Blow ALL barriers to production!
I hope all 6 staff of the Cambridge “ideal” org attend, they could use some increase in competence and eradicating their barriers to production…
The First “Ideal” Continent
They have some players on the disabled list — more accurately in the obituary section. Hawaii. Albuquerque. St Louis. Dead as doornails. This is not going to be the first ideal continent ever.
Nashiville Artist?
I wonder if this is like those Rolix watches they sell for $10 in China. Is Nashiville a suburb of Des Moines, Iowa. And who IS Tyller anyway?
Mug shot
Surely “the best” deserves better than a mug shot….
Pick up the cans…
The perfect Hitler Youth poster. Cold chrome steel automaton.
Freewinds
This isn’t a business. It’s a church….
OT Eligibility Seminar?
What’s next. The Life Repair “seminar”?
I can tell you the REAL answer if you have ever wondered what it takes to qualify for the OT Levels. Enough money.
Pacifica
Wonder when Going Clear is going to be the feature presentation? What a weird thing this “Pacifica” is…. Sounds like a Chrysler minivan and seems about as related to scientology as one too…
What a bargain!
Pay just $75 and you can play monopoly and video games and most important, play the game of handing over your money again for some other org you have nothing to do with. What fun!
IAS
John who? Should be a big draw.
Apparently, John Redman is Executive Director of Californians for Drug-Free Youth. Interesting fact, I googled “John Redman Scientology” and the top item is an entry on MY blog!
IAS II
Chicken tenders from KFC — a bigger draw than John Redman. They are pulling out the big guns for SFO.
There are also mashed potatoes and bread rolls.
Again?
I guess they have these “sprint games” every week? Give away enough stuff and you may attract a few people…
Mintzmeat on the loose
Hold onto your hats, Top Flag Consultant is coming to AOLA (odd, he is there all day long every day?)
Freewinds: Not A Business ™
Representing the business of scientology on the high seas.
Really, they are a religion.
Freewinds Entrepeneurs Convention
Really, we ARE a religion.
Freewinds — Really. Not. Business.
Just sounds like it. They are really non-businessy.
At least they spelled Pendry’s name right, though now they add to the excitement by proclaiming he does marketing for Time Warner? Huh? They are more hated than Big Pharma. But he is promoting them so suddenly this is a plus. Grandma’s money must REALLY be making this guy a hero who can do no wrong and say anything he likes.
Unprecedented Expansion
Since November 2013 San Francisco has made 23 Clears! One a MONTH!!! And that is unprecedented expansion. OMG.
Circle Jerk
They got 150 people from ALL OVER WUS to support Valley. (Though they couldn’t get more than 30 of them into the photo).
This is the level of commitment that is the hallmark of scientology in 2015.
Chan
When all else fails, call in Michael Chan.
Apparently he failed too…
Golden Age of Ketchup and Hotdogs
From Clearing the Planet to Clearing Tables
The Chrysler Pacifica is versatile.
You just have to keep going…
Sad candor.
Even when everyone is BI’s, and when no one answered their phones…
Reality on the front lines of “if it isnt fun it isnt scientology.”
Michael Chan is in the House
Well, it seems he has bought the house, or at least taken up full time residence. Is he the only thing happening in Pasadena “ideal” org?
This guy must be making some serious cash from commissions as he has become the “go-to” guy for orgs everywhere.
I wonder if any of the people involved have any clue that this is EXACTLY the sort of thing that L. Ron Hubbard had a cow about and created WISE to stop. They were “parasites” on orgs in the eyes of Hubbard.
The International Birthday Game Winner.
The Belleair Mission, the “ideal” mission and winner of the international birthday game puts ads on Craigslist and “forgets” to mention scientology.
And forgot to replace Sacramento when they stole the sleazy ad they used.
