Recovering Your Infinity of Future…
So weird. And this is apparently an “OT” doing this at ASHO…
The Future of Mankind…
In the hands of these guys? Oh shit, that’s not good.
SUMP at work…
But they seem a little late. 2016 has been our best year ever? I thought we were in 2017 now?
The one and only…
This is one of the guys who ran away when he saw me at the airport. Confronting and shattering credit cards perhaps?
On skype…
OMG, what a privilege. Perhaps he will explain the secret to his “success” — marrying into wealth.
Powerful postulates…
They need some of those in Orlando. This place has been a failed field group for decades…
Wow… that’s some recommendation
She seems to forget she was “OT VII” before this? And from that she emerged “systematically beat[ing] myself up, second guessing myself all my life, believing that I deserved to suffer for the bad being I was.” Sheesh, she could have saved herself half a million and bought the “Power of Positive Thinking” or a Tony Robbins seminar.
Three stooges…
The token African American contingent in scientology
He’s wasting no time promoting his new status…
All this “Dianetically speaking” stuff. Wonder what is going to happen when one of these NOI people reach OT III?
That ain’t no Dianetic podium she is standing at.
Halloween Scream…
They don’t mention the REAL scary shit. They are going to have regges chasing people with chainsaws to turn over their wallets.
Literally the Walking Dead
Bobby Wiggins? Where has he been? He won an IAS Freedom Medal in the early 90’s for his Narconon work… Now he’s a Halloween novelty?
Location to be revealed…
That’s really clever. Now what if Tom Cruise wants to attend? He won’t know where to land his jet?
Never mind…
He’s apparently going to be at Polanco “org”…
It’s a mystery…
Well, not really. They want your money.
Actually, they are going to murder you…
Unless you hand over your credit card.
Really?
They’re holding an event for the horse races? What is this, the Gamblers Anonymous Alliance?
This is going to be a REALLY short briefing
What expansion in Canada? But it will be “exclusive” because only one person will be there.
I guess the Medical Examiner’s Office forgot about Lisa McPherson…
PS They call it the Medical Examiner’s Office not Coroner’s Office
The Cert you can read…
Is from MARCH. Who knows about the others? How impressive is this for a $20 million “ideal” org? The end of October and they are still using Clears from March and even then they have scraped together only 8 people. Assume they all came after March, it’s still only about 1 each MONTH. Way to Clear LA…
Well shit…
This is even worse than the SO one. Because if scientology doesn’t succeed civilization is going to be erased. Everyone get ready to be vanished….
And not one of them is interested in scientology…
You do know your public is the residents of Orlando, not the tourists heading for Disney World, right?
Oh dear.
Poor turnout for KC. Just 2 out of 50??? Looks like Uncle Dave is going to have to cough up some cash for this one…
Game of Thrones is appropriate – where anyone can be stabbed in the back!
Are these people nuts to advertise two out of 50 for KC? I swear they have not a brain in their head.
Rafferty Pendery’s clients include Time-Warner? Aren’t they psych-promoting, big pharma-owned suppressives?
Their money is green… That is the First Commandment of the church of scientology.
But the truth of the matter is that Time Warner wouldn’t know Raffy Pendery if he showed up at Columbus Circle and did a prosperity seminar in the lobby. He probably had a friend who worked at Time Warner Cable (no longer affiliated, spun off years ago) who attended one of his seminars or asked him for advice on building a website for his fantasy lacrosse league team…
All of that is of course, absolutely what it is. And add to that the selective reality element which is quite rampant in Scn. The Hollywood glitterati have different policies apply to them in re connections with “SP’s”. Big-whale donors get a de-facto Kha-khan status. And Time Warner is the worst batch of subhumans ever assembled when we need to be whipped up into a SP-phobic frenzy and cough up cash to the IAS, and they can be a respected Fortune 500 company when we need to be corralled into a seminar to cough up more cash.
I thought Time Warner became Spectrum 6 months ago.
Time Warner Cable. That was spun off about 7 years ago and was recently sold again. Still uses the name but is not affiliated with Time Warner (Time Mag, HBO, CNN etc)
Understood, thanks.
Someone call Steve Harvey and tell him we know where his missing suits are.
Classic!! I was thinking along a similar line.
Any Canadians here who might know if the vocalist booked for the Cambridge Org is Charley Webb of the Webb Sisters? They’ve spelled it “Charlie Webb” so it may not be her. I really really hope it is not her. I’m a fan of Leonard Cohen (RIP) and she and her sister were his singers in his last world tour. She spends lots of time in Toronto though…anyone know?
Most people here may not like this, but I feel it’s a good idea that the cult puts on fun events for the kids and their parents.I would much rather go to one of those than sit and listen to any of the seminar leaders lie about their wins and the cult. Its good for the community. And of course I won’t be going to anything the cult does unless I became a spy for our side. Just my opinion here.
I promise they’re not any fun…because any time spent in an org makes one feel constantly hunted….
Exccla, Scientology has NO “fun” events, appearances to the contrary on their fliers. Every event is a regging event. EVERY Scientology event MUST have what in Scientology is called a “product”. Something that is produced as a result of the event. And that “product” is ALWAYS something sold, in exchange for money. This is POLICY and never varies. “Fun” stuff for the kids is just a way to pull the adults in and sell them something, OR get them to do what’s called a “straight dono” (straight up donation) for a new building, or CCHR, or some IAS project, or, or, or. or…
I admire Luis Garcia and especially that great attorney of his VERY much and I would say to Luis to enjoy the ride of causing the CoS time and money for years but I don’t think there is a great chance of victory. This is because we’re still talking fraud regarding a church’s INTERNAL policies and I think you’re gonna see ANY court in the USA EXTREMELY reluctant to wade into these waters and ruling on the church’s policies and implementation of them. Absent actual physical/sexual/child abuse that can be PROVEN, I don’t see the government involving themselves in this (hope I’m wrong), but I certainly wish the Garcias as much success as they can get out of this case, even if it is just all the shit and expense and bad pub the CoS has to go through.
