Churchill
Gold Meritorious Patron
AnonyMary and I, after a brief discussion, have decided to create a thread that focuses on the Getting Clear Conference, which ended just over a week ago. We'll try to share our deeply personal thoughts about this remarkable event.
I attended the entire conference, missing only the Thursday evening presentations of Chris Shelton and Gerry Armstrong.
Some background on myself and Canada: In 1966, two years before becoming involved with Scientology, I had dropped out of Brooklyn College, and decided to see a bit of the world, like many of my generation were doing. I spent one last evening at the Cafe Rienzi in Greenwich Village drinking espresso and smoking cigarettes. I had a few hundred dollars, a backpack with a tent and sleeping bag, and took a train from New York to Montreal, and proceeded to hitch-hike across the Trans-Canada
Highway, working for a short while in Alberta, and then making my way north to Fairbanks, Alaska.
I love Canada and the Canadian people. And I loved Alaska.
About 8 years later, as a Sea Org Member, I was sent by Kate (Al) Bornstein on missions to Toronto, Montreal and Winnipeg. Where my life had been filled with the wanderlust of youth, it had now been replaced with purpose and a sense of mission.
Having a purpose and a sense of mission are not necessarily bad. In fact, they're good, provided one has not joined a fascistic, totalitarian, mind-control cult that is masquerading under the guise of a benevolent self-help religious organization, an applied religious philosophy.
So, until last week, it had been 40 years since I last visited Canada.
I reached the border crossing around 5am. What was the purpose of my visit, the Canadian wanted to know. "I'm attending an anti-Scientology Conference in Toronto". With that, he smiled, and waved me through. "Don't you want to see my passport?"
"No need," "enjoy your stay" he smiled.
(have I mentioned I love Canada?)
I arrived early Monday morning at the Toronto Sheraton, after having driven about 6 hours from Western Massachusetts where I live. I'd slept maybe 2 hours. Didn't care. Adrenaline and Caffeine would see me through the day.
After all these many years, I would finally meet Paulette Cooper...
I attended the entire conference, missing only the Thursday evening presentations of Chris Shelton and Gerry Armstrong.
Some background on myself and Canada: In 1966, two years before becoming involved with Scientology, I had dropped out of Brooklyn College, and decided to see a bit of the world, like many of my generation were doing. I spent one last evening at the Cafe Rienzi in Greenwich Village drinking espresso and smoking cigarettes. I had a few hundred dollars, a backpack with a tent and sleeping bag, and took a train from New York to Montreal, and proceeded to hitch-hike across the Trans-Canada
Highway, working for a short while in Alberta, and then making my way north to Fairbanks, Alaska.
I love Canada and the Canadian people. And I loved Alaska.
About 8 years later, as a Sea Org Member, I was sent by Kate (Al) Bornstein on missions to Toronto, Montreal and Winnipeg. Where my life had been filled with the wanderlust of youth, it had now been replaced with purpose and a sense of mission.
Having a purpose and a sense of mission are not necessarily bad. In fact, they're good, provided one has not joined a fascistic, totalitarian, mind-control cult that is masquerading under the guise of a benevolent self-help religious organization, an applied religious philosophy.
So, until last week, it had been 40 years since I last visited Canada.
I reached the border crossing around 5am. What was the purpose of my visit, the Canadian wanted to know. "I'm attending an anti-Scientology Conference in Toronto". With that, he smiled, and waved me through. "Don't you want to see my passport?"
"No need," "enjoy your stay" he smiled.
(have I mentioned I love Canada?)
I arrived early Monday morning at the Toronto Sheraton, after having driven about 6 hours from Western Massachusetts where I live. I'd slept maybe 2 hours. Didn't care. Adrenaline and Caffeine would see me through the day.
After all these many years, I would finally meet Paulette Cooper...
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