Sadly, too many people pass away without the opportunity to say goodbye to their loved ones. Those who die in tragic accidents or without warning. Others in other cities or countries that make it logistically impossible for a final face-to-face meeting. Some are estranged for whatever reason and don’t reach out to them, even when they often regret it as they take their final breaths and it has become too late.
Then there are those who have had their familial relationships sundered by their beliefs — that it will be spiritually harmful to associate with “non-believers” or those who have been cast out.
And finally, there are those who are victims of scientology’s vindictive and unrepentant efforts to destroy those who speak out against its abuses. And this leads to deaths of family members with no opportunity to reconcile, but even beyond that, a legacy of hatred in words and videos that are intended to live on as hurtful reminders forever.
I know about this. The last words from mother directed at me were at the behest of scientology. Words that I know she didn’t truly mean. Words of hate towards her oldest son. She thought she had no choice but to say the things that were scripted for her. They had only one purpose, to intimidate or shame me into silence (and by shame I mean to make me feel like I was responsible for putting her through the torture of having to publicly hate on her son). In 2010 I had visited Australia with Christie and tried to see my mother. She was in a nursing/old age home, and having previously suffered a terrible car accident, and also a heart transplant, I was certain this would be my last chance to see her and tell her I loved her and that I knew what she had said was not from her. And regardless of that, I forgave her unconditionally. And loved her unconditionally. It was a long way to travel. Scientology tailed us with PI’s all the way from the US. They knew where I was heading, and shortly before I arrived in Melbourne, she was “disappeared” out of the state (her other children are all in Melbourne and she has no other family anywhere). I went to the home where she had been living and found a woman who told me all about her and someone who kindly allowed me to see the room she lived in. I left her a note telling her I loved her. In 2013 I found out she had died and had a memorial service the day previously from a total stranger. She never met her newest grandson who was born in 2012. Her legacy remains the words of hate scientology compelled her to make. See my blog post Disconnection and My Mother which recounts this story and reprints the original article about trying to visit her in more detail.
My wife, Christie, suffered a similarly devastating loss of her beloved father. He had been so proud of her and she idolized him. In fact, it was her father, Eddie, recounting his disaffection with the constant demands for money and crazy ethics handlings that had first planted the seeds of doubt in Christie’s mind that ultimately resulted in her leaving scientology. Similar to my mother, we had tried to visit with Christie’s parents in Los Angeles when our son Jack was 6 months old. We wanted them to meet their grandson. Again, we were being tracked by PI’s and they forewarned Eddie and Liz. We went to their house — nobody came to the door. A next door neighbor told us Liz had “gone on a cruise” (on the Freewinds) suddenly a few days previously, but she thought “Eddie is home.” This is the “confront” scientologists are so proud of mastering. Their daughter and a 6-month old baby were too much for them to deal with. They both then did the usual scientology hate videos. It was the last thing Eddie ever said to Christie. Sitting in front of a video camera, he seemed to hardly know what to say, but did his “duty” by making an effort “destroy the enemy” – his eldest daughter. He was gone soon thereafter. Christie was not contacted by her mother or siblings when her dad suffered a heart attack and subsequently died. Someone else informed her. Did the video stop her from speaking out about the abuses of scientology? No, if anything it motivated her to do more. Did the video cause unbelievable pain and heartache to a daughter who idolized her father? Absolutely, and it hurts to this day.
Christie and I are not alone. Paul Haggis recounted the story of his sister and her hate video put up on one of scientology’s sites. She also died, and these were her last words to her brother.
Karen de la Carriere first lost her son, Alexander, to the cult when he disconnected from her, and then was not informed of his passing when he died suddenly after a short illness. And to make matters worse, she was prevented from seeing his body or attending his funeral when she did learn from others that he had died. How do you do this to a mother?
I am sure there are others. Perhaps many.
And now there is my dear friend Leah. My heart breaks for her, as I understand the feeling of not being able to have closure – and being denied even the opportunity to try.
What other religion – even in death – has no compassion and no care for the well-being of family?
Scientology pretends that family is important – just go to their website and they have all sorts of flowery language and quotes about the great importance they place on the “family unit” and that this is the “building block” of society. Like much else in scientology, this is only true if it does not conflict with other more important things: making money, controlling people or the biggest factor of all, destroying their so-called “enemies.”
Leah did a short Instagram post about finding out about the death of her father a month after he had passed. I wanted to provide a little more context and she has written something expressing some of her views of life with her father, the activities of scientology and the pain of not being given the opportunity for closure — to have that final conversation with him and tell him she forgave him and that she loved him.
This subject epitomizes the humanity that the self-proclaimed “humanitarians” of scientology destroy wherever their toxic practices touch. I hope this helps people understand just how poisonous and harmful scientology is to all that is good, kind and compassionate in this world.
Here is Leah’s message:
I wanted to thank you all for your love and care, for sharing your own stories of loss, and your heartfelt messages and condolences.
Before the last few days, I had not watched the videos scientology made my father do in full. It now makes me want to watch all the others they have done as part of their Fair Game policies to smear other whistleblowers and “enemies.” I plan to do so now.
I want to be clear: my father was never a Scientologist. Ever. He hated Scientology and called it a cult. But, he was mesmerized by the spotlight of fame more. He believed that doing slanderous, lie-ridden videos would bring him and his fame seeking-bride real TV appearances and ultimately money. He and his wife are indeed, hustlers.
And I believe it was his deranged wife who talked my father into making these videos for Scientology, still, he could have said no. But there was money in it for the both of them. If my father’s widow, Dana Connaughton had an ounce of humanity in her, she would have contacted any one of us, his surviving 4 daughters to let us know he was sick and dying. But she didn’t. She didn’t even inform us there was a funeral. No doubt she was concerned that if she had contacted us, she would cut off her only source of income from Scientology
But it shouldn’t be lost on anyone that Scientology seeks people out-through culling ex-scientologists “confidential scientology counseling folders” to see who one might be estranged from, who one might have had a falling out with, who Scientology forced you to disconnect from when they were in. This is who they get to make these videos.
Recently, scientology tried to sell a story to The Daily Mail Online accusing me of sexual and emotional abuse made by some alleged unnamed “sources”. Had I responded, the headline would not have been “Scientology attempts to destroy Leah Remini’s reputation with vague allegations”, but rather print what Scientology was selling with a “she denies it” tag at the end. Hubbard says to feed lurid, blood, sex, crimes on “attackers” to the press. This is precisely what they tried with this, and what they did earlier when they accused me, Mike and A&E of inciting murder and hate crimes.
This is all in accordance with scientology’s Fair Game directives. Anyone who speaks out against the abuses and crimes of scientology is designated an “enemy.” They will stop at nothing to silence us. They have done it for 5 decades.
“….You are to immediately evaluate and originate a black PR campaign to destroy the person’s repute and to discredit them so thoroughly that they will be ostracized”
…
The defense of anything is untenable. The only way to defend anything is to ATTACK…
The law can be used very easily to harass, and enough harassment on somebody who is simply on the thin edge anyway… will generally be sufficient to cause his professional decease. If possible, of course, ruin him utterly.
…
This is correct procedure:
(1) Spot who is attacking us.
(2) Start investigating them promptly for FELONIES or worse…
(4) Start feeding lurid, blood, sex, crime actual evidence on the attackers to the press.
Make it rough, rough on attackers all the way. There has never been an attacker who was not reeking with crime.
…
I have a new system worked out to knock them out no matter what they do.
We started telling them to investigate newspaper reporters who wrote against us…
They have a vulnerability already worked – several guys have lost their jobs over this. How could they be hurt – all you have to do is spot it, figure out how to cost them their jobs and make them lose it.
…
We must ourselves fight on a basis of total attrition of the enemy. Just go all the way in and obliterate him.
For a more complete rundown of how scientology seeks to destroy “enemies” see Dealing with Critics of Scientology – the L. Ron Hubbard Playbook.
One might ask why in death would I choose to watch those disgusting videos? I don’t have a good answer. I guess I just wanted to really know what he had done and said as his last words to me.
I am beside myself with anger and disgust.
It’s one thing to tell partial truths, a truth in your eyes about someone said in anger intended to try to hurt them. It’s a whole other thing to be paid to lie, for an organization calling itself a church.
For Scientology to go out of their way to coordinate attacks – containing known and provable lies – in an attempt to discredit those speaking out against scientology’s abuses is sadistic. It is of course justified by their Fair Game policies to destroy their enemies. That is the scientology way – anything goes in their desperate attempts to stop the bleeding and continue to add to the billions they already have.
My father was anti-scientology. He hated everything about it and L. Ron Hubbard too. But he loved the idea of being a star more and that was his motivation for these videos. My father and his vile wife both wanted to be in the spotlight. She is a failed singer and he just hoped for more TV appearances and perhaps a book deal to make some money.
Scientology thought they hit the jackpot with “See what Leah Remini’s father has to say.” I never bothered to respond and lay out all the sordid details of his true nature. I did tell some of his story in my book and I am sure the truth hurt. But, he was still my father. And though it was the truth about him, I didn’t want to engage with the nonsense as it would mean having to reveal all about him. I haven’t even begun to tell the truths about my father and neither have my sisters.