Twin Cities
They are tearing it up in the “5 state area.” Remember, they have been an “ideal org” for 3 years or so. They are just now having “highest ever” student points and Objectives Co-Audit hours. And from their staged photos, this is being accomplished by no more than 20 people. And this building is like 80,000 square feet.
Strange Survey
And even stranger message. “There is ample agreement on the most important issues” and “what is needed and wanted were quite consistent” but not a single specific?
That SO picture makes it look like “sane” is being turned into an emotionless automaton.
And I think they cropped the picture to remove the Feldwebel standing behind her with the MP40 machine pistol as she says, “Take the cans and answer the questions.”
Scary.
I’ve predicted for a couple of years now that we would soon see bingo in the orgs. And bingo has now arrived. You’ll notice the ad for bingo in the “Games in the spirit of ideal orgs everywhere” promo piece. And it’s happening at the Fort Harrison no less. Wow. I didn’t expect bingo to show up at Flag first. But I guess Flag leads the way.
Hilarious
Mike, has the pendulum swung back for you at all? I’ve found after many swings for me, I’ve been sitting in a spot that abhors the atrocities yet utilizes the truths. Just like I’d use with any religion.
If the WUS becomes the first Ideal cont, maybe Vickie Shantz can celebrate by finally getting her mustache waxed.
Why do women always seem to grow uglier the longer in the cult. Stress, perhaps?
Rafferty Pendray: 3X Cause resurgence rundown?
Whats that about??
Terril, that’s about being a chromosome damaged child of a heavy druggie from the 60’s who had a VERY wealthy mother who buys the father & grandchild whatever they want.
Mike, for us “never-ins” who read about “only 25 clears in a year” or “only 2 clears a week” and so on …
Can you tell us what numbers where attained in the “heyday” of Scientology? And if they really were expanding, what numbers we would expect to see today, based on that?
Thank you.
W. W. W.
My favorite is Albert’s laughing face at the top!
Tylerr must be a relative of Josh and Devon Gummersall.
“Our prize is a SANE PLANET”
Sez the pretend navy lady while standing on a treadmill in orbit while holding some tin cans.
Tyller Gummersall is Scientology’s answer to Forrest Gump.
“Y’alls are like a box of chocolates. Kinda hard on th’outside, but soft on th’inside. And if y’alls ain’t careful, we all’s gonna squish y’alls so’s the soft insides comes oozin’ right on out. What I’m tryin’ to say is, we all’s gonna FEED on y’alls.”
So much to comment on. Out of everything gawp-jaw-worthy, one thing leapt out at me and put a knot in my stomach: Debby Bent’s, “It took staying uptone and making it fun even if you did not feel that”. Thank God, I am done with that. SO done.
I do plenty of things I don’t necessarily like to do, by the way. As do we all. I do them because they need to be done, and I mostly don’t whine or complain, but, thank God I’m no longer under some COMPULSION to PRETEND that its FUN, that I’m enjoying myself. In other words, I can do what’s necessary that I don’t necessarily like doing without having to ACT for the benefit of others like I’m in enthusiasm, just thrilled, whoo hoo, etc., about it all. See, this “church”, not only insists what they want you to do that you hate, but equally insists that you act like its fun and you’re loving it. Such a button for me then, and still is. Almost like a rapist who insists that his victim enjoy herself. (And I have NO idea where that just came from.)
To expand on this theme/rant, its also similar to the attitude of the old-time slaves, who knew very well that things always went better with Massa when they grinned and acted happy. Working without pay wasn’t enough. No small part of that enslavement was pretending that they were totally happy with their lot. Their enslavers needed to be comforted and reassured, after all!
Highest ever student points for Minnesota’s Org, and all it took was Scientologists from all over Minnesota plus 5 other states. Deleting the 5 who were photographed twice albeit from different angles, I counted 25 students in that course room. Sad.
So it always goes with Scientology.
Come now! Come often! Give us money!
We will then teach you how to Come now! Come often and Give us money!
And then, we will show you how to get everyone else to Come now!` Come often! Give us your Money!