*I don’t think we’ll see a “Wollersheim type of settlement” again for the same reasons I state in my post on refunds/repayments.
**the only case I know of against an established church/ministry re: fraud is the Jim Bakker/PTL case and this rose to the level of a CRIMINAL indictment with Bakker going to prison for five years. But the fraud case had nothing to do with religious claims a la Wollersheim or a church’s internal policies. The case was just a simple fraud case of Bakker selling time shares in his hotels, three nights a year as I recall for $1,000 and HE DIDN’T HAVE THE ROOMS to deliver to the people he sold the time shares to and HE KNEW IT.
Mike, just watched the latest Aftermath. GREAT episode and I do hope that someday all of the episodes will be very easily accessible on youtube and your site as well so that people in the future who may be considering joining the CoS can spend a few days watching them and thus knowing what they are getting into.
Re: Refunds/Repayments. In the early 1970s in my org, when someone requested a refund or repayment, they were not only given their money quickly, but virtually IMMEDIATELY (and this was monitored by our local Assistant Guardian). If there was even a routing form for this at the time, it must have been an extremely short one.
The reason for the immediate return of money was a very simple one. Anyone who DIDN’T get their money back quickly was a potential source of GREAT trouble; that is to say, general entheta in the local environment as well as a potential lawsuit. And the local “hated” chapter of the Better Business Bureau was just a floor above us in the same office building where our org was located, and we didn’t want an unhappy person to walk up a flight of stairs and file a complaint, resulting in an investigation, possible newspaper articles, etc.
See, it was just a matter of upside and downside. The downside to not giving the money back immediately was FAR greater than any upside of trying to hold onto the cash.
What’s changed in the past fifteen or so years? Ha ha, …. a LOT! There IS no more downside in refusing to give the money back anymore. There already exists of course a tremendous amount of bad PR against the CoS and more every single day. It doesn’t matter anymore if any one individual (or many even) become unhappy after not getting their money back. There’s no more upside in giving the money back now. And … do I even have to add that instead of a figure in our local org of maybe upwards to $50,000 at any given time of Advanced Payments, there are may be upwards of a BILLION dollars in Flag and FSSO APs and we know that if even ONE person is easily given a refund/repayment on these, then the word will go out on the internet and HUNDREDS of Exes will want the same (and obviously back in the day if Joe Schmoe got a 10 G refund, virtually no one else knew about it. Which is why I rarely if ever, think of the money I have on account at AOLA and ASHO (paid to Cl 6 CS internship and of course the rest of my BC which I as not allowed to complete as well as some intensives never delivered to me).
Thus the ever changing scene when religion and BIG money meet … it has ALWAYS been toxic and full of corruption … just study the history of religion.
Insightful, helpful comment with regard to refunds and rebates in Scientology, Joe, and in response to your last paragraph I’ll give a hearty, “Amen, Brother.”
Any semi- stupified individual could give a seminar on the opioid epidemic, and if its a Scientology seminar its a total no brainer:
In the mid -90’s Oxycontin was prescribed to many people for pain. Then Big Pharma raised the price and the people couldn’t afford it anymore so they turned to street heroin as a substitute because it was cheaper and had similar effects.
Now, large numbers of people are heroin-opioid addicts and dying at a rate of 140 people per day.
Its all Big Pharma’s fault for roping them in with cheap Oxcycontin and then raising the price so the people would become heroin addicts and illegal PCs, which was the idea in the first place.
Big Pharma is suppressive and they’re doing everything they can to ensure that the entire planet becomes an Illegal PC Zone and specifically they are targeting the downtrodden members of society because they are the most vulnerable to drug addiction.
CCHR and the IAS are makeing vast strides towards vanquishing the stranglehold Big Pharma has on our population. Every dollar is needed, every shoulder to the wheel. This is a Call To Arms…
…and where do you think YOU’RE going? Sit down, please. We’re not done yet.
…Hmm, now where was I? Oh, yeah.
The time is now. What you flow tonite will determine the course this planet will take, Will man go free with Scientology or will this planet be a prison for 5 billion opioid addicts?
because Big Pharma is coming for YOU and YOUR kids too, make no mistake…
Cash, check, credit cards, yes. What will YOU do? Are you with us?
Ethel, close that fucking door over there will you?
Every time I read one of their propaganda posters that says, “Childcare provided”…I think of Tara, Nathan, and the rest of the other survivors and get sick to my stomach.
So…let me think a minute…hmmmmm..HELL NO!
Thank you for your comment 🙂
I hear you, Teen. Leave the kids at home with a babysitter. I don’t have kids but, knowing what I know today, if I did have children I’d take my chances with Rebecca DeMornay’s character in “The Hand That Rocks The Cradle” rather than letting any cult person babysit them.
You can always ask for a baby sitter or child care giver CPS background check as well as a criminal background check…..however, crimes can be well hidden or not revealed completely. Those background checks DO cost money…you fill out a form & mail it in……can cost $15 to $25 DK current standards……
IF your child suddenly becomes quiet, has trouble sleeping, eating, focusing attention, starts wetting the bed, begins getting sick, gets easily upset or shows in any way uncomfortable with a TEEN or adult….or even another child….YOU should begin to QUESTION WHY.
My husband’s friend & his wife separated after four or five years of marriage, he worked days, she worked nights & he baby sat while she worked night. Their two daughters would get extremely upset when told “daddy will be watching you”…..then the truth came out…that their OWN father had been molesting them ….they were only 4 & 6 but they told their mom what was going on. The police were called & CPS made a full detailed report & he went to Prison.
Looking through the fliers again, I noticed that in the collage of people and their clear certificates, 4 of 7 of them look to be around 60 or older. I couldn’t readily find much about them, except Juan Bogan first shows up the completion lists in 2004, and he appears to have been ED of Inglewood since around the time it was opened as an “ideal” org in 2012.