The press won’t cover “Leah Remini’s father is a paid liar for Scientology,” “Scientology offers money to attempt to discredit Leah Remini” or the true nature of scientology and the thousands of hate filled websites they have created on whistleblowers. They want a juicy headline with no repercussions. So it’s not worth it for me to give a story about this to the media. But more importantly, it wouldn’t stop Scientology from doing this to people in the future.
Neither the press nor the government has done its job exposing and ending scientology Fair Game tactics that have crippled people’s lives. This has stopped victims from coming forward for fear of scientology Fair Game.
Fact: Scientology is hemorrhaging badly. Their business is declining in the wake of Going Clear, The Aftermath and so much other media coverage. Victims of Scientology and their Fair Game tactics are being exposed. People are growing stronger.
The fact remains that I will be left with those words so carelessly spewed in the scientology hate videos as the last memory of my dad. And so are many others. It’s not enough that scientology has brainwashed mothers, fathers and children to disconnect from family once a family member has left and spoken out against scientology. They must be forced to suffer again, in that when they really lose that family member in death, they suffer another death. And one that is truly final. To be left with those hateful words is just…heartbreaking.
I implore those that are in, who might be reading this – you have this life to make things right: stop this bullshit of sacrificing your relationships for a cult that is destroying you and your family unit. Call your mother, call your sister before it is too late. Whether it’s scientology, or any other extremist ideology, life is too short. It is not noble to shun your own child, it’s reprehensible. For scientologists, they believe this is not such a big deal as they will find this child in another lifetime. Well, have you met your children, your mother, or father from an earlier lifetime in this life? No, you haven’t. Wake. The. Fuck. Up. Your children need you, your parents want to know their grandchildren and you are missing out on a life with them and you are robbing them of knowing some pretty great people.
Can you imagine having to answer your child when they ask this question?
“Why wont daddy see me?”
“Because your dad loves a cult more than you honey”?
“Why can’t I talk to my grandparents? Well, honey, they believe if they talk to you, their eternity is at stake”. Insanity.
This article by Tony Ortega only touches upon just the tip of a massive iceberg of tragedy.
Scientologists: You know all that past life stuff you were forced to run? Guess what you learn? Clear: You made it up (mocked it up) and on OT-8, guess what else you learn? You mocked it all up and none of your past experiences were you at all.
This is what you are sacrificing your life and your family for. This is what you are sacrificing your time to, and this is what is costing you hundreds of thousands of dollars
If there is an Eternity, Cause Over Life or being able to have full recall as L. Ron Hubbard promised you, where is he? Doing more research? Even though you know you have read where he said he has completed his research? Where is any person who has died since the inception of scientology? Why are OT 8’s, dying all the time? Did they miss the PTS/SP course data even though they were forced to retread and retrain it over and over? The truth is, you are not superhuman, you will not be able to be cause over your body, You cannot and will NOT heal yourself of cancer and other illnesses as they sell you when you reach OT 5. You will not have superpowers. You are not the super-elite. You will not be able to move things with your mind… it is all a scam. And why you think the e-meter works? This answer is found in basic books on psychology. What you believe is a “workable system” in the basic courses — thought up by L.Ron Hubbard – is exactly that: basic concepts that are either innate or learned in kindergarten… Do you really need scientology to tell you that you should not take drugs? Not murder people? That everyone on the planet is bad and you have the technology to fix it? Well, look at the world, are you fixing it? All of your sacrifice? Look at the stats. Period.
You can do a lot of good in the world, but you need to start with your lack of confront of what’s really going on there. Do some research. You can go searching on the internet. A church with nothing to hide wouldn’t forbid it and punish you for doing so.
Therapists, psychologists, life coaches, mentors, the Red Cross, grassroots charities — all of them do more to help people in one day than Scientology has done in 5 decades.
My therapist doesn’t demand that I disconnect from family, my therapist does not think I need to disconnect from my friends because they have different views than me, my therapist doesn’t demand that I see or talk to them every day and then track me down if I miss an appointment. My therapist doesn’t demand that I mortgage my home to pay for it — and it’s half the cost of sitting in front of an e-meter operated by a teenager.
Real religions don’t break up families and real religions don’t have policies that demand the destruction of someone speaking out against their abusers.
And if there is an afterlife and a paradise to be found, do you truly believe that deserting your own child, mother, father, brother or sister… is a virtue that should be rewarded? You should think about that.
IRS, can you please grow some balls and see that this organization is using tax exempt money to silence victims from coming forward? That the millions of dollars they use on lawyers, hiring PI’s, creating hate websites with the intent to destroy ones reputation, cause them to go crazy in their grief and loss, all the thousands of URLS are all monies you are giving them to do so?
You are not winning Scientology. You are only proving over and over again what the world now knows. You are a vindictive cult operating as a for profit business, pretending to be a religion.
The pain you have caused those in life and death is incalculable.
I am sure your videos make you smile, and the OSA team that put them together were proud to present them to the COB as “effective action” against a terrible Suppressive Person. You should know, it only motivates me more.
But for you scientology believers — here is something your Founder said that you can keep in mind:
When a person finds himself committing too many harmful acts against the dynamics, he becomes his own executioner.
This is why the criminal leaves clues on the scene…
The criminal who leaves clues behind is doing so in the hopes someone will come along to stop him from continuing to harm others… he attempts to put ethics in on himself by getting thrown in prison where he will no longer be able to commit crimes. L.R.H
Some have wondered why I haven’t sued the shit out of every person involved in making these rehearsed, poorly produced and staged libelous videos.
The simple, but truthful answer is because I’ve been busy.
But I do have some time available now.
I honestly think this is the most horrific policy that COS has. Destroying families. The people who leave Scientology who lost the ones they love because this policy loose them because of death if their loved once don’t see the truth. It shatters my heart. Each of the examples you listed got more and more heart wrenching to read. Nor religion or organization who be able to do this. It’s absolutely vile. Knowing that the some people who left have a family outside of COS is nice to know but when they have loved ones who still reside it’s haunting.
Mike Rinder, I love you and Leah for what you are doing, so please understand I’m on your side ALWAYS!!!! Especially in the light of what you have uncovered with the child abuse rampant in Scientology (I’ve wretched several times watching your A&E special when you expose the physical/sexual/psychological abuse of not only adults but especially CHILDREN!!! You’ll NEVER defeat the bully and thug known as Scientology by playing by their rules. The only thing these people understand is hate and violence, and only when industrial-strength terror is turned on them, they’ll continue their thuggish cowardice ways. They are cowards who will back down when confronted. You need to honestly consider destroying their infrastructure with every possible means available (financial, sociological, lawful, spiritual means). Instill fear and they will cower. Until you do these things, Scientology will continue tramping on us. You can’t play fair with bullies….all they know is terror so bring it to their doorstep and into their homes (lawfully, of course, I’d never endorse such tactics as assassination, poisoning their water/food supply, abduction & torture.) Drag them down and grind them into dirt for what they’ve done for so contemptuously underestimating the truth and the rest of us. God Bless you and please don’t ever take a chance that puts your life at risk!!! Leah and your safety are always on my mind when I watch your episodes. I would be lost if something happened to you guys. I pray for your safety and providence. I’m not a religious person, but I am spiritual and I know for a fact you’re on the right side of history and humanity by fighting this cancer called Scientology by that charlatan and fraud LRH. What OT level do you think he’s at now? I say he’s plumbing the depths of hell right now. Well, I don’t believe in hell either, but I wish I did because it would be comforting knowing he’s rotting and burning in it! But alas, we must make our stand here in this existence, the only existence we can be sure exists…if there is something after death…great, but until then, make your stand in THIS EXISTENCE. I will help you any way I can. Just ask and I’ll be there for you all. I’ll come to do research for you…whatever you need! I live in FL, so getting to Clearwater only takes me about 4 hours (I’m in Jacksonville, FL.) Please be careful because I’ll be devastated if anything happens to you, your family, Leah, or her family. I admire you for your courage and want to be a part of helping bring this giant monster to justice. Love always, Gregory Allen Kinsky/Jacksonville, FL/USA
I just posted this on FB:
I don’t share as often as I used to, but I am still an activist against the abuses of this so-called church. Why? Because it is stressful to me and my health. It saddens and sickens me. It reminds me of my own situations. I really try to keep my stress levels low. I know what it can do to my health issues.
Reading Leah’s words today brought me back to the sadness of my own lost loved ones who I failed to see before they passed.
You see… I, too, am a victim of my own disconnections. I have lost many old friends, a chiropractor who helped me tremendously (and I’m fairly sure found out inadvertently that I left through a Google+ post), and my own father and brother. My family were never in scientology. Just me.
I was not forced to disconnect, but I moved to LA and I have only been home to see my family once in over 36 years. I was not told by my brother’s immediate family that my brother had died. My father’s wife did not contact me when my father was in the hospital before he died. I rarely called my second brother and he had no current phone number for me when my dad died. Dad had my number… his wife did. I found out when I called and the home phone was disconnected. She had gone into a nursing home. I then found my brother’s number. My father’s estate attorney told me she said we were estranged and she knew that was not true. I don’t blame them… I really wasn’t involved with my family. I lost my mother to cancer when I was 21.
