyone old enough to remember the “Arts & Crafts Children’s Activity item “SHRINKY DINKS”….
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shrinky_Dinks
Sounds a bit like COS….Start Out Large….when heated they SHRINK DOWN to much smaller sizes.
With all the HEAT now put on COS….I think they’ll be SHRINKING EVEN FASTER
The mafia, the tobacco industry, and other big entities all thought they were immune to prosecution, but alas, they were wrong. Scientology’s day in court is coming thanks to this series, and the strength of those who were harmed by it.
What a public service to all you and Leah are providing, kudos to all for your bravery, and desire to seek the truth and share it with the world.
This looks to me like an attempt to “recover” people who have dropped out and “previously had an IAS membership” that has lapsed. We’ve seen other reported signs of Scientology’s desperate recovery efforts: letters and calls and even visits to peoples’ homes.
Scientology seems to have been pushing hard to sell lifetime memberships – even, as we’ve seen evidence of here, to members’ children – though obviously they haven’t been entirely successful. But that will also have skewed any membership accounting, as there will be a lot of people who once were regged to pay for lifetime memberships, who have ceased to be active the same as the people this letter is targeting.
Mike, I think you’re killing ’em – and not in the comic sense. Well, you, and Leah, and a lot of others doing hard work to expose Scientology, and even just daring to speak out.
Riveting and powerful show. Leah Remini is rubbing the DOJ’s face in DM’s acts/scat. When, oh when, will the gears start turning?
Insecure people seek power, control, and dominance. Corruptible people seek power. And there DM sits, feeling all-powerful, dominant and defiant. But even more insecure by the day. Tick-tock-DM??
I can almost hear him now….ordering one of his lackeys to:
BRING X…Y….Z….in here for their crimes…I need to do a beat down to relieve some of my anger.
Chilling.
Motto of an IAS Reg: I Always Steal.
I think one of the things that truly baffles me about Scientology is that it’s only a scam. They. Have. So. Much. Money. Just…crazy lots of money. And rather than do ACTUAL OUTREACH to genuinely help people, they just…keep fundraising? They could be going out and demonstrating how Scientology makes Scientologists better, more ethical people–like they claim. CoS can afford it. But nooope! Moar fundraising!!!
It’s not just a case of the emperor having no clothes. The emperor has a wardrobe FULL of clothes, but chooses to go around naked anyway.
Not long after I moved to LA and joined staff at CCHR Int, there was an IAS event that was the first to open my eyes, with solid proof to me, that Scientology is just a money-grabbing racket. I was part of the group managing the body-flow through AOLA that would ensure every person coming in would be forced into the Reg gauntlet before they could leave the premises that night.
This disgusted me, as for the first time I could see the machinations behind the scenes that had similarly forced me through the same gauntlet as a public many times before. Seeing with my own eyes how intentional and evil this practice of taking people’s free will to leave an Org for the expressed purpose of relentlessly harassing them for money was, as it turned out to be the original ‘turning point’ for me in my determination to escape scientology.
Yup, I tried to leave an IAS event 5 minutes early to get away from them. I was written up for it.
I’m a never-in. When I watched the first episode of Aftermath, I expected to learn some interesting facts about this kooky “religion” that Tom Cruise belonged to. But the thing that made me sit up and go WTF??? was when Leah (and others) talked about the sheer amount of money member are *required* to spend to be a part of this thing…sums that far exceed what I have in my 401k (after almost 30 years of saving).
I found it appalling.
I think a good billboard would be along the lines of, “Scientology: Got half a million bucks? Good! That’s a start.”
Interesting, the photos they used on their add are of teenagers, young people.
Very likely they have run out of the real veteran scientologists that came to realize how criminal this church was (and is) and left.
The less people joins them, the less people will be harmed and abused and, boy, those are good news.
Attention anyone who has been financially hosed by the cult in the past 5 years: Take note of the important information at the bottom (“Coda” section) of today’s post at the Underground Bunker:
https://tonyortega.org/2019/01/16/another-elderly-victim-gets-soaked-by-scientology-is-talking-to-law-enforcement/#more-54451
Scientology reges’ promise to the elderly woman in that story, to “improve her hearing,” remind me of what mission reges did in the 1970s as part of the “de-dinging” that helped them keep their stats high – promise people whatever they were seeking (their “ruin”), regardless of whether it was “reasonable.” Back then the victims were mostly young, and could recover from financial problems including the indebtedness that often came from the fraudulent and illegal loan schemes (credit cards weren’t then widely available) being used by a number of the seemingly more succesful missions.
