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Adrenaline filled first post.

WISEcracker

New Member
Allow me to sing you the song of my people:

:welcome:

Can't wait to hear your story.

I'm going to PM you, if you don't mind. Since you apparently have some experience with WISE you might have some information I'm looking for.

ETA:

Nevermind. I can't find the message link on your profile.

Do you have any information about a WISE tribunal conducted on behalf of Kirstie Alley against anyone? Before I get too specific, I'd just like to start there.

Sorry, I do not. I was fairly low on the WISE totem pole...mostly local business. East Coast.
 

Axiom142

Gold Meritorious Patron
Thank you! Yes I feel more than ever that I am getting myself back. I have always been a chronically optimistic person...a do-gooder...as I build myself back up and gain courage I look forward to speaking out and helping anyone else to avoid the scn, or leave it.

I have a letter that I am planning to send to the local org, requesting my funds back and asking that I no longer be communicated with. Since it sounds like you went through this, what can I expect?

Thank you everyone for being exactly the opposite of what I had become used to.

Writing about your experiences can be very cathartic. I know it was for me. And talking – speaking to a trusted ex in person can be very fulfilling as well.

When I visited Australia in 2008 and met a lot of exes, I was amazed at how much we had in common. There were big differences in the amount of time ‘in’, on / off staff , case or training levels, but the same things kept coming up time and time again. For example, nearly everyone said that when they didn’t get what they expected out of the auditing or training or their lives went in the wrong direction, they thought there was something wrong with them.

And all the time, it was the organisation and ‘Tech’. It didn’t work as advertised.

Remember that you don’t have to do it all at once. Take your time and do only what you feel comfortable doing.

As for the refund, this is a great idea.

From my own experiences and reading and hearing about others, it is difficult to predict exactly what sort of response you will get. The first thing to bear in mind is that the vast majority of orgs are virtually insolvent. They have urgent bills (phones, utilities, materials etc) and the staff are lucky to get paid at all, let alone a working wage (but don’t feel sorry for them). So, when your repayment request comes in, it will go to the bottom of the pile and stay there unless you do something to get it at the top. You have to be prepared to get mean and nasty. Seriously.

Make sure you bear that in mind at all times.

1. Get together all your receipts and payment records and work out how much is in your account. If possible, get them to confirm this, in writing.
2. Read up on the relevant policies re refunds and repayments and quote this in all correspondence (i.e. they have to pay promptly). Send them a letter (recorded delivery) asking for your money back and how much you are expecting. Give them a deadline to reply by.
3. Repeat until you get an answer. Be prepared to threaten legal action if they don’t reply.
4. Don’t take any bullshit or get fobbed off. You don’t want an ARC X session or a meeting with the chaplin – you just want your money back.
5. They may ask you to complete a routing form in the org. Be prepared to follow reasonable requests, but have a friend go with you for backup.
6. If they get around to offering to pay you, they may ask you to sign a waiver. You don’t have to sign this – it is your money, you don’t have to promise to never speak about it.
7. If they don’t play ball you will have to make a nuisance of yourself. Write to the local media, newspapers, TV, radio, local council, state representative, regulatory bodies – anyone you can think of. If you live in the USA, write to the IRS and tell them that they are refusing to abide by the agreement between the IRS and the CoS. Make it more costly for them to not pay.

I had to do all of this and finally got my money when I threatened to take them to court. The threat of bad publicity also helped a lot.

But, having said that, I have heard that the cult is taking a very hard line of any sort of repayment or refund now. There was a case in Florida (http://www.tampabay.com/news/courts...couples-dispute-over-scientology-debt/1219054 ) where the cult refused to repay because they said that Lynne and Bert didn’t follow the correct procedure. That is why you have to give them the opportunity to follow their own procedures. If they then don’t answer or otherwise play ball, then expose them for the hypocrites that they are and take them to court.

They will probably try to weasel out of it, but you have to be firm and stand your ground.

Good luck,

Axiom142
 

TG1

Angelic Poster
WISEcracker,

I have been so entranced by all the litigation AGAINST the cult that I neglected to notice you'd arrived. Have probably missed a lot of other recent newcomers as well.

Anyway, welcome. You are going to love it. Unless you don't. :) Seriously, the folks here really are lovely. You're about to receive a lot of information.

I was in 1972 - 1988. Then I ignored everything about Scientology until 4-5 years ago. Like many here, I spent weeks in my bathrobe, reading, reading, reading. There are books, videos, blogs, boards, court docs. There are also parties and lots of friends to be made.

But do yourself a favor -- breathe, go slowly, and (have to say it) go at the pace you want to go at. Don't let ANYONE hurry you or tell you what you should do. You've had enough of that to last you ... well, a long time.

:)

TG1
 
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