The truth is that because I had been a scientologist, I believed that family was not important. I did call my dad and we spoke once in a while, every few months just to check in. We said I love you to each other, but that was it. I could have gone home even though it was hard to make a living in LA, let alone take time off for a trip back home. I cannot make up for lost time now. I plan on reconnecting with my existing family when my health and money allow. I hope that will be sooner than later. I want to know my nieces and nephews better. I realize that my belief was wrong. Family is important. It reminds us of who we are and where we came from. It’s good to love your family and friends. I missed out on that. It doesn’t feel good and I want to make up for lost time because of what I was led to believe… due to an f’d up belief system devised by the f’d up mind of lrh.
Copy of my post to Tony Ortega’s Facebook post. Good luck to you and Leah!!!
I don’t know if you can sue for attempted libel. In Canadian law one must also prove damages. There might not be any such requirement in the States. Fortunately for Scientology (and the Daily Mirror). they did not pick-up the story. You might want to leave this one alone. Pick your spots. Good Luck!!!
Scientology knows no bottom to their lows. They are beyond repulsive and because of their practices should not even exist much less be given tax exempt status.
Mike, on a side note it’d be really helpful to put a header up on your site with “Scientology’s Policies” with the quotes on the various topics and their sources such as Disconnection, handling enemies, etc. It’d be a valuable resource and a great place to direct people who want to know what scientology is REALLY about.
I haven’t posted in awhile but I am still a huge supporter of the work that continues to brighten the light cast on this despicable, illegal, and immoral group/organization/cult. This post reminded me of the many more individuals who continue to be effected by the abhorrent agenda of an idiotic, insane, dead man.
I may not post regularly but my heart breaks daily.
Hello Teen,
Judging from your posts, I get the feeling there is an excellent chance you will develop into a terrific adult who may well become a great member of this world and that you may very well make some lasting and positive contributions to this world that will result in you having a happy life.
The reason I say you “may” make positive contributions is because we all seem to have the power of free choice and at any time you may well choose to do good or not and I sincerely hope you will choose to do good. You give me the appearance of a well-balanced person who would be an excellent friend and I sincerely wish you will have a happy life and that you will choose a wonderful mate and grow up to have a happy family and that none of you will ever have any connection to this criminal scam – except maybe to participate in its destruction. That would be a wonderful line on anybody’s resume.
All my best wishes to you.
Skyler
FAR from creating Homo Novis, scientology reduces converts into unthinking, unemotional Ronbots with no interest in their families, as family members are mere “meat bodies” which are unimportant to the DEADLY serious activity of scientology;
When fully indoctrinated, they’re thus SUB-human, as demonstrated SO many times in these blog entries such as the above.
Sad to say, even after all my time “out”, I haven’t much affinity for my biological family; that was excised by about ’77, and because they were also under scn’s spell at about the same time, they’ve not made much effort to re-connect with me (or their parents, either).
Mike and Leah, thank you for sharing your heartache – I can only imagine how awful it’s been. I lost my dad while I was still in and still have regrets about how I handled his final weeks and his passing. The “tech” changes how you deal with things and not for the better. I have become more human again after leaving. It’s a paradigm shift. This bullying by the CoS has to be stopped. Thank you for spreading the word far and wide. I have so much love and respect for you both. Leah, you go girl! We are all behind you 100%!
Mike, thank you. I wish this to go far and wide and its front page news.
October is World Anti-bullying month.
Scientology is a big bully.
I phoned this law-firm in hours after the 1st lawsuit. They yet to contact me more then a return phone call after also leaving a complaint on their website.
This has just become more bullied by my own mind traps since.
But the good thing is that I’m actually taking the advice of a dear friend and searhing for therapy.
Near death experiences caused by none other them myself has cause me to finally educate myself and now to ask for help because now I know it is possible. Just look at these other courageous survivors 😘
Evil people take advantage of good people. This is an old story.
Otherles,
So true.
I was curious about Dana Connaughton. Apparently, she is the wife of Leah’s father.
Leah’s post said she is a “failed singer” and I was curious to hear some of her singing to see just what level of talent she has.
It is not difficult to find Youtube videos and/or audios of her singing.
I only listened to one example of her singing and I have placed the link below. One was enough for me to get a good idea of just how much singing talent she has. I will not post my opinion because I am well known as being thoroughly opposed to the existence of this scam and all those connected to it.
But for anyone who might like to hear her singing for themselves, here is a link you can use to hear her sing a cover of Donna Summer’s, “She Works Hard for the Money”.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5zhlg8Bt1M
Some of you might like to post their opinions of her singing talent. I will not do that because I am clearly strongly opposed to The Scam and people would have no reason to believe my opinion to be unbiased.
I think the lack of views says it all. Good enough for karaoke but that’s about it IMO. She’s not talented enough to have a successful career as a singer.
Mike, thank you for your heartfelt words. I can’t wait for the day this evil cult falls apart and everyone is reunited with their estranged family members.
Ugh. Someone please send Donna a link to an auto tune app. That was painful to listen to, stopped listening after about 20 seconds.
Sorry Dana lol
Skyler, if you re-read Leah’s statement, you will see that Donna is not a Scientologist, nor was George. Her lack of singing talent has nothing to do with her affiliation with the cult. She would not win a high school talent show. At least the few seconds of her singing that I could listen to make me believe that. After that, I had to quit before my ears started to bleed.
My father raised me with one sacrosanct rule: If you can’t say something nice about somebody, don’t say anything at all. I just violated that rule. So, here’s what I have to say about Donna. I wish her all the success her talent can bring her.
Hey ValR,
You said, “I wish her all the success her talent can bring her.”
That is a very apt way to wish her what she may deserve. I will definitely have to remember that for any future time I want to make a public statement about someone’s abilities or lack thereof. Thank you for that.
I tried listening. My hearing aids turned themelves off after 8 seconds.
‘Failed singer’ is spot-on. I’m not a professional singer or agent, though I have a little musical training from my earlier years, and she at minimum chose a song well outside of her capability. “PROJECT your voice, girl.” was my thought within a few bars.
Before I listened to her, I could have taken Leah’s remark as typical when speaking of the “stepwitch” who married her Dad. My nephew and nieces have a true “stepwitch” that everyone hates, even her own kids.
Rofl! All I can say is FAILED is 100% correct! A joke is more appropriate.
The “tech” behind the disconnection policy is based on the notion that one is not doing well if life because he is connected to a suppressive person. In other words the suppressive person (or group) is trying to degrade the person that is under attack. That SP is why the dude is failing in life.
Well I learned about that tech and followed the exact policy myself. I took a hard look at my life and everything in it and lo and behold discovered it was Scientology that was beating me down, that was ruining my life and was causing me so much pain and misery. And so I quickly disconnected from the cult.
Well, what do you know! That amazing tech actually worked!!! I have NEVER been happier, healthier or more financially sound EVER!!
Thanks to L Ron Blubbard. Hip hip hurrah
Many congratulations to you, Glenn and a hearty, “Fuck Scamology” to all those dupes who still believe this scam is something worth defending.
Ever since I saw the very first episode of Mike & Leah’s wonderful TV show, I have been hoping and praying for the day when we may all see this scam collapse in a heap of rubble.
By the way, in case Mike and/or Leah ever have a bad day when they worry they have not done enough to hasten that C-Day (Celebration Day), you both should realize there are thousands and thousands (maybe even millions) of people like me who thank God for the work you have done to free the unfortunate wretches trapped in this scam and all of their family members who have been tortured and abused by these fuckers.
I have been waiting for that day when we all will finally see this horrible criminal scam collapse and I sure do hope we will all be able to meet in some central location somewhere in person in the hope we all will have a great big celebration.
I’ve been saving up some money to pay for this celebration and I’d love to suggest that everyone here to do likewise if you are able.
Then, on that most fantabulous day, those of us who can afford it, may be able to help those of us who may need some help with the costs of transportation, etc. so that we all may be able to travel to some central party HQ and have ourselves a joyus laugh and cry.
May God Bless Mike and Leah and everyone else who struggles to bring down this piece of shit!
“SPs” and the need to disconnect from same were just one of Tubby’s EXCUSES as to why his “tech (techniques) didn’t deliver the results he claimed would be obtained.
FWIW, Dana Connaughton’s twitter account has been deactivated.
Also, not any consolation, but Leah and her sisters were given a brief mention in the last sentence of George’s Obituary (in the same sentence as his dogs). “George is also survived by his daughters, Elizabeth, Nicole and Leah; his grandchild, Sofia; and his dogs, Billy and Cookie.”
Sorry for your loss Leah. Sorry you couldn’t say goodbye. I was tempted to leave a message regarding that on the guestbook, but then I decided only someone who was a scientologist would do something that crass.
https://www.flynnfuneral.com/obituary/george-remini
CERTAIN STATEMENTS I’VE HEARD ON THE AFTERMATH SERIES CONTINUALLY PLAY IN MY HEAD:
RAMINA NUNNELEE:
I don’t give a damn if nothing comes out of this except for maybe one other parent will listen to me. Please, I beg of you — save your children, go back to your children,” Ramina says in a powerful appeal to the camera. “No church is a church if they condone, advocate that family members must split up and disavow each other. No decent church would do that. How could they be considered a church?”
Ramina, a lot of us have been asking that question for a long time
MARY KAHN:
THEY OWNED ME…….
At least somewhere, somehow, sometime……what has been TAKEN from you shall be returned. YES, sadly it seems like “the bad guys win”…..but JUSTICE will ONE DAY BE SERVED UP……..