What would they do if a rank n00b showed up to an event like the third?
As of 2002, the Thurston County, Washington government called it the Coroner’s Office. The Snohomish County Sheriff’s deputies came to my door to tell me to call “the Thurston County Medical Examiner’s Office” and gave me the phone number. That office answered their phone with “Coroner’s Office” in bright, cheery tones and proceeded to inform me that my husband had been found dead of apparent suicide.
That’s how I know.
Not how they do it in Piiinellaaas County…
To rivercs; So so sorry for your loss. Both Sno and Thurston counties should be ashamed of themselves for the way your lose was handled. A bright and Cheery tones upon answering the phone to such a horrible place to call I am sure worse to go to that building. You should had a victims advocate regardless if a crime had occurred. As a former medic I would never leave a member of family who just suffered a tragic death I was the support until a chaplin arrived to take over. At least those two counties could have sent some one like that we know they have them. Stay strong and prayers to you and your family.
The comment by the recent OT VIII … ” I have no doubt that we, as a group, will survive…”
This comment implies two things:
1. There IS doubt.
2. Everyone she is addressing has the same doubt, and she knows it.
Are scientologists risking KR’s and expressing doubts to each other? One can only hope.
Good point…
Excellent point. She really hits the history of the badly managed OT VIII level. In 1988, when I did OT VIII, it was Hubbard returning as the anti-Christ. In the 90’s, it was something like “now I know who I was”. Self invalidation was handled at the lower end of the “bridge”.
Allowing for even moderate expansion there are about 14 million Scientologists worldwide. Enough to fill the stadium 216 times. But of course that, just like demonstrating OT abilities, would be “showing off. “ So instead we’ll pretend we have trouble filling moderate sized convention halls.
Aw, come on Todd! Play the game. How many thetans can you fit on the head of a pin? In spirit there are uncountable numbers of Scientologists EVERYWHERE.
One body equals how many Scientologists exactly? See… space cooties to the rescue. Custer had his 7th cavalry…oh crap, look what happened to him, but you get the picture.
” How many thetans can you fit on the head of a pin?”
Well I Yawn, would they be big thetans or the smaller variety more commonly known as Ess Peas to the trolls known as ethics officers? The thing is, if those that end up becoming classified as ‘little beings’ also end up being declared Ess Peas, then why is the cherch so worried about all of the entheta coming out of the fringes? How could all of the little beings of the world create such a massive threat to the cultities?
Yo Dave,
What is with all of the victim whining and sniveling about the bad things that are being said about Your cult? Remember dear leader, we are the little beings who do not amount to even a small pile of Daveshit good buddy.
Well not to worry Dave, we will take You and all of Your big beings to school. And BTW, have you asked the SO staff to sign the petition to pull ‘The Aftermath” from the A & E program list? If ‘yes’ then You have a very small number of big beings under control. If ‘no’ then you may want them to sign up to bolster Your numbers before You get lapped good buddy!
Get on it! Tell Julian to help.
14 million world wide? I really had to laugh at that one. Back in the late sixties, the Brit government was refusing entry to scios and those already there were given the boot and had to leave. Scio responded with the “Flight To Freedom” where as many scios as possible were to set up flights in with good stories about where they were going…which meant to not mention St. Hill. (I was one of them who managed it successfully.)
In any case, there was a flurry of reporters looking for story information and the GO PR (NY Org) guy was interviewed by some well known German magazine. And months later, after the article had been published, he told us all in a staff meeting what had gone on.
The reporter had asked, among many other questions, how many scientologists there were in the world? The PR guy said he didn’t know, but would check with his senior (the GO US). Apparently, the GO said, “How the f..k should I know?” Theyi both laughed…and so did all of us after being told the story. Apparently, the PR staff then asked, “How does betwleen 12 and 14 million sound? “Great!” said the GO. The PR guy figured the reporter would go for the middle number of 13 million…and that’s what it was in the article. He then told us that reporters were usually pretty lazy and that they’d copy whatever they found. Sure enough, the number 13 million began showing up in reports! And that’s where the “BIG” numbers came from originally!!! I still laugh about it.
Can’t stop laughing at the photograph of Cruise who’s headed toward the Polanco org…….he looks like he’s on a KOOL AID BENDER…………as in “How much of that shit did I drink cause I’m feeling giddy”…..lol!
In that case I’m gettin’ my iPhone camera ready in case Cruise performs another couch bounce.
Oh Rafferty, you scamp. You should take a moment out of your busy schedule to realize NASA is not a fortune 500 company. In fact it is not a company at all, it is a government agency.
All I can say is Ahahahaha ahahahaha!!!
The Spooktacular Halloween Party. The bouncy house will be filled with exhausted, underfed children who’ve been told “bounce and look happy or you are a PTS.” The pumpkin carving will be done with the same knives that get stuck in your back if you don’t tow the line. Pony rides are along a dollar sign shaped trail with a shaky Bridge you must cross. Oops, the ponies refuse to cross the Bridge so they’ve been declared S.P.s. (Suppressive Ponies) pony rides have been cancelled. The Hay bale maze was constructed by the exhausted children over in the bouncy house. It only has one entrance/exit and you must pay to enter/leave. Face painting offers only one, consistent look. Everyone will be exactly the same. You can ask for a different design, but if you do we offer a trip to our version of a haunted house, the Hole. Don’t be afraid, it doesn’t really exist.
It will be ghoulishly good fun for the whole family! Well, except for those who’ve been disconnected. But if there is actually a “Whole Family” out there, it’ll be fun!
Hahaha. That is funny Azhlynne. Perhaps all faces painted will look exactly like D McSavage. No exceptions, no refunds. Now that is scary.
Well he does kindoff look like the joker from batman.. so you never know….would make a pretty scary halloween face hehehehehe
🙂
No edit needed this time but always the other 90%. Thank you Mike and your guys helping. You remind me that change is possible. XOXO
Looking at that first piece, it struck me how circular and even Orwellian it is to see an apparent “success story,” possibly even entirely fabricated by a member based on what they knew Scientology wanted in terms of PR in order to meet the requirements for completing a course and being allowed to go home, then turned around and used as PR.
And it’s interesting to see that picture of some presumably major event at the Boston org, with what appears to be between 50 and 60 people in it. When they started their “ideal” or campaign they were reportedly able to get from 200 to 300 people at major events (typically, about double the number who are really active), but this picture fits with the anecdotal evidence I’ve seen – accounts of past turmoil followed by virtually no sign or reports of recent activity out of the org – that they must be down around 30 to 50 active members and staff. I’m interested to find out the answer to the mystery that they’re probably avoiding confronting, of how much of a loss they will take when they finally sell the old hotel they had bought to renovate as an “ideal” org and then abandoned, and how they’ll find the money to renovate the newer building they’ve since purchased.
Look dont listen
my instinct tells me even the 50-60 people who showed that there were some who were paid actors or paid civilians….
Peace Maker When I went to Hemp fest in Seattle I walked by the $cn building on Roosevelt Ave. they would not come out of the building probably afraid of thousands of us “Reefer crazies” Lil Davey needs some medibles he would be on couch locked maybe he won’t hurt anymore people. Have a pot den they would all chill and have the munchies…………….
We have an org in the u district? Huh.
Also a Scientology building on Harrison street.(the IAS event next month).Does anyone know how to get ahold of anonymous to join in a protest in Seattle at the two Nov.events?
Harrison and what? Maybe we could hand out ads for Aftermath ?
Cruise is probably pissed that his image is on the Mexican propaganda. Hopefully he dials up his BFF Miscavige and rips him a new a**. Its falling apart for these little men.
Copyright violation? Think he’ll pursue legal channels? Lol..NOT
I registered an Internet domain a few months ago, and cancelled it two days later because I discovered the hard way that national domains (.us, .cn, and so on) cannot be made private. I wan bombarded by phone calls and e-mails from I think every man, woman, child and goldfish in India trying to sell me SEO or website design or custom animations.
The ONE phone number I STILL consistently get calls from is … wait for it .. Studio98. Googling Rafferty Pendery gets me Studio98 at the TOP of the FRIGGIN’ SEARCH RESULTS, with that SAME phone number
It’s all starting to make sense to me now… maybe next time they call me I should ask to speak to him directly.
….
.. or not…
Davidson Smith on the Bridge of the Freewinds. Looks good. I haven’t seen him for nearly 25 years.
Back when Davidson was the FSO Bookstore Officer, one year he racked up 75 Gs in bookstore book commissions, before the commissions system was fixed (lowered) so the Flag Bookstore Officer wouldn’t make such outrageous commissions (the problems of the commission system for regs and BSOs, LOL). He’s sure stuck in there, though. I wonder how much of his commissions he was allowed to keep. Back in the day when Ken McFarlane was making 250 Gs in commissions as a Flag external reg, those old commissions just were so out of whack for a fake religion staff member to be making.
Well, we know Joburg is reading this blog. They have actual F-14s on their Top gun flyer this time, and not MiG-29s.
Oh lord I needed that laugh ?
The truth about the Opoid Epidemic? Well, since the cherch is so cozy with the Religious Right, why don’t they just advise these people to “Just Say No” ? Seems workable to me.
Is that epidemic somewhat like Scientology’s moneyoid epidemic ? You know, 2 billion bucks is never enough so hit the streets and scare up Grants & Benjamins. Need to scratch the itch of cold hard cash addiction.
LOL! Yes, Miscavige is addicted to cash, or rather, as Mike once explained, he’s addicted to making people give up their cash when they don’t want to and when it goes against their own interests to do so. Apparently, money given WILLINGLY to him is not FUN for him to accept. Only funds given unwillingly by his Sheeple under duress, against their will,against their common sense and better judgement – but yet they give it anyway – this gives DM pleasure. A real sicko, a real SP. Its almost too much to confront.
Isn’t Rafferty Pendery a trust fund kid? If so, why should we be impressed that he owns 4 companies?
That OT8 success story about systematically beating herself up and realising she had a poor concept of herself rattled my funny bone this week. All the way up the Bridge, countless clean ups and years of sec checks to cleanse the soul, all those abilities gained and let’s face it, there’s 2 sides to the Bridge! It’s mandatory to be an auditor of others to get so far. Therefore, she’s spent countless hours standardly studying the tek in the academy, would have done many practicals, plus internships to sharpen her skills and then enlightened many others to the wonders of Scientology’s technical marvels too. After all that, then and only then she stops systematically beating herself up while doing OT8. Geezers, what an endorsement! I want some of that – oh… I already did get a whole heap of it – I just forgot for a sec.
Just goes to show a quick trip to the hardware store, buy yourself a hammer, start beating yourself with it – then STOP! See… what incredible relief! Go write a success story! (same tek, just quicker and cheaper. Oh, don’t forget send me 10% of the hammer price). Oh… that’s OK – you’re welcome! Now go out and Clear the planet and make Home Depot proud!
Yea, she had finished OT 7 and still had a poor concept of herself, and was still beating herself up. I wonder if she mentioned that in her OT 7 success story? How would you even make it to Vlll if you felt that way. Redo…. send her back to life repair.
I think the fact that she was at the top of the Bridge and still beating herself up with inval of herself is a product of all the unnecessary Sec Checks that the OT VII’s and VIII’s have to submit to. Those Sec Checks make you feel like you are a bad person and that if you cant’ find something to run or to answer a question, you must be hiding something. This is what tons of Sec Checking does to good, ethical people. It makes them worse, introverts them, gets them blaming and beating themselves up.
Wait until she gets back home and starts getting pounded for Oh Tea Committee participation and weekly stats on how much she has contributed to her local org and expanded cultology in her community.
After all, she IS OH TEA ATE and that means that the truth has been revealed that her bank account still has a few unspent dollars in it which need to be immediately turned over to the banking officer or given to the committee for dog nuts at the next meeting.
