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ImNoAlien

Patron
Hi all, just a quick introduction, been lurking for a few months.

I was introduced to the church by the man I was living with, this guy was ex-staff, a true believer and lived his life and ran his business strictly by the tech. When I was told that I could find a resolution to the mental illness I had been treated for since I was a teen, I decided to give it a chance.
LRH's books fascinated me and the public courses were too completed with ease, and I put a payment on the Purif despite my meagre finances (my entire savings was only $1000, and I gave it up to them without thought). When the friendship, which eventually dissolved and I moved away, had its issues I turned to the church and tried to understand how to handle it, but found I was asking questions about why and how that they tactfully did not answer with their replies. I began to look for answers myself and read everything I could find before I made the decision to no longer return. While I did not get deep into the church I managed to have a rare experience in my short time I found out thing that seem to have taken others years to come across because of the sheer amount of time I was actively reading, talking and on course. It was like falling head first into a wading pool and finding out it 10' deep! Now, I live alone and am currently going through the motions to return what is on my account and make my official exit.

I would also like to take the opportunity to thank everyone who has contributed their accounts and advice to these forums, I have gained much from the information and feel that moving on will be a much easier road than it would have been without you all sharing as much as you have. Thanks for being there!
 

Type4_PTS

Diamond Invictus SP
ImNoAlien,

:welcome:

I was involved in Scientology for 10 years, getting out in '89. I wish the internet and this forum was available back then!

From reading our stories I'm sure you can see you dodged a bullet by getting out as soon as you did.

Have you watched any of Leah Remini's TV shows on the A&E Network?
 

TheOriginalBigBlue

Gold Meritorious Patron
So glad you penetrated the bubble and researched online!

So now you are pursuing a refund. They make this extremely difficult. It is a Catch-22. If you ask for a refund then you may be declared an SP. If you are declared an SP then you can't communicate with anyone but a designated "terminal" such as the Continental Justice Chief. If that person blows you off or isn't cooperative then your only recourse is to sue which would most definitely result in an SP declare.

At least with an SP declare they will be less likely to bug you with junk mail and phone calls for the rest of your life. You should read up on the refund policies but don't make the mistake of thinking that these policies are actually followed. It would be better to study what other people have gone through first.
 

ImNoAlien

Patron
Thanks for the welcome.

I'm not much of a TV watcher but if Leah's show is as good as the reviews, I will take the time to check it out.

That's great info TheOriginalBigBlue, thank you. I'm expecting all forms of opposition as this is a small Org and they are currently building an IO, I'm sure they don't want to be refunding anything especially at this time. Fortunately having moved house recently their junk mail won't be a problem, and the phone calls I have refused to answer. I feel very lucky after reading about the level of harassment others have encountered. If anything of interest happens along the way I'll be sure to post about it.
 

TheOriginalBigBlue

Gold Meritorious Patron
Thanks for the welcome.

I'm not much of a TV watcher but if Leah's show is as good as the reviews, I will take the time to check it out.

That's great info TheOriginalBigBlue, thank you. I'm expecting all forms of opposition as this is a small Org and they are currently building an IO, I'm sure they don't want to be refunding anything especially at this time. Fortunately having moved house recently their junk mail won't be a problem, and the phone calls I have refused to answer. I feel very lucky after reading about the level of harassment others have encountered. If anything of interest happens along the way I'll be sure to post about it.

You're most welcome.

Leah's shows are available at rutube.com. Just run a search for "Remini".

Missions and lower level orgs have always been milked to the max by the bureaucracy. They only survive because of local affluent patrons. It's a pathetic situation. Your money was spent on the utility bill or sent up lines the moment they had it. If you had an FSM or the person who got you in took a commission then that is like adding insult to injury for them.

If you submitted a mail forwarding to the post office then they will pick up your new address from that. You can also try getting a PO Box and dropping it after a while without any forwarding. They have other ways of tracking you including asking other people who know you.

It would be helpful to others to post about how your refund efforts turn out.
 

Enthetan

Master of Disaster
That's great info TheOriginalBigBlue, thank you. I'm expecting all forms of opposition as this is a small Org and they are currently building an IO, I'm sure they don't want to be refunding anything especially at this time.

What was your impression of the Org? Did it have many people taking service? Were there any people getting training? What were the staff like? Did morale seem high or low?
 

ImNoAlien

Patron
What was your impression of the Org? Did it have many people taking service? Were there any people getting training? What were the staff like? Did morale seem high or low?

I was only there on Day, so I can't comment about the times that were generally considered busy. I was often the only one in the course room, and the few people I met were long term parishioners.

Staff are lovely people for the most part, but there was one person who really gave me the creeps. It may just have been the fact that his training had lead him to that point where his personality was no more, he lacked any substance and that made me very uncomfortable with him.

Morale was a weird thing, mainly because of the lack of people around. The only time I saw high morale was when someone new would walk in. Suddenly there were lots of smiles and people doing things when normally it would be quiet sedate.
 

George Layton

Silver Meritorious Patron
You're most welcome.

Leah's shows are available at rutube.com. Just run a search for "Remini".

Missions and lower level orgs have always been milked to the max by the bureaucracy. They only survive because of local affluent patrons. It's a pathetic situation. Your money was spent on the utility bill or sent up lines the moment they had it. If you had an FSM or the person who got you in took a commission then that is like adding insult to injury for them.

If you submitted a mail forwarding to the post office then they will pick up your new address from that. You can also try getting a PO Box and dropping it after a while without any forwarding. They have other ways of tracking you including asking other people who know you.

It would be helpful to others to post about how your refund efforts turn out.

Here is a link:

https://rutube.ru/video/ca4d7f115e6325681316857a3375e633/
 

This is NOT OK !!!!

Gold Meritorious Patron
You're most welcome.

Leah's shows are available at rutube.com. Just run a search for "Remini".

Missions and lower level orgs have always been milked to the max by the bureaucracy. They only survive because of local affluent patrons. It's a pathetic situation. Your money was spent on the utility bill or sent up lines the moment they had it. If you had an FSM or the person who got you in took a commission then that is like adding insult to injury for them.

If you submitted a mail forwarding to the post office then they will pick up your new address from that. You can also try getting a PO Box and dropping it after a while without any forwarding. They have other ways of tracking you including asking other people who know you.

It would be helpful to others to post about how your refund efforts turn out.

She only gave a partial payment - an AP on the purif. She would have had to have started the Purif for the FSMC to get paid.
 

phenomanon

Canyon
She only gave a partial payment - an AP on the purif. She would have had to have started the Purif for the FSMC to get paid.


Welcome, IANAA. Lissen, if you only have a $1000. on account with them, It is not worth the hassle with them to get it back.
Just cut them off. Do not go in. Do not talk to them, on the phone or in person. Make yourself invisible to them.
You have had a close call.
I can't imagine that an Org would accept an Illegal PC for service, and you are 'illegal' if you have some sort of mental illness. You indicated that they told you that they could help you with that.
I suspect that it was your 'friend' who told you that.
Just walk away. Consider your $1000. a teeny tiny price to pay. walk away and don't look back.
 

Out/Int

Patron with Honors
Hi all, just a quick introduction, been lurking for a few months.

I was introduced to the church by the man I was living with, this guy was ex-staff, a true believer and lived his life and ran his business strictly by the tech. When I was told that I could find a resolution to the mental illness I had been treated for since I was a teen, I decided to give it a chance.
LRH's books fascinated me and the public courses were too completed with ease, and I put a payment on the Purif despite my meagre finances (my entire savings was only $1000, and I gave it up to them without thought). When the friendship, which eventually dissolved and I moved away, had its issues I turned to the church and tried to understand how to handle it, but found I was asking questions about why and how that they tactfully did not answer with their replies. I began to look for answers myself and read everything I could find before I made the decision to no longer return. While I did not get deep into the church I managed to have a rare experience in my short time I found out thing that seem to have taken others years to come across because of the sheer amount of time I was actively reading, talking and on course. It was like falling head first into a wading pool and finding out it 10' deep! Now, I live alone and am currently going through the motions to return what is on my account and make my official exit.

I would also like to take the opportunity to thank everyone who has contributed their accounts and advice to these forums, I have gained much from the information and feel that moving on will be a much easier road than it would have been without you all sharing as much as you have. Thanks for being there!

Welcome to EXSMB. Glad you are here.

Ask for your money back in writing.

If they ignore you - write back and "Tell them you feel that Scientology manipulates and deceives people and that you are going to ask the Attorney General of the State to help you get your money back.

You never received the service and feel Scientology is scamming people.

Don't be nice or theetie wheetie - be firm and clear and follow through.
 

Out/Int

Patron with Honors
Welcome, IANAA. Lissen, if you only have a $1000. on account with them, It is not worth the hassle with them to get it back.
Just cut them off. Do not go in. Do not talk to them, on the phone or in person. Make yourself invisible to them.
You have had a close call.
I can't imagine that an Org would accept an Illegal PC for service, and you are 'illegal' if you have some sort of mental illness. You indicated that they told you that they could help you with that.
I suspect that it was your 'friend' who told you that.
Just walk away. Consider your $1000. a teeny tiny price to pay. walk away and don't look back.

Phenomanon - I hear what you are saying - but this person never started the routing form so more than likely - they have not signed any contracts.

I say - get your money back.

That will cause enturbulation to the staff and maybe someone else will leave.
 

ImNoAlien

Patron
Welcome, IANAA. Lissen, if you only have a $1000. on account with them, It is not worth the hassle with them to get it back.
Just cut them off. Do not go in. Do not talk to them, on the phone or in person. Make yourself invisible to them.
You have had a close call.
I can't imagine that an Org would accept an Illegal PC for service, and you are 'illegal' if you have some sort of mental illness. You indicated that they told you that they could help you with that.
I suspect that it was your 'friend' who told you that.
Just walk away. Consider your $1000. a teeny tiny price to pay. walk away and don't look back.