And if you do this, then, you get the opportunity to give MORE money.
Isn’t that exciting?
and it you are really good, you can have ketchup and mustard with your hotdog!
But no roll, unless….you give us MORE money!!
MAJOR LEAGUE FUNDRAISING WEEK FOUR THE GAME IS ON!!! The scores are tallied who’s ahead??? Who’s going to win??? Dang, this is exciting!!! And fun!!! This is a shakedown pure and simple and it looks like a shakedown. It looks like a shakedown propped up with phony enthusiasm. The phony enthusiasm looks like phony enthusiasm and it all looks like a pitch directed unashamedly to retarded people. Subtitles at the bottom of the promo should read, “This is how stupid DAVID MISCAGIVE thinks you are.”
Yes, how he must laugh.
Wow The advertisement for the free winds…..
You can TELL D.M. Wrote the entire thing! Wall2wall activities….
Or the sheep are actually becoming D.M. And LRH now.
I say it because it reminds me of his insane texts during the Sweeney “handling” when he asked does he now have torn wall2wall as#€£les!
This is why more and more states are creating and/or bulking up their Elderly Abuse legislation with new guidelines and penalties with teeth. Oh wait, it’s okay if it’s scientology. Sad.
Today is Davey’s birthday. I hope that you all bought him a nice gift.
Well, happy birthday Dave. Thanks for hanging in this theater as the major villain responsible for bringing the Church of Scientology to it’s knees. Lord knows it can’t be easy. Those were big boots. I’ll bet if you had been in Germany instead of Hitler the world would be a different place today. Keep up the good work. As we both know, someday, someway, the good guys will not win. And you might be the guy to shift those tides. Not to worry about going to hell, I hear Satan has also issued a restraining order. May the red carpet continue to roll out for you.
Now isn’t that nice – He should be 55 now! May He live long enough that I can watch Him fall. Hard.
Happy Birthday to you.
Happy Birthday to you.
Happy Birthday Dear Mismanage,
Its all over for you.
LOL! I always love these Funnies, they are so very wonderful! The abject lunacy of the criminal mastermind is phenomenal. 🙂 These insane criminals actually think that their customers believe this BS nonsense. 🙂 So very awesome.
Mike – LOL – you don’t miss a beat. Gotta love that Aussi humor.
“How to spot others who may weaken your confidence.”
I know how! They’re Scientology staff members, right?
Specifically ….regges!
All of these promo pieces are approved by David Miscavige personally
before being released . That includes juggling the numbers and approving menu items like Hot dogs
For the Public who decides to get in on the activities ,you pay first then sign an iron clad legal contract
that gives up your rights to have anything delivered to you except the Hot dog.
Good to know that the Ideal Pac Base Cafeteria not only has mouth watering hot dogs and popcorn, but you can actually get married there, too!
It certainly quickens the heart to consider all the pretty things to look at on one’s wedding day from that little patch of lawn: security guards steering away Anonymous masked protestors, IAS regges prowling around for AO pcs on a break, Renee Norton and Kevin Pruitt walking around the block wringing their hands, James Byrne puffing out the badge on his chest as he wistfully looks at a now neglected rose bush, remembering the good old days…
When word gets out about this, they’re going to need several people to man that unit. I’m seriously thinking about renewing my vows there.
Laughter!
Mike,
Your Google search isn’t what most people will get. Google biases results based on your interests, thus your top result gets your site, whereas someone else would get the Scientology website.
There is a way to make Google Chrome not use your interests, but it is a pain in the backside. I suggest you use Duck Duck Go instead, it doesn’t bias your results.
Cause Resurgence 3 times? What?
Laughter!
Pat Bundock just went clear! Wow! He was the HCO exec for the Freewinds Relay Office! That was in 87, 88, 89 and 90 I think. He had some sadistic tendencies with power abuse. He must have spent the last 30 years paying off his Freeloader debt and finally gone clear. Lord knows he was never on service in the S.O.except for sec checks. He was a real bad ass in uniform. “Squeaky clean” youth recruit in his early 20’s. Until, (I just heard it, didn’t see for myself) that his Mom threw a hissy fit after he didn’t write home for 3-4 years and pulled his ass back to San Francisco.
He says he has been in Scn since ’83 on his success story. Here is the Org touting him as a success story when it took him 32 years just to get to clear with all of the impediments of staff contracts and Freeloader bills. Now he gets to read somewhere for 27.5K he can go clear in a few weeks!
Like, the people reading this even if they didn’t know his history, are going to be thinking,”O.K. he got in in 1983 and just went clear. And this is what San Fransisco Org is offering people”.
I’ve noticed that more and more of the flyers are trying to entice people to come to their events with food. Maybe if they added a nice bottle of wine I would attend!
That’s for Sea Org Members only. Int Base. And any age (14-15-16-17…that can get to the bottles. FYI.
David Miscavige’s 3 hour long events are the strongest reason I know to legalize marijuana. I’m a very moderate social drinker, and I’ve never liked drugs because I think I’m spaced out enough just naturally, but many was the time I considered showing up at an Int event thoroughly drunk or stoned.
75 DOLLARS TO PLAY MONOPOLY? LOL
What if Quinn Taufer, Michael Chan and Gavin Potter were to have a seminar together. First they’d need to sniff each other then establish the Alpha of the three of them. Would it be based off of the amount of money they collected, how much higher they are on the tech side of the bridge or who is trained the highest.
Maybe they’re all gunning for Miscaviage’s job.
All three of those guys deserted their families to be the scientology mafioso.
It must take a lot of time to put all this together Mike – thank you for doing it.
” What if Quinn Taufer, Michael Chan and Gavin Potter were to have a seminar together. ”
They could book it as the The Three Stooges ……..but they would not be near the quality of the originals! The difference being that these guys would not have to put on an act ………… just be themselves.
Hi. Look at these stock photos of fried chicken and mashed potatoes. Now, hand over the moolah.
In Dallas Org they want people to clear up mystery about the OT levels. OT levels have been on the Internet for twenty years now. In fact, every you need to know is on the Internet now. Wonder how these tours registrars are coping now that there is Google. They get sent out from Flag clueless about how Miscavige has bought nothing but ill repute upon the Church for years and then whipped to get a product. It must be very terrible for them.
Back when OT3 was first on the internet, in the 90s, I was new and didn’t know it was such a big deal. Two SO reges from an upper org and I think the ED of my org were talking to me in the EDs office.
I mentioned that I had read OT3 on the internet and the reges both immediately got up, left the room and looked at me through the glass like I had ebola. Then the ED explained to me that I shouldn’t read stuff like that because it could harm me.
LAUGHTER!
Lucky you did’nt say you watched South Park.
I can’t help but giggle at the image of the Freewinds, stalled out and adrift on a dead-calm sea. Going nowhere.
And any speaker who says they’re coming to “enlighten” me, and that they expect to see me there? Yeah, no–I’ve got other plans, Jessica, namely getting as far away from you as I can.
On top of that, as a former San Franciscan, I can attest to that city’s status as a foodie mecca. The Bay Area in general has an embarrassment of riches when it comes to food. So trying to lure San Franciscans with the promise of chicken fingers and cheap starches, with nary a vegetable in sight? Good luck with that…
You beat me to it, Harmless. Yeah: Chicken, breaded and fried in beef fat, mashed potatoes from a box, and biscuits from factory-frozen dough. I am enticed.
Perhaps the gravy contains SEA org sweat of the brow SALT, for saving some of Davey’s hard_slapped extorted inurement funds?
That Sea Org poster is truly disturbing, and I’d say it deserves the Hitler Youth comparison. In fact it all but demands it. This slogan — “One Planet. One Chance. One Purpose.” — seems to deliberately echo the (actual) Nazi slogan, “Ein Volk, Ein Reich, Ein Führer.” What are these people thinking? Who is this supposed to appeal to?