Thanks for the reminder about this. Scientology has long taken advantage of the elderly, as various accounts attest, but we may be seeing signs of it becoming more prevalent as older members constitute some of the few left with assets (or ability to borrow).
I think that exploitation and abuse of elders is going to be the next big scandal to hit Scientology. On top of it all, they have lots of aging Sea Org members and staff who have no retirement, not even Social Security, to fall back on when they’re finally “offloaded” for being useless to Scientology.
My brother and his wife are two of them. I fear for their well-being.
I’m still annoyed that my lifetime membership, purchased in 1976, was cancelled when the IAS came into being. I should have left then, but waited until my son (a Delphi LA grad) decided Scientology wasn’t for him. So I’m one of the ex-IAS members, and couldn’t be happier about it.
Dang! I missed the Jan. 10 date. Mike, you posted this too late. :o)
Speaking of shrinking and floundering, I received this letter on Jan 14, 2019 from Tom Miles with the PAC Estates Org. It was a form letter and it started out promoting the “scientology TV channel” then in paragraph four he said something odd. It was odd to me because it seemed that he was letting the cat out of the bag and actually admitting org staff is shrinking. Weird! I thought that shrinkage was a Bubble secret. This is the exact quote from the letter:
“Apart from the above, I wanted to alert you to a situation:
Scientology is running very short on Class V Org and Sea Org personnel. Sea Org personnel, in particular, are needed to manage and maintain all of the new orgs and direct future expansion. Without additional SO personnel our continued expansion could be slowed significantly.”
Slowing significantly? Do you think!? Ha, Ha!
I pass by the Big Blue often. I was there during the installation of the big cross many years ago. That street between AO and ASHO during those years was PACKED with students. There were more students than staff and Sea Org.
It was BUSTLING!
Now………
Every time I drive down L Ron Hubbard Way I want to get out of the car and take a picture. It’s all, or mostly, Sea Org staff walking the streets.
It’s a ghost town. And they all look so Bubble Headed. I pray for them and feel sorry for them.
I still call it Berendo St. It’s pretty much empty now.
I have also driven down L. Ron Hubbard Way on several occasions and it does feel like a ghost town. All that’s missing are the tumbleweeds.
Thanks, it’s interesting to see the call for SO in relation to “new orgs” – really just the “ideal” facilities that existing, and even small and failing, orgs are getting. Typically, Scientology’s wording is unclear, plus it’s hard to know how much of their recruiting claims are just false lures – they may need people for grunt work, like the printing plant and furniture factory, as much as anything.
It does sound like they are having real trouble staffing local orgs, so their “you can have it all campaign” and supposedly increased pay may not be working out. I’ve wondered if they wouldn’t eventually resort to keeping the local orgs open with skeleton staffs of Sea Org members.
Bognition, Right you are that the church is short on SO personnel. I remember seeing the work start on the SP Building, i.e, Super Power building in Clearwater some 20 years ago. Each time I came to Flag for services, it was still not finished and this went on for 10 to 15 years. I remember asking the SO recruiters who was trying to recruit me to SO, why wasn’t the building done and opened yet? He said because they don’t have enough SO staff to run it which is why you need to join staff. That shut me up good.
But he knew that wasn’t the Why as to why it hadn’t opened. It was an answer he gave which immediately would introvert the questioner and flood them with feelings of guilt for not having joined the SO. It was the perfect lie designed to shut up the questioner. As we know now from excellent research from Mike and others, the real Why for the SP building taking so long was that it was a CASH COW bringing in tons of donations and they never wanted to open it as long as people were giving money to the SP building. And after Mike and Tony exposed this scam, lo and behold! It finally opened, but only after the pressure he felt from the scam going public on Mike and Tony’s site. DM does read these sites and does react and change things because of what is posted here.
Dude’s probably been sent to the RPF for that little gaffe….
Please explain the acronyms you use the first time you use them, like IAS. what does that mean? Thank you, I find your show fascinating and I’m sad that so many people have been duped by Scientology.
IAS=International Association of Scientologists.
Fewer and fewer people have been duped because of this show, the internet, blogs, books, etc. It really is quite a lesson for people to see how intelligent people can be conned. The snake oil salesmen are losing their grip as people learn more and more about mental manipulation and cults and what they are and how it works. They come in many forms, bearing many gifts and offers.