My heart aches for Mike, Leah, Mary and everyone who has “lost contact” with their beloved ones…..one can forgive….but forget….that never happens. In so deep, fear of retribution, brain washed, terrified of losing what they THINK they have or will get (a new meat body)………my love goes out to all of you who weren’t given the opportunity for that LAST farewell.
BalletLady, this seems like a very appropriate day for me to tell you just how much your participation in this blog has meant to me.
Without going into a lot of detail, I just want to pick out a few of the people whose writing has really helped to buoy me and sustain me on days when I just don’t feel at all buoyant.
Balletlady, Aquamarine, Mary Kahn, Kat Larue, Old Surfer Dude, Scribe, Wynski, George M White, Val R., jere lull, Glenn and so many more. Please forgive me if I omitted your name or mispelled it. I sincerely apologize if I have.
The few names I have mentioned are only a few of the people here that I have grown to greatly respect and admire. I wrestled for a long time wondering wondering if I should mention any of your names. Wondering if it would embarrass those people I mentioned or insult those people that I failed to mention, but in the end, I decided that I would love to have been mentioned if anyone was giving thanks to specific people. So please forgive me if I failed to mention you but you all have meant so very much to me in this struggle for our freedom from this monstrosity.
Skyler,
Thank you very much. I am honored to be acknowledged and included in a crowd of really great folks.
Glenn
I am honored by your heartfelt reply! I wish I could give you a hug in person, but right now a virtual hug is always yours directly from me.
I grew up in a dysfunctional family….my dad was a hard worker and never drank, gambled, chased women, or was a “bum” but he was emotionally distant to us and due to his type of job he was a 100% perfectionist. We were NEVER told “good job, I’m proud of you, you’re amazing, but he DID enjoy critiquing us, putting us down, calling us names that he thought was funny….or….making fun of us……
Part of it was because he was an only child who’s father was an alcoholic, his mother HAD to go to work to pay the bills & she would “leave him” with anyone available as a babysitter. His father would also take his toys & SELL them to his “friends” so he could buy himself a beer. He literally HAD no father….he DIDN”T KNOW HOW TO BE A FATHER.
What I have read, listened to, seen my own eyes and ears……so so sad & totally dysfunctional to IGNORE one’s OWN CHILD or BE IGNORED by one’s own child over a “religion”……or what is deemed by the IRS as an “acceptable religion” cuts me to the core of my very being.
To KNOW that all Mike Rinder would have wanted was to hug and kiss his OWN mother as she left this Earth, the same with Leah & so many others who never got that chance. To have a parent that never met their OWN Grand child…or REFUSED to meet their own Grand Child…that tears out my heart in pieces.
To others like Mary Kahn….who would give her LIFE to hold her son in her arms one more time. & hear Sammy’s voice saying “I love you Mom”…..one day that KID is gong to regret it because once they’re gone…they are GONE FOREVER.
HOW DO I UNDERSTAND THIS….my son was 7 when my father passed away unexpectedly. They lived about 4 hours away from us. In my son’s SEVEN YEARS on this Earth…my OWN FATHER…his GRAND FATHER…had ONLY seen him 5 times…if that. My father never went out of his way to get to know ANY of his Grand children…that’s the way he was.
For me….sadly my husband and I HAVE NO Grand children…my daughter’s medical health..she isn’t capable of having a baby and our son is a “confirmed bachelor”….he simply does NOT want marriage & children.
My husband and I are married nearly 47 years….. & would LOVE to be surrounded by Grand children, but that’s not to be. We visit and travel to different locations with our adult kids and my son in law whom we adore!
My life and HEART are FULL of LOVE for people like YOU Skyler, Mike, OSD, Jere & so many others who have had the courage & time to GIVE ME…..a “never in” who deeply CARES for all the PAIN you’ve suffered….so much in return.
All my love to everyone! Thank You!
You’re a sweet person, Balletlady. Glad to know you on this blog.
Thank you dearest friend Aqua….you are a another shining example of how one CAN BEGIN to HEAL the hurts…..all it takes is opening your heart & mind & unloading the hurt you carry around deep inside…..
There is NEVER ENOUGH LOVE!
BalletLady, it’s at times like this when I HOPE that most religious are right that the wicked will be punished in the “next life” or “lives” for this lifetime’s transgressions. At this moment, I’m hoping “instant Karma” really is a ‘thing’, and that a certain munchkin™ will make the acquaintance of “Bubba”, his new roommate…. Then again, such vulgar thoughts put stains on my soul which I’ll need to atone for, so I keep them to the absolute minimum —when I REALLY feel the need to vent my spleen.
I HEAR you loud an clear Jere…..I am still angry that neither of my parents were that involved OR went “out of their way” to spend time with me, my husband and our children when they were young. The hurt still pains me….even when I visit the cemetery…I ask myself or out loud to “them”….WHY….
I could never in a million years explain the hurt and pain that “rejection” caused me to feel. WE WERE LUCKY however. My husband and I were BOTH born “old souls”….most of our closest and dearest friends were maybe 20 to 30 years OLDER than us…SO…..those lovely dear sweet kind hearted folks WERE ADOPTED “Uncles/Aunts/Grand Parents…..they added so much love & joy to our lives.
It WAS hard to explain when our kids were young…. why their Grand parents….”Weren’t around”….i.e. they’d ask “How come so and so’s Grandpa/Grandma comes to visit and MY GRAND PARENTS DON”T……that was a real heart breaker.
I can FULLY Understand how it feels to be REJECTED by one’s OWN FLESH & BLOOD….because I’ve been there & it wasn’t a religion that required it…it was my parents themselves….in a sense….like it WAS a requirement.
Yes, I’ve had that same feeling my dear Jere….KARMA comes at it’s OWN good time……Yes, some “escape justice”….but as HE HIMSELF HAS SAID….”What are YOUR crimes”…..HE DAMNED WELL KNOWS WHAT HIS CRIMES ARE….
I can’t imagine what he goes through every day of his miserable rotten life as it is…..He must be deathly Afraid to go out in public, he MUST hide under the cover of darkness or use under ground passageways and tunnels so NO ONE CONFRONTS HIM……
.FEAR…THAT IS HIS PUNISHMENT, that someday, somewhere, somehow IT will ALL catch up to him when he LEAST expects it…..THOSE IMMORTAL WORDS RING IN MY EARS!!!
DAVID M….YOU ARE BEING PLACED UNDER ARREST……
LOVE TO YOU & YOUR FAMILY JERE!
Well said, Mike, Christie and Leah. My heart goes out to y’all and all others whose families have been shattered by disconnection. I pray for the day that this ends. Hugs to all.
Shortly after I moved away from home and I was in college, my father’s mother died. I was heartbroken at her funeral. By the time my mother’s mother died, I was in Sea Org. As a child, she was my absolute favorite grandparent. When I found out she had died, I decided it would be Dev-T to go to her funeral. I had been that programmed by then. I still regret that I didn’t go say my last goodbyes to that wonderful woman.
I am glad I had escaped scientology by the time my parents died 3 years later. Had I missed their funerals and then escaped, I would have had to live with that my whole life.
Scientology programs you to be an unfeeling robot. If you don’t believe in scientology, and you serve their purpose, they will throw as much money as they can at you in an attempt to alienate you from the people they despise (because those people have escaped and know too much).
Do not hate the scientology robots. Treat them with kindness to break through their fear. Except Miscavige. He believes he is God. He must be treated as LRH dictates you treat people like him.
“Except Miscavige. He believes he is God. He must be treated as LRH dictates you treat people like him.”
Full agreement, ValR, except I’d change that “must” to a “should”, as in: it’d be poetic justice if he were treated as Tubby dictated.
Mike, I met your mother once, maybe 15 years at the Sandcastle. I was there having lunch, she was sitting alone at a table, so I joined her. She immediately told me she was your mother. She talked about the family shampoo business. And she talked about you. She was very proud of you. It was very sweet to hear her speak of you. A very lovely woman.
“15 years ago”
Thank you. Yes, she was very kind and gentle. A good mother. Unfortunately stuck in a belief system that stole that kindness for the “greatest good.”
Thank you, Cindy. Yes, that was the reason I posted it so that others know, the disconnection policy is still enforced.
To Mike and Leah. Your experiences touched the heart of my soul.
Atonement is a word not found in the Scientology Technical Dictionary or in usage by Scientologists. It is a word common to Christians and many (truly) spiritual groups. It is the correct precursor to forgiveness since it incorporates the idea of reparation of wrongs/injuries that were done and a restoration of harmony and agreement.
The closest use of atonement by Hubbard that I recall is in the Liability Condition formula where one is to ‘make up the damage one has done to the group’. Note that even here there is no hint of Scientology making amends to the harmed individual. They are simply incapable of seeing that they did wrong or to take responsibility for their harmful acts done in Hubbard’s name.
Given that the unrepentant followers of Hubbard will never ever atone for what they have done the only recourse is to apply WOG justice. And do not let mercy temper justice.
I just returned from a trip to my dad’s house meet my (adopted) brother’s brother & partner. RE-connection, after 48 years. That this “church” deliberately and maliciously separates families for NO REASON is sickening and fucking disgusting.
If you’re in, and you read this, please feel in your heart the pain that your religion is causing. There is no “eternity” to save. You are not doing a thing to “save all mankind”. Please get out now and call your mom.