Hitler youth is right. At first glance I thought she was wielding a knife. And who wants someone to you loaded with all of that baggage for clothing and wearing a hat in doors? I mean, seriously?
I especially admire the glinty sparkles coming off her uniform. Ooooooooooo, shiny,
I mean, she is in full military gear. That is fighting wardrobe. The purpose of a soldier is not to counsel people. This is how the Church is so out of valence with GPM’s and cross purposes. The people that DO want to counsel / help people are considered down toned and in “sympathy”. “Reasonable”. The promo piece is actually a threat!
Now if they went back to the hot pants look that LRH liked (… when he needed a little, shall we say “boost” to ol’ libido after too many decades of just sitting and smoking) ….
Ha Ha Ha, right on, Joe!
Good idea, Joe P. Female auditors in tee shirts, hot pants and stilettos. First step of their GAG II Danger Formula “Bypass habits and normal routines”. Or, it could be Emergency: “Change your operating basis”. And if worst case scenario the right condition is Non-E, they’ll have no difficulties “finding a comm line” dressed like that.
Laughter!
Wow, good point: Soldiers are for fighting; you cannot expect a uniformed soldier to provide “soft” services like life “counseling”
Very good catch, Richard!
I got goose bumps reading your post, Richard Grant. “One Planet. One Chance. One Purpose” is taken from Nazi, “Ein Volk. Ein Reich. Ein Furher.” You got that right. The girl posing in that recruitment poster is the Antithesis of ARC. No Sympathy tone level, “you are evil” flow to her. How do they think this mock up will attract new members or new recruits?
I agree. (Shudder.) This expression belongs over dueling pistols in the hands of a grifter making Clint Eastwood’s day.
Ummmmm…By appealing to Neo-Nazis here in the U.S?
Pretty much every addict in Denver quit cold turkey when they saw that sign that said, “Drugs aren’t cool.”
And the San Francisco IAS Dinner and cholesterol screening sounds great.
New York Org is doing a re-launch of the Field Staff Member Program. Hell yeah. Once those 2 hotshots who show up and get on it things will really get rolling.
Laughter!
What is “fussball”? Is that where a regge bounces a basketball against your head until you up your IAS status?
Foosball is what you were going for folks. With all these staff members you’d think they could find one person to spell-check this nonsense.
I was shocked by ED Atlanta Debbie Benk’s candor. My guess (as a never-in) is that she will sec-checked within an inch of her life. Can any Ex’s here tell us what they think will happen?
Yes euprax. From her letter and my also experience as a previous long time member, the sense of despair, disappointment, and betrayal of fraudulent promises which of course cannot and are not being delivered is an ugly but very likely true indication of what most scientologists are experiencing for decades, and even now ongoing, regardless of the facade and dream world the few and declining membership are ‘dress up game playing’. Thank you Debbie for the candor, it parallels Debbie Cooks famous New Years email. It lifts the curtain for a glimpse of REALITY.
I knew SFO Day Chief Body Registrar Dani Kyro at Flag, and she was a Class IV Supervisor. I guess these days SFO Day has more call for registrars than supervisors.
Tyller Gummersall is the country equivalent of Chill E.B. That is, someone desperate enough to join a cult in order to further their career.
“Scientology training is unlike anything else on Earth”…uh, no, I can think of a good comparison right away. The problem is that, normally, you need to be sentenced to a Turkish prison in order to experience it.
Laughter!
Been there. Done that. Bought a T-shirt….
I spotted the same thing you did Mike- the last piece from WUS is a lot of blah, blah, blah, but frankly nothing was said. Maybe GAT II cancelled HCO B “Generalities Won’t Do”, thus this new staff member could not apply 100% KSW – tsh, tsh
Re: Belleair Mission’s offer to “help” people dealing with divorce – what if the reason you’re divorced is because you left Scientology and your spouse was ordered to disconnect from you?