Lots of scientology glossaries available on the net, like
http://www.xenu-directory.net/glossary/glossary_a.htm
IAS: http://www.xenu-directory.net/glossary/glossary_i.htm#I
Sharon, there’s a website titled Xenu-Directory.net which you will find very helpful. As a fellow never-in, I look up acronyms there all the time.
I’ve had the same problem and have asked Mike as well. I have been on this blog and Tony’s blog for a couple of years now, and finally found a site a few years back (Operation Clambake) that has a wonderful article by Martin G.V. Hunt titled “ARS Acronym/Terminology FAQ” that is wonderful.
I am a “never in” and can get lost in all the scientology terminology that Mike uses here, and this article is just full of all of the definitions necessary to understand what he is talking about.
Here is a link to the article; http://www.xenu.net/archive/dictionary/. I hope that helps.
Always a quandary. If I spell out everything every time it becomes painfully slow reading for any former scientologist or even daily readers of the blog…
As a never in and a daily reader I like it as is. If you’re not a daily reader you should be because it’s fascinating reading . If you’re not commenting you should because then you’re notified of all comments made on that article ever. And there is never a dull moment! ☺
Yes it is painfully slow reading for former Scns who know instantly what is meant when you use the acronyms. Also even though I’m out, I still sometimes use the church lingo for that very reason: it shortens up the time to communicate and idea from the speaker and get the full idea from the receiver. It’s faster. But I have been censured from other ex Scns for doing this and they really were severe in their criticism of me for still using the terms. Of course I never sling the lingo with NON Scns and make sure to explain what I mean in common language terms to them. But I see nothing wrong with using acronyms with other Ex Scns.
I understand that using the common Scientology language can speed things up between people who know the terms. I’m not faulting you on that. I just want to caution you that Hubbard coined his own terminology for a reason and that was to shape the possible thought processes of his minions. There are lies hidden in most of those terms, and it can be dangerous to keep using them without stopping to ask yourself what they really mean and whether using them has affected your thought process. Using “thought-terminating cliches” is a common tactic of thought-control cults like Scientology.
This can be true of ordinary language, too, btw. It’s just a special danger for former members of cults. Scientology is particularly pernicious that way. It often takes former members years or even decades to deprogram themselves, and I attribute a big chunk of that difficulty to the fact that the group jargon continues to shape their ability to think clearly and critically about the actual concepts.
http://www.xenu.net/archive/dictionary/. Wonderful article on all you are looking for.
The IAS is the International Association of Scientologists.
Here’s another dictionary. Depending on how many acronyms and coined words someone learns they might become an Honorary HQS. (Hubbard Qualified Scientologist) (joke)
http://www.bible.ca/scientology-dictonary-terms.htm
Just remember the motto of the IAS: “Always on Top”
https://photos.app.goo.gl/BZ2zv67EZt9FgWVp6
Anyone who takes the “free” IAS offer is placing themselves directly in the firing line of IAS high pressure reges (salespeople) who will use this “free” membership as way to get inside the heads of these new members to find out if they have any inheritance money or significant life savings…. the free membership is like all things in Scientology, it is based on “bait and switch”. Free in Scientology is only used to “set up” a “mark”, Once they get all his money they will drive him into debt. If he doesn’t cooperate, he is either attacked or unceremoniously discarded like a used Dixie cup.
Sigh. Get 6-months free IAS membership so you can get a discount on an already extremely over-priced Bridge to Total Freedom. Whooptie DO DO. I’d rather go to a sale at Neiman Marcus. At least I’d walk away with some over-priced tee-shirt or hair comb or SOMETHING of a higher quality.
Mike, regarding last-night’s episode, it left me with a burning question: What would you recommend the FBI do? I’ve heard you and several ex executives say that the FBI going into the INT Base would be futile. That every person there would say that they are fine, that life is great there, that there is no abuse. So, what should the FBI do? From everything the show explained last night, the FBI knows what goes on there and it seems that laws and The First Amendment has tied their hands. Having said that, I think this Season 3 is GREAT!
A Grand Jury is the way to go I believe. Going to do a post about this.
That would be great. There are hundreds, if not thousands, that would line up to testify. Oh My God! I can just see the immunities granted! Oh. Be still my heart.