This is all well and good. Looks good from a marketing and PR perspective if you are general public. It doesn’t explain the high turnover in membership, or if you’re in the Sea Org, the high routing to RPF. Hidden stats?
Their infamous leaders may disagree. If you’re not ‘of status’, ‘OT level’, or ‘of rank’, then you’re not part of the in-crowd. A non-producer? All Pre-clears are their PTS membership and everything else is a criminal society? Destined for a watch list, RPF, the hole, the gulag, Siberia? #ivorytower #elitism
The “OT 8” success story is a proof of the Miscarriage quickie “Bridge”.
She was out grade 4 before OT 8, because self-invalidation is handled on F0 on grade 4.
No SL. It is proof that scamology doesn’t deliver what it promises in its own literature.
Wynski. Miscarriage has changed the lower grades and the result is quickie and no real EP´s but only a fake certificate.
Hello and hello SL. The tek is a hoax and does not work as advertised; there are no real attainable EP’s as stated. The bridge to ‘total freedom’ is merely a marketing trick and actually leads to bankruptcy or hopefully disillusionment and escaping the cult fiction. The certs were always fake. Perhaps some ‘word clearing’ will finally set you straight?
Mark Twain — ‘It’s easier to fool people than to convince them that they have been fooled.’
Hey Ganesh, I hate to break it to you, but, the Dodgers lost yesterday’s game by a score of 7 to 6. We’re even with the Astros.
The Dude..the Astros, including their hats & bats, have been declared by Xenu the Evil Underwear Lord. Houston’s failure to play the next game at Dodger Stadium will result in a billion year losing streak. However, because of the current SP declaration, the Astros will be barred from said stadium.
The cult has NEVER delivered what it promised.
Now, now, OSD,
The cult delivers freedom:
When you walk out the door……..
When you are freed of your money………..
When (accidentally) a process works to enlighten someone and they walk out the door
When their idle orgs are free of students and customers….
LMAO SL, I’m talking about BEFORE DM was in charge. Scamology has NEVER delivered what it states. Time to move to Realityland SL.
Love your commentaries Mike
Only word that ever comes to mind is Pathetic. I’m tempted if I can to go to Cambridge on the 11 th .
I’ll join you in photographing the empty parking lot.
Re the first one: Do they ever think for a minute that a low-level grunt reading about an OT handling “huge areas of case” might make the grunt go “WTF? You can climb to the top, past Clear, and still have huge areas of case? What’s the point of all this?” That “success story” really backfires.
My favorite part is about E.M.’s OT abilities being “buried in the mud” of “circuits” and other “case” nonsense. I am intrigued. What are these circuits all about, and how to they bury your OT abilities? Sounds to me like Scientology not only makes you more able, but also throws a shitload of hurdles in your path to sap your new abilities. Maybe if you just didn’t take up this case handling business in the first place, you could muddle along through life with an extra half million in the bank. Buy a boat. Take a vacation to Outer Mongolia. Drink Japanese whiskey. You know, enjoy yourself.
Aren’t circuits supposed to be eliminated when one goes Clear? Enquiring minds, etc.
Love the Ad with the devil laying in front of those poor lost sheeple. Now the devil is on board if not already. I looked real hard to see if that devil is Lil Davey, nope the dude has height Lil davey your forever vertically challenged can you ” clear that up” more than likely not.
I think that’s a “lobstah”
Do real people fall for this crap? If you look into what this cult is all about. It will scare you. They don’t believe in family. Where is Shelly?
Hey John,
Brainwashing, sexual and mental abuses are very strong to affect a person who maybe seeking something to be a better human and fall into this cult. Paul Haggis is an amazing person and intelligent,look at all he has done with himself once leaving this cult. I believe that when human rights are violated and this continues through out their entrapment the lines of civility and compassion are so blurred with hate, distrust with anyone in this cult. This cult breaks many people down and keeps them down with intimidation and physical assault, and complete isolation from the outside world it is sad. We the ones who are hearing and seeing the physical and mental anguish from so many cutting lose from this cult. We need to stand with them and anybody who wants to leave support them do not judge . I believe that any person who is in a place where they are lost or confused latch on because the sales pitch gets them in the door with no exit sign visible. I would love to be part of group who will go get ones who want to get out, kind of like for woman of domestic violence have a safe house and a select group with if willing a former member who can be that light in the dark to lead them to safety and on the rode to recovery. Not being a jerk but Dr. Phil would be a great source for those who have left. To all who might get a glimpse at Mike’s Blog (doubtful if still in) show you all we are here for you this is a no judgement zone. Shelly is MIA it could be she is a prison in CA via S$n style.
John,
Yes. Real people can fall for this. Mostly people who really want to help others as well as themselves, and who believe that help for mankind is actually possible and not just an airy-fairy feel-good pipe dream. Such people, whether they are brainy and sharp or on the other end of the mental spectrum or anywhere int between, are susceptible to appeals of this sort. What’s being appealed to is the desire expand one’s own consciousness, to fulfill ones’s own possibly as yet undreamed of potential and then, to help others do the same. Powerful stuff, John.
Great answer to the question of what makes people fall for Scn and get in. I get that question all the time of what made you get in in the first place, (asked with an incredulous look like, “how could you be so stupid to fall for that.”) This is a good and real answer.
when I was about 13, and was so thirsty for answers, I was told that no one knew the point of life, and that there were no answers. This was unfathomable to me. When, at 17, a reg told me (among other things) that Scn DID have the answers, and went on at lengths about it, I grabbed it as the drowning person I was. I believe I was born with fundamental nuttiness that I kept at bay with Scn. Without it, I am adrift and gasping but free of those specific lies.
Seminars by Skype. I suppose that there’s some interaction with the audience and they’re not just playing the same canned presentation over and over.
If they were using proper webinar software, then everyone could participate remotely from their home PCs, tablets or phones worldwide, but it would be harder for registrars to twist arms that way.