Well in that case, they pulled it in. All wins are because of $cn….all losses you pulled in
That is different – it’s an acceptable divorce or maybe even an ideal divorce.
Mike, your messages are too lengthy. Stop putting so much at a time.
This said, Milano as one of the very first orgs I criticized for the sam reasons as all the lt: the stats of Milano, somewhere in the late 70ies or the first 80ies, led to the same problem as al the cult: selling illusion rather than getting results on people. All the italian scienttology runs on such attempts, and perhaps you should remcall what you were doing in these eras with the italian system of justice, which seems unable since decades to stop The Maffia or the Cult maffia forever.
Fussball?
” How hard can it be for the United States government to see through this sham?”
That depends on whether the they are operating on ‘of the people, by the people and for the people’ or whether there is something else going on such as ‘of the elite, by the elite and for the elite’. There seems to be a lot of pushback these days in our cities over treatment of the people by those ‘in power’.
So maybe that has something to do with our governments toleration for cults running wild. There is a good article on the subject at this website.
http://www.peakprosperity.com/blog/92427/rising-police-aggression-telling-indicator-our-societal-decline
Yo Dave,
Happy birthday to you at Two. Have some pie and watch another weekly stat crash good buddy.
Some good fun to be had here –
That “sane planet” poster is frightening – would you want to go anywhere near that young lady who stares unblinkingly at you the way she does? I’d be worried she had been sent back from the future to put an end to humanity once and for all, she’s even got metal coming out of her hands, where’s John Connor when you need him?
On the Valley Poster the guy with the suit next to the certificate holders is the spitting image of ex UK Prime Minister Tony Blair – http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01705/blair_1705623c.jpg
No one trusts Blair, I wonder what they think of this guy?
I also like the bearded fellow in the front row, bottom picture of this poster – unless I’m very much mistaken he really doesn’t want to be there – “punch the air, really, not again, oh well if I must”,
I would actually fear that she was a Cyborg. I think I saw traces of electricity flashing between her fingers…
Her faux Navy hat looks too big for her little head — has kind of a goofy, “dweeb” aspect to it that defeats the “We are Sea Org. We’re Tough. We’re Unstoppable”- image which they are trying to convey in the poster….
I wonder what they wanted to represent by blurring her hands and the cans like that.
Speed perhaps ? With GAT II you zoom ping pow – cue annoying 1980’s anime music – up the Bridge to Total Bankruptcy ?
But it just looks… Weird. I guess that’s what happens when you replace actual skills with “hats”, “cause over life” and the Dunning-Kruger certainty of the incompetent.
Can we talk about the Valley promo and Quinn for just a minute. Firstly I LOVE how in all the pictures he is positioned next you a woman. Standing inappropriately close each time with, a shit grin on his face. It isn’t good enough to be a shit-eating-grin, so we’ll just go with shit. Except of course the picture with the one did who is pumped but Quinn is caught mid thought (if he has those) mouth agape and clearly NOT loving it. Then the picture at the bottom with all of them giving the Kung Fu Hitler salute. Notice the guy at the top left who thinks he is Tom Cruise. Made my morning.
In all the fist salutes, I notice only one lady using her left hand. Some free thinker perhaps? It reminds me of all those WW 2 movies where the German soldier gives a half hearted ‘Seig Heil’ by just flexing his elbow up a little. Perhaps there is another Sgt. Schultz fan there.
The desperation of these frenetic and endless appeals to “help us help you” have a palpable undertone of panic throughout them.
The enormous effort that it takes to ignore the FACT that the popular culture has fully awakened to the fraud of Scientology, and further, to pretend that the unprecedented recent media exposure has not been catastrophically disastrous, adds a very heavy layer of denial on top of the massive delusion under which Scientologists normally toil.