OMG, I got a goosebump shiver on that last line, “But I do have some time now…” Leah says this in her article about disconnection and the idea of her and/or Mike suing for libel and slander really affected me. YES, I am for this! YES do sue them and let the truth come out all over the world about their disconnection and fair game and slander tactics. This, from a “church.” This is what makes Scn different from any church on the planet. It hires PI’s, sends in operatives, gets people fired, breaks up family, all because you decided to step out of the game and leave the church. All because you decided to speak out against their atrocities and crimes. No other church does this.
The Jehovah’s Witnesses break up families. In Islamic theocracies, the state considers it a crime to leave Islam and many give you the death penalty for it. Look at what’s happening in Pakistan right now. But it’s not just Islam — Hindu nationalists run the Indian government. There have been religious-based genocides committed by Buddhists, and Christianity’s history is phenomenally bloody.
Scientology is not as different as people like to pretend it is. We need to stop giving groups a pass because they’re religions. I’d rather religions were scrutinized more than other groups, not less; they have too much power over people’s minds to be given any kind of pass. That Scientology is a religion has nothing to do with how ethical it isn’t.
Superb comment.
To say that Hubbard was an evil person is to insult evil people.
I agree, Lliira, and I’m glad I woke up from my own religious fervor in time to prevent me from bringing my kids up that way. Even the mainstream “safe” religions, by the nature faith, have the potential to sprout movements that are culty. I was involved in the Catholic Charismatic movement, which gave rise to covenant communities and other things that demand more dedication and docile mental submission than the typical church parish life does. There is always a tendency for “renewal”, “revival”, etc, in various religions because (IMHO) it’s all a bunch of nothing that people will lose interest in unless the urgency gets hyped up now and again. Scientology appealed to the more scientific minded people who believed that Hubbard may have been onto something, I guess.
Lliira,
Agreement that we shouldn’t give a pass to organizations merely because they CLAIM to be a religion in an effort to avoid prosecution for their crimes or paying taxes on their ill-gotten piles of money(often literally). scientology always sold itself as a “science” for mental health; it says so right on their “bible’s” front cover and they’ve never operated as anything else.
OSA, their criminal and mental deranged staff, COB and whoever follows these tactics may be ‘celebrating’ this attack and consider it a win.
One again, they are wrong. You do not need to be so cruel, deceptive or criminal against decent people. Life itself will take care of these people and their abuses. They do know deep inside that their mind and heart are rotten, putrified and self-destroyed by doing these type of things to another human being.
This also motivates me to offer again my full support on anything to Leah, Mike and any other decent person that has chosen to speak out against this criminal, sociopath behavior of Miscavige, OSA representatives and other criminal inclined ‘scientologist’.
Cruelty will bounce back at them. Their eternal agony is nothing I will wish one any one, but that is what each of these criminals have cerated for themselves.
“Cruelty will bounce back at them.” Will it ever. In fact, its been bouncing back at them for decades now.
What goes around, comes around. So keep your thoughts, words & actions, loving, compassionate & kind.
But, hey, what do I know.
You know a lot.
“They do know deep inside that their mind and heart are rotten, putrified and self-destroyed by doing these type of things to another human being.”
You and I know these things, SILVIA, but Tubby, (et al) led them to convince themselves that those were the “right” actions. They were induced to replace their innate sense of good and evil with a compulsion to do what they are ordered as the “greatest good”. Living with their misdeeds for the rest of their lives is, in my mind, punishment enough; no need for us who *could* have been them to ‘pile on’.
Leah Remini and Mike Rinder are SO BRAVE! My heart goes out to all those who have suffered by the hands of this CULT! I absolutely LOVE the very last sentence!
I have some time too so I shared this on Facebook with the following remarks:
Some very powerful, sad, and frightening information. The Internal Revenue Service needs to revoke the tax exempt status of this CULT! Scientology is NOT a religion or a church! Those at the top of this “business” and it’s members are responsible for:
* the destruction of families through their disconnection policies
* trafficking of children, forced abortions, imprisoning members who need “reprogramming” or need to be kept out of the public eye
* use their tax exempt dollars toward efforts to DESTROY anyone that they fear will speak out against the CULT, hire private investigators to follow and harass detractors, use intimidation and harassment to silence victims and keep them from reporting or testifying against them
* order members to infiltrate our government, up to and currently including the White House!
* have a STRICT AND PUNISHABLE policy that restricts EVERY CULT member from reporting any member to authorities for any and all crimes, including child endangerment, child abuse, child assault, all crimes of a sexual nature including Rape!
These are just a few examples of what this disgusting and DANGEROUS CULT are doing. If there is anything in what you’ve read here that makes you frightened for a victim or MAD that our government isn’t revoking their “ill gotten” so called Church status, PLEASE SHARE this. You can also contact the IRS, your local and/or federal authorities, and our President to demand that something be done to STOP this cult!
Emily:
From your keyboard to Xenu’s(or the IRS’s) eyes….
I am sitting here absolutely stunned. Not only at Leah and Mike’s statements, but also at the power and intensity of the response here. It’s clearly a new level of revulsion and total loathing of ALL THINGS SCIENTOLOGY.
Very early in my scio experience it was “requested” that I disconnect from my mother due to a stuck point in my auditing. I did so, returned to my auditing and cleaned up the stuck point. (She was involved in it at the time.) I immediately called her, apologized for the disconnect and explained why. She took it totally in stride, thank heavens, and we never spoke of it again. Total time, 3 weeks. But that was back in 1966 and for a short term purpose. I still regret I did it, but no significant damage was done. (Well, my FATHER was pissed as hell!!!)
I remained in scio until I first read of the illegal crushing of the Mission holders and theft of their monies and livelihoods. Totally vicious. Oddly, I was not declared for many years and only lost one dear friend when I did that.
I laughed at Leah’s “I’ve got time now.” I can hardly wait to see what the statement implies!!!
Go LEAH!! Go MIKE!!!
go HURRICANE LEAH!
Can the Aftermath Foundation’s resources be used to give scn a taste of its own medicine? [essentially reverse “fair game”, that is.]
That is not the purpose of the Aftermath Foundation. It is devoted to assisting those leaving scientology.
I’d love to see what happened if “someone” sicced PIs on DM in a “noisy investigation”.
Once again, Mike and Leah not only make heartfelt statements and speak the truth, but they tell NECESSARY stories about the emotional sufferings not just of themselves, but of many many others. These stories are necessary to tell because simple compassion for others is what this world has never had enough of and so desperately needs more of. It is a truly profound disappointment and shame to me that the group I supported for thirty five years has committed as a standard operating practice these inhumane acts.
Serious question…for those 35 years, you never knew they did these things? Or did you know/have an idea and chose to turn a blind eye? I am always dumbfounded when I read these responses of former members who say they didn’t know these things were going on when so many have experienced them. Thank you.
Good questions Dee. I was in from 1970 to 2006 (when I was 55). Honestly I did not know about the things that are now being publicized on the internet and shows like Aftermath. I did not personally know of anyone who had been disconnected from and lost family and close friends . Of course I soon became one of those people myself.
I am finding out that Scientologists have lost their ability to feel emotions. They kind of understand that what they are doing is inhuman, and that is why they try to hide it. Failing that would launch into a long winded BS justification.
Six years ago we came to Israel. My daughter and her husband were supposed to travel with us, but their trip was canceled the night before because I was in “lower conditions”. When I tried to explain that to my mother, she cut me off and said: “no need to explain, son, I know Nazzies when I see them.” For me that was the summation of Scientology.
I’m so sorry Mike and Leah! As a mother and grandmother I can’t imagine the pressure that was brought on Mike’s mother to make her say those things. It is unimaginable to be forced to say those things to your son.
Love to Mike, Leah, Christie, Mary , Lois and others who have endured this. I always check Tony’s “list” of how many years families have been forced to be apart. It never fails to sadden me.
I watched every episode of your show and it was heartbreaking!!! The time, money, emotional toll, and energy it seems to take to be a Scientologist looks like that would put off people from becoming one!!!! I’m so sorry Leah and Mike and all the others for the heart wrenching things you’ve gone through at this cults hands!!!! But I do have a question except for Hubbard who has actually reached this pinnacle of self healing and all knowing knowledge? Because from what I see Hubbard wrote it but never accomplished it because he died and from what the rest of you who knew him the best described him as a know it all who loved attention so had he actually achieved the impossible he would be running right in, in his new body and knocking Miscavige on his butt and taking back his throne!!! As for Miscavige except for being an egotistical, deranged, massagonist ( i’m sure I spelled that wrong) from what you all say about him!!! As far as I can see the only thing magical that he’s been able to do is make his wife disappear and actually keep it a secret!!!! Oh and continue to keep extorting millions of dollars from smart people and then having them give up their children, their lives, everything that means everything to them!!!! So my question is why doesn’t anyone require proof actual proof not propaganda videos that this system (religion) actually works!!! Does no one ever say I want to meet a person who has completed this and is now highly evolved?
“Does no one ever say I want to meet a person who has completed this and is now highly evolved?”
I didn’t — COULDN’T while I was “in”, but now, as one who attested to ‘clear’, if confronted one-on-one by a current cultee, I’d have to say “SHOW me a book 1 ‘CLEAR’. In all my years “in”, the person who most exemplified one was Hana Eltringham [now Whitfield].
Things just “went right” around her, without the heavy ‘ethics’ and mis-emotion most scns learned was expected and required. A very classy LADY. [And I hope she sees this, even though she might find it embarrassing.] She was one of the very few executives who exceeded the “ideals” Tubby promulgated while still allowing for empathy in her dealing with her “juniors”, the very supportive and vital human emotion & activity in such an endeavor.
Leah with free time to persue personal legal vendettas…it is going to be a slaughter.
Enraged and Active,
If I can help make that happen, I’m glad to be of service!!
If every Scientologist disappeared off the face of the earth, the world would be a happier place.
Wow. Thank you Mike and Leah for this statement.
It certainly resonates with me. I just turned 74. My dad died at 74. My two children disconnected from me when I publicly left and exposed my story of Scientology and disconnecting from two band members that destroyed my rock group in 1968 when the group was climbing the Billboard charts.
I feel lucky that I have my health. However there is the possibility that I will not see my children again before I leave this earth. They are 25 and 22 and they are embarrassed by their father. My birthday rolled around and not a word from them.
Scientology teachs that family is a facade and only going clear and OT is important to save the planet.
Well I thought that for almost 5 decades. And I almost died for that belief. And when I finally woke up, what did I get for that? My children will have nothing to do with me. Leah’s statement is well founded in facts and truth. Scientology fair game and disconnection is going strong in the cult and it is destroying that organization. And I am not sitting on my laurels either. As Leah and Mike have said, “more to come”.
Geoff, I’m sorry for your loss. I hate it when the church brainwashes the kids into disconnecting from a parent. My two kids disconnected from me just because I was reading the blogs secretly. I got to see my son a few days ago on Mike’s site as he was the model in a recruiting poster for Pas Org. Sad state of affairs that a chance sighting from a Scn ad is all I get of my kids.
Yes,
I’m confident they cannot keep their bubble intact. My kids were born into Scientology. They were smoothly indoctrinated by me and my ex-wife who is still in. That helped soften the effects of losing them. And what was done can be undone.
“Scientology teaches that family is a facade and only going Clear and OT will save the planet”…”Well, I thought that for almost 5 decades.”
Geoff, 50 years is a long time and yet you still saw the light. Your kids were placed by you into Scientology. Scientology is all they know. It took you 50 years to find out the truth about Scientology. They’re only in their early twenties, so that’s 20 years, let’s say. One day they will find out what you found out. You’re 74. Their finding out might not be in time for them to acknowledge it to you and reunite with you. But be comforted with the fact that whether you’re around to know it or not, one day they WILL find out, and be free. Seriously, all they’re going to do, when they find out, is to come to you and acknowledge that you were right, and beg your forgiveness. If you’re dead they won’t be able to talk to you, but they’ll be thinking about you, telling you in their thoughts that you were right all along, and begging you to forgive them. Dead or alive, that’s what you will be getting from them. Do you really need to hear this from them? Think about it. You KNOW you are right. And you put them in the cult, after all. From Day One they were trained by the cult AND YOU to disconnect from ANYONE deemed “suppressive”. “Handle or Disconnect”. Doesn’t matter WHO it is, handle them or disconnect from them. They were steeped in this, from infancy, by YOU. And it took you 50 years to say, “Whoops! Wait a minute, let’s rethink this…” – which is fine, and well done that it happened at all, no matter how long it took, btw. Seriously, I mean that, very well done. But your children have been programmed from infancy to obey cult orders. They’ve been trained from Day One to “handle or disconnect”. They couldn’t handle you so they disconnected. This is all they know. All you can do is to accept what you’ve created and keep your faith in the native intelligence, humanity and common sense. All of these are ALREADY at war with their cult training. They may not SEEM to be in a turmoil about it but they are seeing things. One day it will all gell and they’ll be gone. You’ll either be around for it or you won’t, but the truth WILL get thru to them and they’ll be free, and alive or dead, they will love and respect you again. If you’re alive they’ll be talking to you and telling you that you were right and how sorry they are for the pain they caused. If you’re dead they’ll be talking to you and telling how how sorry they are for the pain they caused.
Aqua, thanks for the caring comment. What I left out of my comment is irony of the Karma I have experienced. Hard for me to feel sorry for myself.
And I am hopeful that all our efforts will help my kids leave. I am focused on our on going exposure of Scientology lies.
I am making a documentary about my brother and my journey. That’s my legacy and story for my kids. When that’s done I will move on.
I think Leah’s impassioned statements triggered me to comment.
Thank you again for your kind words.
You’re welcome. I get so mad when I read these things about Scientology kids disconnecting from their parents. They have no idea how lucky they are to have loyal, loving parents. They have NO idea what they are throwing away! Ooooh, sometimes I feel like strangling them! Sorry, Geoff. I know that making them wrong doesn’t help them or the situation. Anyway, when you have that documentary ready I’d love to watch it, if its not just for your family, that is.
Enraged and Active,
“If every Scientologist disappeared off the face of the earth, the world would be a happier place.”
I’d prefer to convert the scns into “recovering scns”, not “disappear” them. That way, we’d get back the altruistic people they were before Tubby’s techniques stripped them of their humanity.
Leah’s last line is priceless: “But I do have some time available now.”
There’s a perfect word to describe Leah in this mood: “baleful”: “threatening harm; menacing”. I love her when she’s like this!
“Don’t mess with Brooklyn”. Big mistake you made with Leah Remini, Miscavige. BIG mistake. On a par with abusing Mike Rinder on every dynamic to the point where he blew and became your implacable enemy. Big mistakes, YUGE errors of judgement. But that’s your forte, isn’t it, Dwarf? Fucking things up? You can always be counted upon to make things go wrong!
Mike I’m sorry sorry about your Mom. Damn cult. Leah, you are my hero. You have so many people supporting you in this fight to take done this “thing”. The exposure you and Mike have brought to the cult is bringing it down faster than anything before ever has. You guys rock!
Hey Tommy…who has the fuckin’ rank now??
I often wonder if he has nightmares about that stupid statement…🤣🤣
*down…
Oh, absolutely re Tommy Davis. I, too, wonder whether he relives that moment and that statement in those Sit Bolt Upright in the Middle of the Night moments. I sure hope so!!
I sure hope so too!
“Words of hate towards her oldest son. She thought she had no choice but to say the things that were scripted for her. They had only one purpose, to intimidate or shame me into silence (and by shame I mean to make me feel like I was responsible for putting her through the torture of having to publicly hate on her son).”
I’m so sorry to read this. It seems to me that religion is being used to DESTROY families. If you can destroy a family, you undermine the entire fabric of the culture in which you live. It makes it easier for enemies to destroy everything for which we ever strive.
An elderly, frail, fragile lady in poor health, fearful, nearing the end of her life , is highly susceptible and VERY easily bullied by the people in the closest proximity to her. There are no words for how – I just don’t have the words, for the mendacity of the cult, Mike. But as regards your Mother I think in her heart of hearts she knew the truth about you and was protesting and did not want to denounce you. She just wasn’t strong enough to withstand the pressure, being near death. I’m not just saying that; I believe it, based on an experience I had with a very old lady who was a family friend, who had been made to turn against me. Your Mom – in her heart of hearts your Mom knew the truth and loved you and knew that you loved her. But she was too old and frail and weak and sick to fight them. I think she trusted that you would understand, and from what you’ve said above, she was right, you do understand, you did love her, you did care, and she knew it, and died knowing it, trusting that you’d know it too, and understand. I believe this. I’m not saying feel good stuff to make you feel better. I believe this. I sense it.
That was heart felt Mike. I know you get this a lot. But here is one more:
I appreciate you: your strength, your determination, your integrity………. thank you so much Mike!
This is an eloquent, important and powerful statement by both Mike and Leah. I hope it is given wide notice because it really shows so much about the dark and malignant machinations of $ci.
I believe that family is sacred and that when $ci attacks families to serve its own selfish, cruel and blackhearted aims, it diminishes all of us, all of humanity.
There are many things I do not understand in the world. Even knowing the way it works, the thought stopping, the redirection of noble impulses, the slowly boiled frog, the social isolation and pressure, the carrot of superpowers, enlightenment, sleep deprivation, trance states, deep confessionals, sunk costs…..even knowing all of that….I don’t think I will ever really understand how $ci has the ongoing ability to separate parent from child, brother from sister, husband from wife, family from family.
Google ‘narcistic’. It took me hours today to read and artical with 15 traits of narcissism. I did it so I could rid myself of anti-social characteristics I found remaining in myself after 40 years a believer in every word uttered by the old man. I raised my children in an extreamly narcistic enviorment. Understanding this I believe will help answer your search for this understanding which you so correctly point out you dont know. Self-reflection is not one of the 15 traits.
This reading was so emotional I had to read it outloud to my partner. You can text me if you dont have a partner and I will phone you and listen while you read.
2138803761.
Glen said, in part:”it diminishes all of us, all of humanity.”
It diminishes ALL the dynamics, not just the 4th. Falsely claiming to be a religion specifically diminishes and cheapens the 7th and 8th, in scio lingo. If scn is considered a religion, what are the OTHER organizations who make the same claim?
This is one of the most gripping statements of how the Scn cult works for their own corrupt controlling destructive ends. Like any manipulative cult they are working for the power, money and ego of the leader and the machine. Reading the above writings has a profound effect on me for my family. I was 30 yrs on staff, 25 in the S.O. I am so grateful to have gotten out 15 years ago and for blogs like this one. I will be writing and calling the family that is still in to appeal to their better self to reconnect and to try to help them cope with the fallout.
