I recently did a post about how many OT VIII’s there are in the world.
One of our regular readers, TrevAnon, emailed me that there is a list of OT VIII completions at the Truth About Scientology website.
I did not realize this website was being kept up to date. It is an astonishing resource, the work of the indefatigable Kristi Wachter. I reached out to Kristi to thank her and ask if she minded if I promoted her and her site here. I asked her if there was anything I could do to assist her.
Her reply:
It’s very kind of you to think of mentioning my site. If you have space and inclination, it would be helpful to mention any of the following:
-
- I am definitely still updating the site, but I’m also really busy with other things, so sometimes updates take a while
- I would greatly appreciate any new lists anyone would like to send me, especially from the list above, and also any org mags or WISE lists
- Some of the most time-consuming work is proofreading the lists and formatting them so my database importer can read them. I could really use more help with that – I only have a few people helping me with that work right now. Anyone who’d like to lend a hand can contact me at info@truthaboutscientology.com and I’ll be very grateful for their help.
- I really, really appreciate reports of problems with the website. If something’s not working or just hard to find, it helps a lot if someone lets me know.
- And finally, there’s a lot more I’d like to do with the site – for example, I’ve thought about adding prices to some of the major services and generating some very rough totals – so I encourage folks to keep an eye on the site, and also to let me know if there’s anything in particular they’d like to see. Someday I’ll be less busy, and I’ll be able to implement some new features.
If you have copies of mags, or want to help, you can email her as she says. She can take scans or paper copies — just the completion lists or the full magazines. She also mentioned some specific issues she is looking for:
Advance ANZO after Issue 200 [ circa June 2011 ]
Source issues 258 & 260
Advance UK 202, 203, 204, 206, 208 to 210, Vol 48 Issue 1 & 2, Vol 51 Issue 1 &2, Any Volume 52
Advance Europe all missing from your lists from the year 2008 to 2022
Advance (South) Africa all issues
Auditor v 55 no 3 (2019) and later (and there are actually lots of gaps in the Auditor collection)
The OT VIII Completions list is here on her site. You will note there are duplicates in this list — right on the first page, Abby Juneau is listed twice noting her completion in 1991 and again in 2003. Many people have had to re-do OT VIII. Some poor suckers are on there 3 times! This list has a total of 4576 — but taking away the duplicates it is probably a bit over 4000, though there are plenty of these people who are deceased (like my mother, Barbara) and even more of them who departed scientology (like Mary Kahn).
Again, thanks to Kristi for her tireless work. Bookmark her site, as if you ever want to know if someone is a scientologist, this is a great place to start (and likely end) your search.
Kirsti’s database, containing critical information about the Church of Scientology, is a target for covert operations by the Office of Special Affairs (OSA).
One typical approach an OSA volunteer might use to gain access to a target like Kirsti’s database involves building a relationship slowly and methodically. This strategy can span several months or even years, during which the volunteer incrementally gains the target’s trust.
For example, an OSA volunteer might initiate contact with an email like the following:
Hi Kirsti, Just read the article on Mike’s blog about your database. I looked through the stuff I had kept on Scientology and, voila, enclosed please find copies of Source issues 258 & 260. Glad to be able to help. Please let me know that you’ve received them. Best regards, Sylvie.
At first glance, this email appears innocuous and even supportive. It references a common interest and offers seemingly valuable materials. The OSA volunteer, posing as a friendly and helpful individual, aims to create a foundation of trust.
The initial goal is to establish a rapport and demonstrate goodwill.
Over time, the volunteer continues to offer more help, share information, and engage in conversations. This might include sending more documents, sharing insights, or offering technical assistance.
As the volunteer continues to engage positively, the target begins to trust them more. The volunteer may share personal stories or express mutual concerns to strengthen the bond.
Once a significant level of trust is established, the volunteer might request access to the database, perhaps under the guise of wanting to help organize or secure the information.