The spasms and convulsions occurring within Scientology are anything but expansion.
They precede death.
That one guy from Circle of Heroes thing looks like Tony Blair xD
Laughter!
I think Gavin Potter is the Key stone. If we get him out of the sea org it will crumble within weeks.
Gavin is scary. Gavin Potty.
Good news! Tyller Gummersall (yep) from COLORADO (not Nashville) has 104 subscribers on YouTube, and boy howdy…they must be handing this poor guy, a line about how Scientology is going to help him become a country superstar. Good luck with that approach Ty.
His lyrics are published under each video and there are some great ironic lines. One of the lines: “lies pay more than truth”. Wow.
All of COS advertisements read like a self-help group. If they are a religion, then so is AA. The difference is self-help groups do not generally bilk their participants. A genuine self help group does not make a false promise of “going clear.” They support people in handling life day-to day; there is not false end-game promise. Self help groups are run by people who do not dress like air line pilots or the military. How hard can it be for the United States government to see through this sham?
It isn’t the governments job to protect us from crackpot ‘religions’. If the government actually did its job, Ginko Biloba and overdoses of Niacin would not be allowed. All those ‘herbal’ remedies that GNC and other vitamin shops peddle would actually contain those ‘herbs’. Doctor OZ would have to actually use all those diets and ‘cleanses’ he preaches and someone would have to answer for all the health claims made about the ‘purif’.
What I find different in today’s funnies is the renewed emphasis on courses and going clear. Everything in the last few years was ‘give to the IAS’. The ‘give to the idle mOrgs’ thing is still in full swing, but ‘training’ is now getting equal footing with ‘giving’. I think the Idle mOrgs can’t keep the lights on anymore, and forget about toilet paper. The current push to get everyone on GAT 2 is just another ploy to re-re-re brainwash everyone into subservience to the will of Lroon. And, of course, to the mightiest COB in the world. Tax exempt or not, the clams have to pay their water and electric bills. I have to wonder how many of them are on some sort of ‘budget’ plan to pay off past due bills?
The ‘self help’ part of the scam was always intended to get the new meat in the door and to bend them to the will of Lroon. Over the last 10 years. DLHDM has purged all the old timers who knew how to set the hook and reel in the new meat. Now they are stuck just playing catch and release {after regging} all the sturgeon in the ever draining tank.
Alcoholics Anonymous might be a bad choice of examples, because like Scientology, they lie about their nature.
AA claims to be non-religious, even though six of their famous twelve steps refer to God (four explicitly, two implicitly).
US courts have found that contrary to their claim, AA membership amounts to religious exercise and therefore cannot be mandated by the government (e.g. as part of criminal sentencing or probation). In recent federal circuit cases, the religion component has not even been disputed, instead the issue at bar was whether attendance was sufficiently coerced to be unconstitutional.
To my knowledge, AA does not charge for each step of the 12 steps. They do not ask participants to recruit other members with the intention of fleecing them of their worldly goods. To my knowledge, AA is not sitting on a huge pile of money and real estate courtesy of the US tax payer. That is my point regarding the government.
I agree that AA is not particularly malicious, certainly not when compared to Scientology.
I should not have headlined AA’s dishonesty just because it annoys me.
However AA is still relevant to your point regarding the government. The government still occasionally falls for AA’s sham of non-religion even though AA puts very little effort into it.
Scientology defends its shams very vigorously. Up until very recently, almost everybody either knew too little (so as not to understand the danger) or knew too much (from being their victim). That “everybody” includes government employees.
Effective government action against Scientology cannot come from a low level. The huge resources required to win will have to be approved at high levels, which in turn needs political pressure. Considering the increasing bad press for Scientology, that pressure is at most a few years away.
The above applies to Scientology as an organization. However the only individual whose absence would really make a difference is Miscavige, because he only needs to keep shoveling money at attorneys and “private investigators” to keep the fight going. If he is convicted and imprisoned, Scientology will splinter and/or collapse. But I doubt that will happen – I think Scientology will have to already be destroyed before Miscavige ends up in a defendant’s chair.