I wish you much success, Mission Guy.
My sister disconnected from me 3 weeks ago, by orders of the Flag MAA. She instructed her two adult sons, my nephews, to disconnect from me as well, even though one is not a Scientologist.
Christopher, I am so sorry. Every time I hear of another disconnection at the hands of $cientology, I get mad as hell. I cannot imagine what you must be feeling. I was never in $cientology, but I feel for every person whose life has been affected by this vile organization. I hope your sister wakes up to reality.
Thank you Katherine
Christopher, I am so sorry to hear of this. I so feel for you. The fact that they disconnected only 3 weeks ago is proof positive that disconnection was not cancelled as Tommy said. It is proof that they continue to force disconnection even today. I hope and pray your kids wake up some time and get out.
Thank you, Cindy. Yes, that was the reason I posted it so that others know, the disconnection policy is still enforced.
Well, if they are indeed adults, its about time they cut Mommie’ Dearest’s apron strings and made their own informed decisions. Unless of course Mommie Dearest is paying their bills, in which case they’ll do whatever she says – chronological adults. but for all practical purposes, dependent children.
1.I never said if my nephews agreed to disconecct.
2.They both earn much more than their mother.
Whoa! You’re right! My bad. You didn’t say that your nephews had in fact agreed to disconnect. I just ASSUMED they had. I assumed they had caved to her. . VERY glad they have not necessarily done so, , and thanks for clarifying that they are not in the least dependent upon their mother for their livelihoods. That’s all really good news! I’m rooting for your nephews to ignore their mother’s orders and in turn I’m rooting for your sister to withstand the pressure the cherch will bring to bear on her in the event her adult sons refuse to comply.
Yes, I agree.
Thank you Aquamarine.
Yup, Christopher, the scn tiger NEVER changes its stripes: Disconnection is alive and enforced to this day by the organization masquerading as a religion.
I sometimes wish that there were more that I could be doing to end this vile cult! Stories like this just make my heart bleed and firmly fix my resolve to help in any way that I can. People should not be subjected to the painful and vicious machinations of the evil menace that is Scientology.
For those of you who have been through these disconnections, and to Mike and Leah for having to publicly view hate filled messages from close family and loved ones, my heart goes out. It can never be made right. I am sorry. I know that doesn’t mean much, and I know you do not want sympathy for the scars you now live with. It made you stronger. It made you warriors. I greatly admire this strength and resilience. Your fight shows that you have truly won the battle with the cult.
I am going to keep fighting so that, in the near future, no one will have to endure the heartache and pain of disconnection. This is the least I can do to show support and solidarity. Even if my efforts are simply a small drop in a very large and growing ocean, I will still keep fighting.
I once said that I do something every day. I still do, and I won’t stop until either the cult dissolves or I am unable to lift a pen (or keyboard). Just know that the stories shared here do not fall on deaf ears and they do change lives. I’m new to the fight. Some of you have been struggling for years and fighting as hard as possible to get this thing ended. With each new voice, the calls for justice get louder and louder. It is my hope that the deafening cries for the end will soon be too much for the authorities to ignore.
Again, I am awed by the strength and passion of all of you here!
Thank you all for sharing.
Kat
Kat lamented, in part:
“I sometimes wish that there were more that I could be doing to end this vile cult! Stories like this just make my heart bleed and firmly fix my resolve to help in any way that I can. People should not be subjected to the painful and vicious machinations of the evil menace that is Scientology.”
IMO, the most effective thing we can all do is support the Aftermath Foundation, which strikes the evil organization masquerading as a cult at its heart, those trapped in their own prisons of belief, supplying TRUTH to supplant the cult’s many, many lies.
Leah and Mike, I honor you both. You are foot soldiers in this war against evil and you have both taken some very heavy hits. Thank you, thank you both for standing up. For refusing to be frightened or intimidated into giving up.
And I agree with Clearly Not Clear. WHAT a great ending line. Shiver, Miscavige!! Dive into your glass of scotch and hunch and paw over your ill-gotten gains. Your number is almost up. Even if our government and police have been bought, Leah and Mike remain uncorrupted and undeterred.
Also, my heartfelt sympathies, always, to everyone here (and at The Bunker) who have suffered. This cult is even worse than I thought – and I already thought it was slime.
Wow what a great article by Mike and Leah. I was in tears just reading it. It is just so bloody horrible what this cult does and families is where they hurt people the most. It is sick and they must stop or be stopped now. If my son does not come to his senses soon then he will lose one of us (his parents) and he will never have the opportunity to “make things right”. And I know he is a good guy and will regret it for the rest of his life, he is just so brainwashed. Thank you for writing this,
Yes, that is why I feel sorry for the kids who disconnect from their parents, who will in all likelihood outlive their parents and possibly not wake up in time to reconnect with these parents whilst their parents are still alive. As ice-cold and unfeeling as these kids are, as heartless as they are in inflicting this pain, when or if they wake up and realize the truth, and if its too late to actually talk to said parents, the lives of these kids are going to be hell because of the suffering they caused these parents. The guilt that they’re going to feel is going to stay with them forever; they’ll never be able to make it right. There’s nothing more gruesome than this kind of frantic, non-abating grief, and regret. You can never make it up, never make it right and telling themselves, “I didn’t know, I didn’t know!” is not going to help. And other people telling them, “You didn’t know, it wasn’t your fault!” is not going to help either. And so, as much as the parents are suffering acutely now, what their kids who disconnected from them are on track to suffer one day is unspeakable and I truly pity them for what the future might hold for them. and wouldn’t wish it on anybody.
Fuck scientology, there is never any excuse for using spiritual blackmail to force people to cut ties with their loved ones.
All my love to those who are suffering under this reprehensible practice. May your loved ones wake up and see the truth, and reach out to repair broken bonds and heal broken hearts.
Great comment. You nailed it.
I nailed something once. The nail is still in my toe.
Thanks for the chuckle, OSD!
👍
Sometimes I wonder what I can do as a person outside looking in to help. What can I do that will encourage the government and IRS to do something? What will it take for someone to take them to court before another “Jonestown” situation is in the headlines because there wasn’t enough “evidence “. I for one hear you Leah. Hopefully in my generation we will witness an end to Scientology.
I am an orphan. Lost my mother when she was 59..between my brother and sisters we were able to care for her until the end. Lost my brother when he was 44 and again it was his sisters that kept him in his home until the end. Lost my father in 2018 on my birthday, but again my sisters and I allowed him to die in his home.
To be so separated from family is heartbreaking to read.
When both of my parents and my brother died they were speaking to family that had already passed as if they were in the room with them.
Who will be with these souls as they pass? They have turned their backs on their families.
Hoping our souls will have the forgiveness necessary to reach out and gather them in..
Leah I am so sorry. Mike, the same. To all of you that have lost family to this insanity, I am so sorry.
“But I do have some time available now.”
That is the best ending line.
A-blankety-blank-blank-men! We should have that sentence made into bumper stickers, in ALL CAPS!
Disconnection is a horrible practice implemented by a vile “religion.” All of the instances above hurt everyone involved.
My son has disconnected from me, his father, brother and never reaches out now to his extended family. Disconnection destroyed his whole family.
I hope one day we all are vindicated but I won’t hold my breath. If this painful state of affairs has taught me anything it’s that sometimes in this world the bad guy does get away with it.
So I shall continue to enjoy the love, the beauty and the abundance of blessings I have in my life.
And we shall continue to your love, beauty and abundance in our lives Mary!
☺️☺️☺️
I’ll bet he misses you, Mary. You and his father and brother. I’d bet he misses you all a great deal, misses having his Mom, Dad and brother in his life, and the people connected to the three of you that he of necessity must also now avoid. I bet he feels there’s a hole in his heart, an emptiness in his life. I’d also bet he’d rather be drawn and quartered than admit it. Aside from obeying the cherch, its his having to be right, and all that.
Mary, the bad guy wins what? He didn’t break your spirit, or own you soul. Very shallow victory. And what’s he left with, what’s he really left with? A legacy of being a smarmy little snake oil salesman, nothing but a footnote in a line of despicable sub-humans. An also mention. Not anywhere near how he pictures his role of importance. I suppose maybe even a serial killer once everything is uncovered. Some prize.
You are one strong woman. You beat him at his own game. That has to just eat away at him.
They hear you Leah and Mike. Keep doing what you’re doing. I know that cookie will eventually crumble . These people need you to guide them towards the light. Leah and Mike your story about the loss of your parents is so heartbreaking. Sending you all the love and strength to peruse this goddamn cult until not one “church” is left standing
Fuck Scientology!
Fuck Scientology? Isn’t that a bit rough? I mean… I mean…Bwahahahahahahahahahahah!!!
I’m sensing a new t-shirt/hat/bumper sticker slogan:
Fuck Scientology
It’s concise, accurate and gets right to the point. There’s no question as to its message. No quibbling. No “does that mean what I think it means?”
I believe most of us are hesitant to insult, ridicule or call out the religious beliefs of others.
However, Scientology is NOT a religion and the ‘beliefs’ we condemn are not religious, but rather, criminal.
Sending dildos to someone’s office is NOT a religious belief.