Grand jury is a pretty ominous group who do not take their roles lightly…that said they would need overwhelming & compelling evidence & not just ppl saying things. Tangible proof like video of ppl in the hole, video of Miscavage punching someone…it has to documented tangible proof.
Mike-
For the successful ex-scientologist litigant, who has received a settlement and signed a Non- Disclosure Agreement; does the NDA prevent them from turning evidence over to law enforcement?
I’m surprised that their computer system has never been hacked; I would think we would see leaked documents if this happened. Their system must not have any connectivity to the Internet at all. I’ve seen that video where Mark Headley is talking about having to retrofit e-meters with Ethernet ports, so I suppose their system could be still running on pre-IP technology. But that brings up all kinds of questions about how they’re operating. It’s a bit baffling.
Cynthia, keeping a computer system from being hacked is child’s play. The key is eliminating outside access and restricting inside access. All covered in decades old Rainbow Series by the US Gov’t
I think if the FBI went back in again there is a good possibility some would jump off that “sinking ship”. If they got involved again perhaps that would get the attention of other branches of gov’t? Perhaps the IRS? We know that the local police dept’s have been bought off (LAPDHQ for sure)for the most part but maybe, just maybe if the FBI goes back in it will show Dave that he isn’t invincible? That he isn’t above the law coming onto his prison yard and having a look around. I know it seems like a stretch Mary, but what other hope is there?
Oh believe me, I’m one that believes the FBI SHOULD go in to International Mgmt – not like Waco with guns blazing – but with people who know how to communicate with a scientologists and maybe some ex’s that can talk to people one on one and let them know they can leave now and will get help on the outside from friends, maybe family and groups that care. If they still say they want to stay, then so be it.
Mary I’m so glad to see you say that! That echoes my sentiments exactly.
The FBI just need to take files again, forget trying to convince the hole dwellers to leave. They still think LRH is coming back to put DM in his place.
If they seize files from OSA and all the CCTV footage they can get, they might get concrete proof of the abuses.
For the same reason they don’t arrest a sadist for beating up a masochist.
Seems to me that someone has already thought of documenting all of the violations of the tax exempt status contract between the IRS and scientology. Then feed that information to the media which is great at pissing off everybody. The people, would demand that the IRS take away scientology’s tax exempt status because the people hate it when someone doesn’t pay their “fair” share. That should provide enough pressure for the IRS to take action.
Leah fought the battle of $, $, $
And Mike fought the battle of $ . . . . .
And the walls came tumblin’ down ! ! !
That makes my heart ache. I well remember those crush sell membership drives. Ugh. IAS regges were particularly mean spirited. They would say, “you are lying!” I had been staff for a long time I didn’t have any money. That didn’t matter. One had to sit there for at least an hour being harangued and invalidated. My cycle was only an hour because I was staff. I know people who were kept up most of the night until they paid. People would pay just to get them out of the house so they could go to bed. Sheeesh.
Five HOURS!!! my last reg cycle with my husband and several IAS members that would take their turn – basically being pounded on for money. They start really high and work their way down. After about two hours of this, I was so beaten down that I just wanted my husband to give what they asked, just to make them stop. This is abuse. Abuse the church can and does get away with time and time and time again. You just can’t legislate against it and the church knows it. I heard Charmaine over the phone get 10K from someone and when she got off, she was pissed off because he “could afford more” and she said this would affect his Eligibility to get onto OT 7.
See the KR written on Bert Schippers because he could have taken out another loan and refused to do so. It’s in the Aftermath episode on Ideal Orgs.
Mike, among the various charge cards, loans, etc., I took out a HELOC (Home Equity Line of Credit). It was completely arranged by the reg with an out of state branch of a savings & loan. I never filled out a loan application, there was no appraisal or inspection. Several months later the S&L fraud dept. called me. They were investigating the loan officer who was no longer with them. It seems he was located in Portland, OR but was making loans on property all over the country. I was able to assure them that I was a real person, but apparently the loan officer was not licensed to operate in my State.
It’s amazing that people submit to this extortion by Scientology reges. That shows how much kool-aid they’ve got in their system. If any of those assholes tried that with me, they’d be drop kicked to Target Two.
Jonas Sjloblum (spelling?) used to be the computer guy for IAS. Back when I last saw him in 1994-5, he caretook the computer that upkept the IAS membership list.
This is important for history, since someday, Jonas could tell of the details of the upkeeping.
I think, the definitive list, and the yearly, monthly, weekly, daily upkeeping of that list (taking names off the list when members get declared SP, and when members get added newly) is truly the bottom line of “membership” in Scientology.