In a word, Mike…TIRESOME. It’s sort of like offering pablum for every meal. 🙂
just thursday’s funnies makes me wanna barf, can you imagine being in the middle of all that?
i find it a bit surprising no one has actually gone postal in all these years.
which puts me in mind to ramble a bit
.
jessie prince probably came the closest going that route but he half came to his senses in time. i still finding it stunning that prince wanted to blow a hole in miscavige one minute and the next agrees to go to the RPF.
that moment everything hung in the balance. that was the one clear chance to seize power from the pipsqueak.
he was venerable and at prince’s mercy and NO POLICE OR LAW AGENCY to turn to, that’s an important aspect. had prince pulled the trigger i firmly believe he could have easily gotten away with it even with dm still having family in. but that would not have been necessary anyway, just the threat of it and maybe at most a nice beat down.
i hear he’s writing a book, should be interesting. he had a blog up years ago sharing his experiences but i don’t have a link handy.
it’s one of those “what if the germans won the war” or “what if JFK lived” kind of scenarios but it’s fun to speculate a little.
i lean toward believing in a multi-verse, so in my mind it’s plausible there is a reality somewhere in existence where that actually happened.
Jesse’s blog is here: http://princejesse53.blogspot.com/
The cold chrome steel young SO member reminds me very much of the Flag MAAs who will try and convince you are just about to have a psychotic break and must get some sec-checking NOW NOW NOW. I can almost hear her words after she passes the cans over: “TITS, I am not auditing you”. (TITS = This is the session).
Laughter!
I think I had a psychotic break, just reading your comment, Martin; 🙂 I’ll never have to hear “I’m not auditing you EVER AGAIN!” or “This is the session.” So glad I’m out.
Re The Super Power C/S, Jessica Benk, “… I will be there all weekend and expect to see you there.”
Why in the hell do “they” think the words “expect” or “need you to” are such draws. This is truly cringe-worthy promo.
Also, my birthday party is next Tuesday, I need you all to be there. I expect you all to bring gifts.
McCarran, I know JUST how you feel when I say you’ll NEVER have to hear these things again. I feel just that and also suspect a few KRs about me are flying around because I’m not on course, not redoing Objectives, haven’t been to an event for more than a couple of years now; and don’t take any calls – I won’t EVER HAVE TO SEE THEM!
I won’t ever have to see any of “these” people again including any of the still-ins and I will never be in an org again.
I’m still revelling in these facts. I love it, love it, love it!
I haven’t been wording my birthday invitations properly. You WILL come and you WILL bring me a suitable present! And not just any studid thing but something worthwhile, thank you, worthwhile in my opinion, of course.
Happy birthday Mary
I share your relief Mary! 🙂 And the only reply to ‘need you to’ is ” I need something from you too and it is real simple …….Kiss My Frickin Ass…………..and stick those cans up yours!”
Yo Dave,
How important are you? Is anyone listening? Out here on the fringes we are really yukking it up good buddy. Today is another day where I will receive no mail, no comm, no nuthin from you or anyone connected with your crappy cult. It is another …… really good day!
MLA, (much love, asshole)
declared SP
A very happy birthday to you, Mary! May all regges steer clear of you for eternity.
Thank you Marie and OSD for the Happy Birthday wishes. 🙂
TITS! No post, I just like saying the word…
That’s funny Martin. About 15 years ago I went to FSO for the last time. Some 19 yr old MAA started my arrival interview by asking, “where have you had sex?”. I asked if she meant like in a forest or in a office? She said yes, like that. I then said, “Why do you want to have sex right now on your desk? that’s ok with me.” She stuttered for a full 30 seconds.
“I asked if she meant like in a forest or in a office? She said yes, like that”.
I never stop being amazed. Such a cliche but this stuff cannot be made up.