All the money they have, and all they can serve is a “light buffet” or “light, yummy refreshments?” Sheesh!
I’m guessing store bought tubs of onion dip, celery, carrot sticks, and chips So light and yummy…yeah. This dog whistle is coming in loud and clear. Eat before you go, people..
I really enjoy this blog and the Aftermath program, so much. Speaking as an outsider, there is one question which I haven’t really been able to find an answer to–maybe because an answer doesn’t exist. The question is, since it appears that the Scientology organization does have sufficient resources to audit a significant number of the people on the planet, thereby eventually reaching the goal of clearing the planet, and since to me it appears that the initial steps taken in Scientology really are helpful to people (in the sense that 12-step recovery or psychotherapy are generally helpful to people), then why aren’t they doing it???? Why is all that money tied up in empty buildings? It doesn’t even make sense from a financial perspective, a business perspective, to me. Doing what they say they want to do would probably result, IMO, in unbelievable yet legitimate financial gains over the long term. And would silence the critics as well. Anyway, thank you for a very eye-opening and increasingly interesting experience.
Susan, THIS is the flaw in your reasoning: “and since to me it appears that the initial steps taken in Scientology really are helpful to people (in the sense that 12-step recovery or psychotherapy are generally helpful to people),”
That’s hasn’t been shown to be true at all. Hence scientology won’t ever help with clinical studies of its practices.
However it IS correct to say that IF scientology at the lower levels produced the results CLAIMED, they would be overwhelmed with people demanding it. But, it is not.
Hey Wynski, Right on that it hasn’t been shown to help people, sadly we can’t ask Lisa Mcphearson she died in their arms.
OK, thank you–that makes very good sense.
Hello Susan, The reason the Co$ buys up buildings they convert into quote unquote “churches” and empty property that they build a quote unquote “church” on is it is a very good investment that they are tax exempt from owning, since they probably claim they are just expanding their “church” and they put their Co$ logo on the buildings which makes them more visable to communties. It’s like having money in the stock market tax free. They are hoping their properties will go up in value one day and they can sell them for a wad of cash. You need to go to the homepage and watch the video that aired Tuesday night the 24th., “Aftermath The Business of Religion Special: The Aftermath.
Yes the Co$ has the resources to audit people for free, but, why would they do that when they have a system in place whereby they can make people pay through the nose? THEIR A BUSINESS. Please watch the video.
Yes, I did watch the video. But the question remained, which is why I asked it here. I get how some businesses just want to make a ton of money up-front without providing good value. But the ones with staying power do provide good value, and that was really where my question came from–why couldn’t they do what they say they do and be legit? And actually provide value for the money (and not even near that much money, make it sustainable for people) and then that alone would silence the critics. But I see that they are just really looking to take the money and run. The heck with the planet.
I believe that cos has always been just a money generator. There is no intrinsic value to offer. DM is destroying the “church” by being way too obvious about it.
Shameless!
What Morticia said. Hubbard had subtlety in his evil where DM is a rampaging bully. Hubbard was also bipolar so had his instances of being nice.
Yeah! Bipolar makes sense. I picked up on the narcissistic aspect (duh) but bipolar explains a lot. Ron, I can’t imagine even having to be in the same room with that guy. I would have to label him a sociopath or at least, sociopath-adjacent.
Susan,
LRH was a snake oil salesman, and Davey drank it up. It was and is all about control and money nothing more.
The organisation and operation of Scientology is a study of modern mental, religious & legally endorsed criminality. Susan, your question alone is indicative of the cult’s success so far. The current susceptibility within society of assuming their claims to be a legitimate religious entity is what floats their boat. They employ many lawyers and marketing techniques to hide their subterfuge. The fact you wonder “why” is figured into their operation.Hubbard said a number of true things in his rambling and one was that man’s confront of evil is incredibly low or non-existent. The Scientology experience is a perfect example of it. Overall only a handful of people really see it for what is truly is but it is growing rapidly – that’s the quest taken up by Leah & Mike, to get the word “out there”. It is also endorsed by the many ex’s who now post about their experiences. It is all done in an attempt to get the truth known about the criminal activities and motives of the Church of Scientology and the damage they do to people and their lives (geezers, look at how they view and treat children!) I’m not being harsh on you nor do I wish to offend but with the available evidence over such a long period of time equates to that there are more than a few things in common with the Mafia, the KKK, corruption in official places and Scientology, yet all those exist in society. Our desire to believe what we see and hear clouds our judgement and the Cof$ preys upon the good nature of people who simply want to help or be helped themselves.
Wynski is right, if what they did produced the results they claimed, they would be overwhelmed with people demanding their services.
Right, thank you. I see that. It appears helpful to newcomers, but then any help is quickly negated by the awfulness of the system itself. This all goes in the same line of questioning as “how can smart people be hoodwinked by all this?” and I feel like the answer is that it appeals to the humanity, the empathy in people, wanting to make the world a much better place. So in order for that to work, the newer people would have to be made to believe that auditing and the early courses really did help their lives be better. Does that make any sense? I’ve been looking at this for the better part of a year, and really do want to understand this.
The early part of the bridge, lower levels can be actually quite therapeutic. I’m not endorsing it because it leads to such misery to be in the hands of the Cof$, but basic auditing of life’s problems gives a type of relief and offers a solution or a way to, “get stuff off your chest.”
It is not my place here to name the benefits of Scientology or Dianetics processing as each individual that has done it has their own experience with it. But I’ve always tried to maintain a view that Scientology didn’t have to end up or be the way it is. It doesn’t do what it claims and there are so many lies in it and embellished to steal your money off you it’s just one big mess.
There are people out there who do it without the lies and bs, there’s a centre in Idaho as far as I know that doesn’t hurt anyone with it and their clients are happy to do it. Who’s to say that’s wrong – I don’t.
But in the Cof$ early on it hooks you and leads you to believe that life can be mastered and understood. You are told you can go free, and they and they alone have the path. It’s a trap!