Upon gaining access, the volunteer’s true objective is to compromise the database. This could involve copying sensitive information, introducing vulnerabilities, or completely crashing the system.
To protect against such covert operations, it is essential to maintain a high level of vigilance and implement several security measures:
Always verify the identity of individuals offering help, especially when they seek access to sensitive information. Cross-check their background and motivations.
Restrict database access to trusted individuals and regularly review permissions. Implement a robust access control system.
Use monitoring tools to track any unusual activities within the database. Set up alerts for unauthorized access attempts or suspicious behavior.
Ensure that the database is regularly backed up to prevent data loss in case of a compromise. Store backups in a secure, separate location.
Educate collaborators about potential security threats and the tactics used by OSA. Encourage a culture of caution.
Don’t worry too much. The database has been around for YEARS.
I’m sure Kirsti is doing whatever is needed to keep the data safe.
Besides that: it’s the data the church itself has published! They can also look data up in their own system.
This takes me back – thanks so much to people like Trevanon and Kristi who were there when I escaped and helped provide the cold hard facts about the kult for all of us battling our way out of the mindf@#k that is Hubbardian doctrine.
Some day I hope there is a comprehensive history of those who worked behind the scenes as well as out the front in the fight against $cientology pre- and post-interweb’s arrival. When I finally get the time and retire properly and write up my small part in it all, I’ll be mentioning a whole lot of real heroes who helped me and others get out and stay out.
👏
When the authority of Hubbard is questioned it becomes apparent that he was putting out nonsense. Always Question Authority.
Great Work
Wow. I think is nice that website is up tobdate in everything. The website seems incredible just by knowing what it does.
I think in 2011 or 2012 or something a previous version of this list was posted on Google Docs by Pooks. She basically asked “where are they now?”
I researched every name on the list, posted my results on the (now defunct) WhyWeProtest forum site and an anonymous person put them in the spreadsheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1KTq41-3rbSBe2xMWHGwZ-dn4BKDYx6kn13G3p2y9fug/edit#gid=0
Regarding the current version of the list: a lot of the names mentioned more than twice but probably did OT VIII “only” 2 times
E.g. Janie Wallace is 5 times on the list, but her completions basically tell she did it in 1991 and 2002:
https://www.truthaboutscientology.com/stats/by-name/j/janie-wallace.html
I think this is the consequence of Scientology mentioning 1 completion in several magazines within, say, 12 months after the actual course was completed.
In the same way, there are people mentioned twice who did OT VIII only one time.
I owe Kristi a debt of gratitude for her gracious assistance of allowing me to publish my first series of formal publications. In 2004, I’d become thoroughly disaffected while still being an “under the radar” member. I reached out to Kristi and proposed a regular column that I’d write titled The Forbidden Side of Scientology, by Murray Luther, the pseudonym I’d adopted when I began making comments on a few critic sites. She thought it was a good idea, and said I could start submitting articles whenever I was ready. She even set up a Murray Luther index page that included a short bio and a nifty graphic that I created. If I may say so, the material remains as relevant today as it did nearly 20 years ago.
https://www.truthaboutscientology.com/read/forbidden_side/index.html
Kristi had been unfailingly helpful, as well as enthusiastically supportive of my efforts. Her help encouraged me to “come out of the closet” and publish my book “Fractured Journey.” I hope I get the chance to thank her in person someday.
In addition to Mary Kahn being on the OT VIII list, I’m another ex who is also on the list and my husband Mike Carlson was an ex, has passed away, and is on the list. Yep, no doubt there are tons of OTVIIIs – ex and deceased – included in their count.
The Truth About Scientology website has been and still is a HUGE resource for the big list of ex-COS members speaking out.
For those who don’t know:
https://whyweprotest.fandom.com/wiki/Former_Church_of_Scientology_members_who_have_spoken_out
As one the guys maintaining that, I’m happy to acknowledge that we’re just standing on the shoulders of giants like Kristi.
Trev — thanks. You beat me to it, I have a post about this site coming up shortly…