Hubbard allowed the “free 6 months membership” option to walk-in newbies to Scientology.
And the actual membership levels beyond the free membership might have slightly changed their rules.
I wish a former IAS, and as recent as possible, staffer, who knows of the membership details would lay them out.
These would be critical to nailing down the membership from Scientology’s official viewpoint.
And also, it would be important to challenge any academics’ simply taking Scientology’s word on Scientology’s membership, versus actually seeing the IAS membership breakdown figures.
The IAS membership breakdown year by year, and month by month, would be critical, and actually if the IAS membership list for mailing purposes, of the IAS Impact magazine, is really one of the most important statistics of the movement.
Academics must have access to real honest IAS membership list breakdowns, and over time.
That way, the actual Scientology membership can be seen of what official Scientology thinks of itself.
I wish some ex IAS staffers would pop up and share some details of the IAS membership list upkeeping.
I don’t think that would be “the bottom line of “membership” in Scientology.” The reason being, most people who leave the CoS are not declared nor inform the IAS. All those people with lifetime memberships who have quietly left the cult still show as “members”.
It’s true. I doubt half of their current membership remain as actual members.
But it IS the one measure of how many people have ever agreed to pay money to be denominated a “member” of scientology. And it is closely guarded secret even inside the Sea Org.
I doubt there are even 100,000 who have had an annual or lifetime membership since the beginning of the IAS in 1984.
I doubt their current list is more than 40,000.
And of that, 20,000 no longer call themselves scientologists.
Of the remaining 20,000 the majority are staff members. Of the public, half of them are “under the radar.”
Half the current “members” are most likely not real members anymore, but UTRs who have quietly distanced themselves.
I overheard a conversation from IASA staff members (IASA = IAS Administration) that the number of IAS members can never be lower than before (like it is just not accepted). How I got it, I’m sure that they do everything to oblige to this or they are in deep sh*t.
Mike,
I like your math.
Mike, I bet those figures you gave are within 10% of actual. Wish I could get a hold of Janet for high point numbers.
Chuck, I think the crucial point would be to determine how many actual active members Scientology has out of those who are on the rolls, particularly including those who at some point got sold lifetime memberships – and I see now, others have had similar thoughts. I assume the IAS must track how many members have actually received auditing or done a course in a given year, and probably even how many have just attended a couple of major annual events, which would be the numbers that really matter.
I think any interest scholars will have, will be mostly in the big picture. The fact that all too few are even now asking hard questions about the size and activity level of Scientology’s membership, I think gives an idea of their focus.
One of the things I fund frustrating, and even surprising, is that no recent defectors have come out who have any precise information about the state of Scientology’s membership and finances. Either that information is carefully compartmentalized to a few guarded loyalists, or anyone who leaves and knows is being bought off with NDAs because that information is so threatening to Scientology’s leadership.
We could also tell a lot, if we just had some statistics for a couple of local orgs, enough to determine general trends: total local IAS members, number attending at least one event a year, number doing classroom and online courses, total auditing hours delivered.
There is a way to know membership in Scientology
Scientology membership is 20,000 at max world wide including sea .org slices and staffers
Major Cities with Orgs have approxomately 30 – 50 people total including staff
Just look at social media groups in Scientology
A few thousand in the various Scientology groups
Dwindling down the drain
That’s it
Stat, exactly. We see promo here indicating that some of the orgs in big cities like Chicago may have a “field” of 100 to 150 people who will show up for a couple of major events a year, but the number of actual active members indeed seems to be closer to around 50, from what I can tell including some insider accounts.
Another way to look at it, is that Scientology only has about 150 real locations worldwide – 130-some orgs, and another dozen or so missions of significant size. There are some outliers like AOLA that are large, and quite a few small and failing orgs (SFOs) that are tiny and virtually mission-sized. Figuring 100 members average per location, that’s around 15,000, plus maybe as many as 4,000 Sea Org – which again points to a figure short of 20,000.
Scientology certainly doesn’t have enough locations, or large enough memberships at any of their local orgs, to be much larger, and it’s utterly unfeasible for them to have the sort of large memberships they claim. When Scientology says to the media that they have thousands or tens of thousands of members (or even more) somewhere, I wish articles would point out how few orgs there actually are, and how deserted they are, which is a reality-check clearly demonstrating how few members Scientology actually has.