Good luck with your hunt.
Thank you!!! That’s a good chunk of the answer right there. They maybe could do some limited amount of good, on whatever scale they chose, but obviously choose not to make that their main focus. That actually makes it more sad than just a garden-variety Ponzi scheme. The little bit of actual value is only the cheese in the giant mousetrap. Wholehearted wishes for them to be taken down hard and soon.
Now you’re getting it. It must be difficult to grasp what the scene is with Scientology technology if you’ve never experienced it and trying to understand why they are in so many countries and have accumulated so much $. I studied it for years and did much auditing. Now however, I despise the Cof$ with a vengeance. Hubbard really screwed up with his kick in the head policy, greed and fabrications of fantasy with no end or sanity to them. He eventually researched himself stupid looking for an answer on how to rid himself of his own conscience. A simple realisation he was hurting people would have been a good place to start for his own recovery but he could NEVER BE WRONG, about anything! Hubbard never used his own ethics or Data Series technology on himself – he was the source of his own problems, let alone the organisational nightmare he created around him. He never spotted he alone was the problem but he kept creating more and more policy that eventually imploded the whole thing and he had to run off and hide! His policy is unbelievably contradictive within itself. He always blamed others, just as Miscavige does, but Miscavige is just a cold heartless thug who loves stealing money.
It possibly may have turned out to be a usual subject as some procedures give great relief to some mental anguish but the grandiose lies about what it can do and the wacky military styled discipline it has built into it really screwed it up. I was happy enough with it in the 80s briefly but after that its incredibly destructive nature blossomed and ripped through the organisation like a wildfire, enforced with destructive consequences for non compliance to command intention from upper management, and, well… look at it now. Plus, that space cootie tek of the upper levels is pure bullshit imo and is dangerous to believe it’s the answer to save mankind’s existence.
There are some good points to the lower level therapy and maybe one day they’ll be worked out to serve those in need for it, but it must be approached with a compassionate heart and a willingness to help others honestly. If done as a good friend would like to help another friend, it’s OK. That’s what makes the Scientology system so despicable – it preys upon human compassion to trap you and then makes it a crime to have it.
However, the organisation known as the Cof$, it’s policy, orgs & Sea Org system must be eradicated!
Thank you–that is fascinating and heartbreaking at the same time. You’ve summed it up eloquently. I had suspected “it preys upon human compassion to trap you and then makes it a crime to have it.” So, a win-win–for them.
Johannesburg Scientologists have a choice of empty buildings one could park a jet in. And 20 minutes just up the highway is the substantial Pretoria Ideal Org – also empty. Scientology in South Africa has crashed and burned apart from a few die-hard idiots and their poor children. So South Africa technically is clear – clear of Scientology!
I am intrigued by the Toronto poster that says dress in your medieval Game of Thrones attire for a costume contest…..now how many people have that hanging in the closet? I would think it would be hard also to be a member of the nation of Islam and a Scientologist at the same time because one wants to wipe out everybody in the world (unless you’re Muslim) and the other one wants to save it ….it’s kind of a conflict of interest?
no to mention the copyright to the GoT logo and images.
Gail, the Nation of Islam are not Muslims. They do not follow the Koran. Its a whacko American cult. That they are affiliated with any Muslim sect is an apparency perpetrated via their pseudo Muslim/African attire and ephemera as well as the African/Muslim names they give themselves once they join up. There are no NOI in any country except the USA and NOI are not recognized as a Muslim sect by other Muslims.
While I learn so much from the other daily blogs, Thursday Funnies is pure entertainment and I look forward to Thurs because of them. Karen Pressley and other exes that cringe when thinking they used to participate in this BS, please try to not beat yourself up – you were victims. I celebrate with you that you saw through them. And, the BIG changes being made i.e. no more RPF and pay raises among other things are because of ALL of you speaking out! KAW!
Typeface piracy.
I’d bet they do not pay a dime for the different fonts they use in their ads.
Also, I’ve recently been scoping the internet looking at “advertising” for other events at churches. Nothing compares to the amount of seminars about being wealthy and making money that scientology promotes.
Lastly, those dramatic sea org recruitment ads remind me of lingerie and alcohol advertisements. Sexy and unattainable unless you are naughty.
I can’t imagine how there was even a thought about “clearing the planet” when so many nations just don’t in plain English…..get along. So many different values, morals, & ideals on how one should be living……there was no way in Hell this was ever going to happen. So many good people sucked in to what appears to be a long ongoing scheme to bilk people out of $$$$ for a “bridge” that in reality physically does not exist since it’s only on paper…..& A LOT of paper since it’s all based on signing forms & buying reading materials for the rest of your life.
So now they’ve “invited” the NOI into their midst…..as well as those from Africa……would someone from that background EVER be the COB when DM’s time is up even though someone from NOI is a “Freedom Medal Award Winner”? I hardly think so.
We’ve seen displayed on the TV screen all of LRH’s bullshit POLICIES about disconnection, children being “adults in little bodies”…….all the policies that COS to this day DENIES exit, including the living breathing SOULS who’ve been interviewed & tell their horror stories about abuse, suicides, family disconnection, child labor & rape & seeming coerced abortions……..all for what…..THIS?
All these smiling faces who look like they’re still drinking the Kool Aid, unware of what’s going on around them. Too afraid to leave because they know what will happen when they do, they lose everything they’ve ever had. Some getting what they want because they can afford to donate millions of dollars & are more than willing to work for $50 or less per week, & because they have nowhere else to go for HELP.
All that money just sitting around on accounts, unused (supposedly) but UNAVAILABLE to be REFUNDED because once you’ve left the organization….you’ve become an S.P. & you can’t come into the building & file the necessary required forms to request a refund……
They’ve covered ALL their bases, they get to keep what’s yours & you can’t get it back….& for some reason under the term “religion”….they are allowed to get away with this?