Fair Game is harmful, cruel, vindictive and in general, against public policy.
I try to avoid swear words and vulgarity. But this is not a ‘polite society’ we are dealing with, so please, let us join hands and take
a moment to say:
FUCK SCIENTOLOGY
Hey Chee, we need to make T-shirts that say: ‘Fuck Scientology!’
“A bit rough”??? Are you kidding me ???!!!!! If you think FUCK SCIENTOLOGY is rough then maybe you should read what Mike and Leah wrote and what Scientology does to people , so please educate yourself before you say anything
I think Old Surfer Dude was being sarcastic, not serious. He has no problem with FUCK SCIENTOLOGY.
“I know that cookie will crumble.”
It will! That it will is an inevitability. In the meantime, they know not what they do!
I’m not for organized religion but Jesus Christ assessed “Forgive them, they know not what they do.”
You’re in the light, you know the truth, and they are walking in darkness, deluded that they’re doing what’s right.
You were once in the darkness too, and came out of it. So can they! And they will.
We all know this. Knowing this isn’t the problem. The PROBLEM is, will they find out IN TIME? Will I still be alive when they find out? That’s the problem. And the answer is: maybe, maybe not. Now, they WILL find out. But WHEN they find out is up to each of them, as it was up to you. It takes as long as it takes, for each person. The more truth pouring out the more likely it will happen for each of them quicker.
I am truly moved by this post. Scientology is evil. I escaped in 1989 and that was the best decision I ever made in my life. My heart goes out to Mike and Leah. They have both endured unjustified attacks. I am so glad that this post was created. I had no idea what you two have been through with this cult. This post makes me feel stronger than ever in regard to the movement to end Scientology. Please continue to tell the truth about Scientology. It needs to be shut down.
Shut down for ever, and ever, and ever, and ever.
Well, there’s no switch to flip that suddenly makes you stop loving your child, or your parents, or your friends. But, the cult does seem to be able to use blackmail and brainwashing to cause people to say they stopped, and if they don’t say they stopped they will lose their loved ones that are still in the cult. My personal thought is that the cult is afraid that any contact might just result in their subjects deciding to leave once they see how actually good things are outside the bubble.
Thing is, some of these kids who disconnected from their parents may be pissed off at their parents ANYWAY – pissed off about something NOT Scientology related, and are using the cherch as an excuse – a convenient excuse – to punish said parents. Just a theory. And if they’ve shared with the cult whatever the unresolved thing is, whatever their parents have supposedly done or not done, or said or not said, that has pissed them off, the cult will reinforce that bad feeling, and make the kids even MORE right for disconnecting. Evil, evil church. What families DON’T have issues, unresolved issues, that could not be resolved, with patience and honest, clear communication and love?
Leah, my heart goes out. I am sending encouragement your way – keep up the fight!
Mike, thanks for all you do , hugs to Christie too
Thanks, Mike, and thanks, Leah. Your words are powerful, and straight from the heart.
The dam government needs to stop their tax exempt status too! But to have families torn apart, these people are idiots! P. S. I’ll NEVER again watch a TOM CRUISE movie!
Teri, I feel the same way about Tom Cruise’s films or whatever other endeavours of his that I find out. Actually whenever I come to know of someone being an active scientologist something immediate happens: it puts me off the person immediately. Mind you it’s not even a rational decision of any sort: it’s simply a massive turn off (I used to like Giovanni Ribisi’s performances very much. Used to).
Scientology is an abomination. It is depressing that people still continue to deceive themselves and others, and the very worst of all: to keep corrupting their children.
But to me the most extraordinary thing is just how tacky it all is. It’s not even mysterious or alluring in any way to the outside: it’s dated and plain bad science fiction, added to crackpot pseudo-psychiatry all wrapped up in gibberish – plus having a guy whose looks and demeanor are the definition of “sleazy” as its deity. And the outrageousness of their propaganda machine would blow Joseph Goebbels mind clean away.
When folks like Leah Remini, Paul Haggis, Jason Beghe and Mike Rinder (Mike you’re THE BEST) appeared as “faces” and speakers for the “church” at least there was some charisma in its public support. All very wrong but at least with well-spoken, persuasive people as famous members or spokespersons. No allure at all for me, but at least rational people seemed to be in. Not gushing here at all – but at least these people are intelligent, charismatic, telegenic, articulate and COHERENT. When you have the Tom Cruises of this world talking about scientology (man he will NEVER live that video down) it just sounds bonkers and lame in a spooky way. That David Miscavige person is cartoonish, his voice and pitch are very affected, and he sounds like a cartoon villain. The scripts I see him delivering in those famous videos are corny and beyond-the-pale bad. Bad, bad….bad. I cannot believe he & his team do not realize this. Very, very unattractive – I mean, not even the most preliminary, superficial approach is interesting. I watched the scientology tv for a couple of days with – really – an open mind. You can only criticize if you truly know, right. Well I wanted to set my hair on fire and run into the night. Never again, folks. It’s awful, tedious and common place beyond belief. And any allusion to real science in the context of “scientology” I find disturbing and deeply OFFENSIVE.
It made me sad to know here about Leah Remini’s father, and the entire context… I watched a couple of those videos. My favorite part is when the one who is apparently the widow asks the camera “I always said: who does Leah think she is? Just because she got lucky and got a hit show”?!
“Lucky”, huh. Sigh. Usually people who say these things would not know determination, hard work and a positive attitude if it b*tch slapped them into next week.
I thought Leah Remini’s transcripted note was fantastic. All my support to her, and to everyone in here who’s been fighting to bring this absurd cult to accountability. It’s sickening to see these pervertions enrich themselves and escape the law and justice under the guise of “freedom of religion”. Impossible to believe that legislators& tax authorities in the US cannot (do not want to, perhaps?) revise this so as to prevent CRIMINALS and hustlers to thrive in plain sight.
Well spoken,and accurate! As for Tom Cruise and his nonsensical rants about scientology..🖕 I’d rather poke both my eyes out,and sit bare assed on a barbed wire dildo,than EVER spend another second of my time listening to his bullshit!And as far as that goes,I’d likely do the same or worse than spend one red cent on any of his tired movies!Why would ANYONE believe that he could save himself,let alone the fucking world..especially on some motorized contraption that he’d have to get a step ladder to get onto!!Please..he’s 5 foot nothing and has a manicure,and probably uses another SCIENTOLOGIST to cut up his meat,at mealtime! The fact is,any ‘celebrity’ still promoting scientology is either really crazy or simply dont want to admit they are wrong. Period!They have agents,etc who will tell them what’s what,and to hurry up and bail out before they are taken down on the TITANIC OF RELIGIONS..SCIENTOLOGY! The unsinkable is taking on water..so jump the fuck off and sink or swim,but don’t go down with the ship,you morons! But I digress..for now. Needless to say,I agree with you and I’m gonna sit back and watch this travesty of a religion go down like a hooker on nickel drafts night!! I hope Mike Rinder,Keah Remini and all the others who’ve suffered due to this bullshit,have thier day,and get justice for thier suffering and losses!And I’ll support them fully until that day comes..and it will!SOON!
Even though I’m an opponent of the Church of Scientology I do own a copy of The Last Samurai on DVD.
Why?
Because like many Americans I’m fascinated by samurai.
Wow. I couldn’t imagine this cult being worse… I was WRONG. I leave the Aftermath Foundation cards all over Colorado. I wish I could do more. Keep fighting the GOOD fight Mike and Leah.
My heart goes out to all.
Same here, K Kat, same here. Brainwashing, it’s what they do!
Wow! Best argument against The Scam I’ve ever read. They pissed off the wrong woman. Leah’s going for the jugular now. Can’t wait to see this whole sordid criminal cult collapse
Perhaps sending this magnificently written article to the IRS and the President and every conceivable newspaper would have an effect? Although right now, alas, it appears that Scientology’s ‘tech’ of destroying others is being used at government level as well.
Scientology certain IS ‘clearing the planet’…of honesty and compassion.
I like the way you think Rheva Acevedo. I honestly don’t believe that ANY claim Scientology made about Leah (let alone about emotional and sexual abuse) could hurt Leah. This cult has been mired in controversy for too long for anyone to believe it. They’ve called out too many that have spoken against them. It just always appears that the 11 or 12 year old girl that fights their battles is just way out of her league.
Rheva, are you related to Bob Acevedo?
Leah is definitely one of my heroes. She is very near the top of the list of my greatest heroes.
If Leah and Mike never do another thing in their lives, I will be well satisfied they have done a tremendous amount of good for all the people in this world.
If either or both are involved in the ultimate destruction of this scam and/or the arrest, conviction and imprisonment of The Rat, I will love to make a video clip of that moment – if one exists – and help to spread it all over this planet.
I must admit it is one of my greatest dreams – to see Leah involved in the ultimate takedown and destruction of The Scam and for Leah to be present when The Rat is finally arrested and imprisoned – never to be seen or heard from again.
Bravo once more to Mike and Leah and thank you both again for the tremendous work you have done in the interests of Freedom and Liberty for everyone to escape the clutches of this monstrous scam.
Well said Leah and Mike! They are not winning. You and the community you built are no longer afraid. Good will win out over the evil that is this cult. And governments and people spreading the truth will crush them to dust and Miscavige will end up in jail like Keith Ranieri!