Thanks for your input but I will continue what I have begun, it's more than the amount of money, its the fact that they knew it was all I had and the principle of the position I was put in, we all know the tactics they employ. $1000 may not seem like a lot to you but when you have a negative balance in your bank most days after making that contribution, it becomes a lot more value than the $1000. These people knew I was struggling, that at one point I was living in my car while coming in and paying for courses. They still took every cent and pushed for more. Getting a refund and signing the waiver will be a welcome close to this chapter of my life.

Can't imagine?? That's a fairly bold statement to say that you can't imagine something... I will leave that alone.

I was introduced to the church by the man I was living with, this guy was ex-staff, a true believer and lived his life and ran his business strictly by the tech. When I was told that I could find a resolution to the mental illness I had been treated for since I was a teen, I decided to give it a chance.
I never indicated the church said they could help. No need that you 'suspect' what I have already made clear.
 

ImNoAlien

Patron
Phenomanon - I hear what you are saying - but this person never started the routing form so more than likely - they have not signed any contracts.

I say - get your money back.

That will cause enturbulation to the staff and maybe someone else will leave.

Nope, no contracts, no routing form when the payment was made, I wasn't even on a free IAS membership because the admin forgot about it.

I don't revel in the idea of causing grief for the staff as individuals, but the idea of shaking up the Org as a whole and possibly inciting more departures makes me grin.
 

strativarius

Inveterate gnashnab & snoutband
Thanks for your input but I will continue what I have begun, it's more than the amount of money, its the fact that they knew it was all I had and the principle of the position I was put in, we all know the tactics they employ. $1000 may not seem like a lot to you but when you have a negative balance in your bank most days after making that contribution, it becomes a lot more value than the $1000. These people knew I was struggling, that at one point I was living in my car while coming in and paying for courses. They still took every cent and pushed for more. Getting a refund and signing the waiver will be a welcome close to this chapter of my life.

Can't imagine?? That's a fairly bold statement to say that you can't imagine something... I will leave that alone.

I never indicated the church said they could help. No need that you 'suspect' what I have already made clear.

I've seen a post or two here recently asking what kind of a world it would be if the scientologists ran it.

Living in your car is a pretty desperate state of affairs, (I've been there and done that myself) and yet they were happy to ignore your situation and continued to harass you for more money, doubtless using the justification that only scientology could help you raise yourself out of the mess you were in and that you must have deserved to be in that condition in the first place.

Yes, most scientology staff members are really nice people if you can peel away the thought-stopping conditioning they have been through, which strips people of their humanity.

What a world it would be indeed!

BTW, good luck with your mission to redeem your money.
 

TheOriginalBigBlue

Gold Meritorious Patron
Nope, no contracts, no routing form when the payment was made, I wasn't even on a free IAS membership because the admin forgot about it.

I don't revel in the idea of causing grief for the staff as individuals, but the idea of shaking up the Org as a whole and possibly inciting more departures makes me grin.

Unless policies have changed, if you have not started or received a service then I do believe the policy states that you can request a refund. Even if you have completed a service I believe that there is a limited window where you can request a refund.

Your situation looks very straight forward. If I were you I would request a refund but document everything carefully, phone calls, who you talk to, (time, place, form and event)...as it were.

If they show you a doc but don't give you a copy take a picture of it.
 

Dulloldfart

Squirrel Extraordinaire
Unless policies have changed, if you have not started or received a service then I do believe the policy states that you can request a refund.

In Scientology policy a "repayment" means money back before that service is taken (often, started); a refund is money back after the service has been taken (maybe started). The words are interchangeable in regular English but mean different things to Scn finance people, who may assume the other person knows the difference as well as they do.

There used to be a difference in the penalties for requesting one; I don't know how it stands now.

Paul
 

Type4_PTS

Diamond Invictus SP
Thanks for the welcome.

I'm not much of a TV watcher but if Leah's show is as good as the reviews, I will take the time to check it out.

<snip>

I also am not a TV watcher.

But I watched the first episode online and have been hooked ever since.

Leah and Mike Rinder do an incredible job at exposing the true nature of this organization.

After you watch a few episodes you'll be 5.4 X more grateful you got out when you did.
 

Out/Int

Patron with Honors
Thanks for your input but I will continue what I have begun, it's more than the amount of money, its the fact that they knew it was all I had and the principle of the position I was put in, we all know the tactics they employ. $1000 may not seem like a lot to you but when you have a negative balance in your bank most days after making that contribution, it becomes a lot more value than the $1000. These people knew I was struggling, that at one point I was living in my car while coming in and paying for courses. They still took every cent and pushed for more. Getting a refund and signing the waiver will be a welcome close to this chapter of my life.

Can't imagine?? That's a fairly bold statement to say that you can't imagine something... I will leave that alone.


I never indicated the church said they could help. No need that you 'suspect' what I have already made clear.

Good for you! I totally support that decision.

I watched this evil cult take people's last dime and kick them when they were down.

It makes me angry - real angry!:grouch:
 
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