Balletlady,
The Cherch would invite ISIS into their midst if any interest from that quarter were forthcoming. At this point, they’d bond with the Neo Nazis and the KKK if their Opinion Leader made overtures to David Miscavige.
That the cult embraces the NOI given Calypso Louie’s hate-filled anti-Semitic rants makes it not much of a stretch to opine that any so-called suppressive group would be given welcome space in Scientology’s Big Tent which at this point is alarmingly empty of normal people.
Desperate times, etc.
No question that what you’ve stated is true…..but WOULD someone from NOI EVER be the head honcho of this organization…..that’s where my doubt lies. I am sure they’d be permitted to move up the ranks….but it seems unlikely they’d ever make it to the position of COB.
I agree, but not because the cult objects to Farrakhan’s being a lunatic, but because he’s useful to the cult in recruiting NOI members. That he’s Board Certified Nuts apparently didn’t bother the cult in the slightest, nor, apparently, did it disturb Jewish Scientologists, back when I was in. None that I knew, anyway. I must say it certainly bothered ME. And I’m not even Jewish! I was appalled, actually. At the time I thought LRH would have been horrified. Point being, Louis Baby could never be Scn’s leader – too old, too sick (physically, which the cult would call “PTS”) and too valuable in the way of procuring Raw Meat NOI for the cult and keeping them there.
Gotta love it. YEARS and YEARS of auditing at a cost of HUNDREDS of thousand of dollars. Just to handle something that could be addressed in a few hours by a psychologist. OT VIII is GREAT. NOT!
I feel really bad for the New OT VIII, when it hits her that she has spent a million bucks and still has self doubt and realizes that she should have had therapy instead.
“Help Ron Clear the Planet”. More like get sucked in by a rapacious cult geared towards draining every cent out of your bank accounts, maxing out your credit cards, draining you home equity lines of credit, any money you can borrow from relatives, and any pennies you have left you can dig out from between your couch mattresses.
Cult leader David Miscavige has personally socked away in excess of 50 million dollars from his vampirish cult exploits — and he has the best hair plugs on the planet to prove it, along with a closet full of elevator lift platform shoes.
Re: Joining the Tampa staff – can’t believe I actually believed this was the only way to save the world. No wonder why my friends and family thought I was nuts. Thank you to you and all that are so brave to speak out and help share everyone’s stories especially the abandoned and abused children. For a “religion” that sucks people in by proclaiming they are the answer because they care DEEPLY about saving us, they sure don’t practice what they preach.
As I look at all this stupid stuff, I cringe while thinking that I once participated in this nonsense. Yuck.
Karen, you are not the only one. I bought it for decades. These promo pieces have gotten worse and worse. It’s amazing that they blatantly promote their NOI connection.
Clueless!
You weren’t the only one, Karen. I always give thanks to the internet. That opened up all of their crimes and operations. Scientology is dying. And life support ain’t going to help.
Karen, like others who were once in, don’t beat yourself up about it, ever again. You were looking to help people and make the world safe. Unfortunately, the claims by $cn was not in anyway true about bringing peace and harmony, only drudgery and sorrow to every individual (save one!) who joined the Sea Org.
I just completed your book (Escaping Scientology) and learned more about what goes on Gold base even though I have been following $cn closely for a few years. And a whole new appreciation of the real evil DM has pressed onto the backs of its members. You are an amazing woman to overcome this adversity.
And Mike, I finally saw the latest episode of Aftermath, and finally get the full force of regging. No other ‘church’ in the civilized world dedicates a large internal group to hard sell its ‘parishioners’ to buy non-refundable services (in essence it is as explained in the catch 22 of not being able to receive the money because you asked for it). And demand the ‘registrars’ be trained on hard sell techniques. This is solely a business, dressed as a church, enabled by the IRS. Hopefully Luis and his lawsuit will prevail and the floodgates will open. And perhaps the Supreme court decision will eventually be used to rescind the IRS determination. Again, thank you for your determination to save others from this cult.
I think they spike the Kool-Aid.
When I look at everyone who has come to their senses, I don’t see people easily duped (that’s too easy and does not factor in the brainwashing games and purposeful psy-ops tactics that get played). What I see are people who once had an innate sense of optimism about humanity, that really care, and just got hornswoggled by very clever manipulators using very flashy sales tactics while they searched for a way to help themselves and humanity evolve.
It’s hard to live on this earth and not be a cynic. And it’s even harder to maintain idealism in the face of being burned like this. A lot of people I know who have suffered what I call “spiritual abuse” are too traumatized to regain that. Organized religion is run by humans. Humans are flawed (a fact we often forget when superimposing perfection on religious leaders). Just because the method is flawed doesn’t mean the goal is useless. I hope everyone can find that optimism again in a healthier and safer (not to mention less expensive) way. The mistakes we make are less important than what we learn from them and how we use that to help others or right wrongs. Reducing enlightenment or “salvation” to a formula or simple scientific method may be naïve.
Regret and guilt are never useful, imho. But what they inspire us to do, however, is.
It’s why my favorite Zen saying is “If you meet the Buddha on the road, kill him”. Some discoveries about life cannot be made second-hand. Don’t waste time cringing over past actions if they are helping you understand where you need to go. Sometimes the best shortcut to salvation is realizing there aren’t any.
“Just because the method is flawed doesn’t mean the goal is useless”.
“Some discoveries about life cannot be made second-hand”.
Once again you’ve turned out a superb comment; in particular, these 2 gems.
Hi Karen, I really enjoyed Escaping Scientology: An Insider’s True Story. I gave away my copy to an interested friend and told him to pass it on when he is done. I plan to buy again so I can continue sharing and also leave in strategic places, like the SF Org steps.
As usual, nothing out of Nashville.
What is Oscar Ayarzagoita doing?
Brilliant stuff Mike.
I’m just a fan of what you’re doing and have become. All the way from Adelaide, Australia. Thankfully never been affected by Scientology, but intrigued with it all and my heart aches for those affected. Thanks for the inspiring work you’re doing. Much respect.