Hi!
I first stumbled on this site and others including operation clambake in about 2003, and they really made my head spin! I was about 22 and though I had not been involved in Scientology since about the age of 16, my parents who are FSMs were fairly entrenched in Scientology. It was difficult but I confronted my parents about much of what I had read about Xenu, Lisa McPherson and Hubbard's fraudulent past. They gave me the standard response about how you can't trust the media and critics. By the end of that conversation I was distraught and in tears. I couldn't believe that my parents weren't willing to look, or even consider another side to the CoS - the truth is they didn't want to look. I was left feeling like the text-book PTS person who was trying to enturbulate others by spreading black PR. Though, I never really spoke with my parents about it again, I believed much of what I had read and this set me on a path to truly knowing the CoS.
My parents were both Sea Org members in the AO in Sydney. I'm not sure how long they were in, but they routed out in the early 1990's to have my youngest sister. We moved from Sydney to Brisbane where my parents became field staff members, working normal jobs outside the church and doing courses at the Brisbane Org when time and money allowed. My sisters and I went to public school and thus began an entirely new type of world experience for us.
I don't remember much about my life as a child in the Sea Org. I know I didn't see my parents much and spent a lot of time just hanging out with the other SO members children. We lived in an old apartment building in Rushcutters Bay for a while (if I remember corretly) and then a big communal house on St. Johns Road in Glebe. I was one of the first children to attend the Athena School, in Helen Pickets house (I think).
Life was not bad. But I always wondered about 'WOGs' and the 'outside' world. About this strange organization and the strange rules that I MUST follow. How a man called LRH was able to develop all this wonderful tech for us to use...
Growing up in that environment was good in some ways...it really taught me to have high moral expectations of people, life and myself. It pushed me to think in terms I might not otherwise had considered at such a young age, like the mind, spirit and general existentialism. But soon I started to realise how hypocritical it all was. The realizations that came from my own life experience led me to believe that Scientology was a suffocating, biggoted, fascist, money hungry, brainwashing, dangerous cult. Despite its claims otherwise. Things like ....the huge amount of money one must spend to 'be free', the homophobic views, that LRH is ALWAYS RIGHT, the constant harassment to be recruited, - these things amongst others made me realize I could never reconcile my views with Scientology.
I don't have any awful stories to tell. I was lucky that my parents got out of the Sea Org when they did, and that they didn't force me or my sisters to continue to study Scientology. I think over time they understood that I would never be part of the CoS. They remain FSMs in Oz, I don't know their training levels or how much money they have given to the CoS...though we are close, we rarely talk about the CoS. One day I hope they will leave and then we can talk openly about our lives.
It really is too bad that the CoS attracts people who have such strong desire to help others, and then it takes everything they have and ruins them! The twisted irony of it all is really sickening. I am so glad to be a WOG! This 'WOG' world has its share of problems; the war, violence, insanity, poverty, oppression and suffering. Scientology isn't the answer - it's just another problem. I think some genuine compassion and integrity from each and everyone of us would take us most of the way. Let's celebrate diversity, humanity, creativity and love!
Anyway, this is only a little of my journey. I'm really here to thank everyone that's working so hard to bring justice to those who were hurt and to expose the ongoing abuses. I also want to thank the many people who have shared their heartfelt stories about the CoS. You all rock! Where the fuck is Amnesty International when you need them!?! It needs to be taken to the UNCHR!
So, I'm following what's happening around the globe, especially in Australia with great interest. I hope my parents are too.
I'll do what I can to help people free themselves of this cult and anything like it.
Thank you!!
ashajade
Kiwi in Taiwan
ps. I know a one or two people here but haven't spoken in a long time...so Hi : )
I first stumbled on this site and others including operation clambake in about 2003, and they really made my head spin! I was about 22 and though I had not been involved in Scientology since about the age of 16, my parents who are FSMs were fairly entrenched in Scientology. It was difficult but I confronted my parents about much of what I had read about Xenu, Lisa McPherson and Hubbard's fraudulent past. They gave me the standard response about how you can't trust the media and critics. By the end of that conversation I was distraught and in tears. I couldn't believe that my parents weren't willing to look, or even consider another side to the CoS - the truth is they didn't want to look. I was left feeling like the text-book PTS person who was trying to enturbulate others by spreading black PR. Though, I never really spoke with my parents about it again, I believed much of what I had read and this set me on a path to truly knowing the CoS.
My parents were both Sea Org members in the AO in Sydney. I'm not sure how long they were in, but they routed out in the early 1990's to have my youngest sister. We moved from Sydney to Brisbane where my parents became field staff members, working normal jobs outside the church and doing courses at the Brisbane Org when time and money allowed. My sisters and I went to public school and thus began an entirely new type of world experience for us.
I don't remember much about my life as a child in the Sea Org. I know I didn't see my parents much and spent a lot of time just hanging out with the other SO members children. We lived in an old apartment building in Rushcutters Bay for a while (if I remember corretly) and then a big communal house on St. Johns Road in Glebe. I was one of the first children to attend the Athena School, in Helen Pickets house (I think).
Life was not bad. But I always wondered about 'WOGs' and the 'outside' world. About this strange organization and the strange rules that I MUST follow. How a man called LRH was able to develop all this wonderful tech for us to use...
Growing up in that environment was good in some ways...it really taught me to have high moral expectations of people, life and myself. It pushed me to think in terms I might not otherwise had considered at such a young age, like the mind, spirit and general existentialism. But soon I started to realise how hypocritical it all was. The realizations that came from my own life experience led me to believe that Scientology was a suffocating, biggoted, fascist, money hungry, brainwashing, dangerous cult. Despite its claims otherwise. Things like ....the huge amount of money one must spend to 'be free', the homophobic views, that LRH is ALWAYS RIGHT, the constant harassment to be recruited, - these things amongst others made me realize I could never reconcile my views with Scientology.
I don't have any awful stories to tell. I was lucky that my parents got out of the Sea Org when they did, and that they didn't force me or my sisters to continue to study Scientology. I think over time they understood that I would never be part of the CoS. They remain FSMs in Oz, I don't know their training levels or how much money they have given to the CoS...though we are close, we rarely talk about the CoS. One day I hope they will leave and then we can talk openly about our lives.
It really is too bad that the CoS attracts people who have such strong desire to help others, and then it takes everything they have and ruins them! The twisted irony of it all is really sickening. I am so glad to be a WOG! This 'WOG' world has its share of problems; the war, violence, insanity, poverty, oppression and suffering. Scientology isn't the answer - it's just another problem. I think some genuine compassion and integrity from each and everyone of us would take us most of the way. Let's celebrate diversity, humanity, creativity and love!
Anyway, this is only a little of my journey. I'm really here to thank everyone that's working so hard to bring justice to those who were hurt and to expose the ongoing abuses. I also want to thank the many people who have shared their heartfelt stories about the CoS. You all rock! Where the fuck is Amnesty International when you need them!?! It needs to be taken to the UNCHR!
So, I'm following what's happening around the globe, especially in Australia with great interest. I hope my parents are too.
I'll do what I can to help people free themselves of this cult and anything like it.
Thank you!!
ashajade
Kiwi in Taiwan
ps. I know a one or two people here but haven't spoken in a long time...so Hi : )
Last edited: