What's new

Blown For Good

Stat

Gold Meritorious Patron
How did YOU leave the cult/"church" of Scientology? And why? What was the tipping point?
 

Sindy

Crusader
The nauseating crass commercialism and lies. The money grubbing mentality permeating every nook and cranny with no escape. The greed. The lack of compassion.

I had finally been pushed to the limit and decided I didn't like Miscavige. I spoke out about this while still in which got me sent to the OSA office to read dead agent materials that made me want to go on the Internet to read the other side. I read the "other side", was appalled, and no one could handle me so I left.

That and the fact that I saw no OTs. In fact, I thought the "OTs" were worse off than most.
 

AngeloV

Gold Meritorious Patron
Watching an OT VII accidentally put a nail through his hand doing a reno project at Flag and realizing he had zero extraordinary abilities as described in the 'tech'.

The lie was right there in front of me.
 

Enthetan

Master of Disaster
For me, the last straw was the "Basics" tech-revisions.

Leading up to it was the realization, like AngeloV, that OT did not really confer any special ability in the physical universe. I kept asking "If the OT levels really make you much more able, why aren't we seeing OT-headed companies in the Fortune 500?"

The observable fact that there were plenty of non-Scientologists more able than any OT that I met was a lingering, festering outpoint.
 

GoNuclear

Gold Meritorious Patron
I was just going thru the motions from 1979. Got ethics thrown at me in Spring of 1980, just stayed away until invited back with ethics crap lifted, but was definitely still bummed out and stayed away as much as possible. In late 1981 I was told that I was more "org public" and didn't need to be onlines at the mission. Fine. I got a job offer in California and was leaving the area anyways, but I still kept in touch with folk in Connecticut. Those were the days of the mission holder's conferences at the Flagging Clam Base. Brown McKee was one of the main movers and shakers to try to get grievances resolved, but by that time, the Miscavige power play was in motion. I was in California in December 81 when Brown went to Florida a second time. In early January of 1982 I got word that Brown was declared and he formed a splinter group. I gave it 6 months to fold, it took 3. I figured that something must be seriously wrong with the Cof$ for a guy like Brown McKee to split and/or be declared, he was no raving psychotic by any means. So I figured I would sit on the sidelines.

By Spring of 1983, realities of the WOG world were beginning to sink in to me, and, I started to figure out that I wasn't going back to Scientology ... too expensive, too much time, too much of a drag, too much of a bore. Eventually someone passed a joint my way and I took a few hits. I was pretty sure I was done with it at that point, just figuring that it was simply too difficult for me.

But the very final vestige ... the thing about being truely out as opposed to merely away ... when I read the Bent Corydon book in 1989. My heart was beating rapidly as I started reading the Xenu story, wondering what would happen. I nearly did die ... of laughter, that is. The spell was finally broken.

Pete
 

Natalie

Patron with Honors
The start of my departure was when I realized that David Miscavige was lying at events about the acceptance and support of the Scientology front groups. I started looking into these claims, and found out they were false. Everything from the Basics being in EVERY library to Kimora Lee Simmons supporting the WTH. He was and still makes claims that are easily proven to be not true.

About the same time, I received a google alert with my name that took me to the Why We Protest site. Anonymous members had posted my photo and name with some basic information. Didn't bother me as they used a great picture :biggrin: But, it got me to their site and I started reading, which took me to ESMB and beyond. What I saw confirmed my suspicions and doubts.
 

I told you I was trouble

Suspended animation
I'd wanted to walk away for many years but waited until my children were adults so as not to cause problems with disconnection while they were still young (their Father is still very much in and so are they now).

The absolute final point for me though was the "OT" levels ... I couldn't believe it, I was (and still am) truly stunned by the con.

It was meeting Uncle Xenu that set me free, when I finally stopped laughing.

:lol:
 

Lermanet_com

Gold Meritorious Patron
How did YOU leave the cult/"church" of Scientology? And why? What was the tipping point?

I packed up all my belongings in one gunny sack, threw it over my shoulder and walked quietly out the door at 6:30 AM on a sunday morning after getting a letter from Suzette that said "The situation has grown impossible, I won't be writing you anymore.."

This was after the FBI raids, in winter 77/78. I had previously experienced (LINK) what I later, 25 years later, learned was, for me, "shock" therapy,(note) - during which I made the decision.

And my decision was to get the hell OUT.

arnie lerma

My Rx for believers in $cientology: "Hang onto your wallets and run like hell"



(note) see William Sargant's "Battle for the Mind"
 

Jquepublic

Silver Meritorious Patron
I had one foot out the door when I got dragged off my tech post to crush reg public to pay for a lawsuit that SHOULD have been covered by the 1+ mil we had in the general liability fund - money that I had come to believe was on paper only, since we were denied access to it despite a very real threat to our org. I went online to look into Scientology for the first time and I came across the OT III info. Unlike ITYIWT I was freaking PISSED when I read it. Worst. Science Fiction. Ever. It was the final straw for me. I informed the EO of my intention to leave staff and navigated my way through the minefield to do it. I still wound up declared - should have just blown and saved myself 5 months of struggle.
 

Gib

Crusader
How did YOU leave the cult/"church" of Scientology? And why? What was the tipping point?

I read the Debbie Cook email/facebook message. Agreed with what she said. That opened the door for me to do a proper Due Diligence since I never did it 25 years ago. The only due diligence I did was in fact one way, namely listenly to the church members success stories, hubbards books & lectures, the church's PR, my own wins & loses, etc. So now I've done a proper due diligence reading and digesting all the secrets. :ripped:
 

Jquepublic

Silver Meritorious Patron
I read the Debbie Cook email/facebook message. Agreed with what she said. That opened the door for me to do a proper Due Diligence since I never did it 25 years ago. The only due diligence I did was in fact one way, namely listenly to the church members success stories, hubbards books & lectures, the church's PR, my own wins & loses, etc. So now I've done a proper due diligence reading and digesting all the secrets. :ripped:

Wow Gib, I didn't realise you were such a newly out ex!

Good job on finally gtfo of there! :thumbsup:
 

Claire Swazey

Spokeshole, fence sitter
It was da internetz. I was posting to alt.religion.scientology- and was very careful not to diss Scn or CofS. In fact, I defended both. But OSA didn't like it, didn't want me on there cuz I wasn't an operative.

Naively, I kept trying to make it work. Finally, one handling too many, I got really pissed and walked away. My main reason being the contempt they showed me and didn't even try to hide. Made me wonder why I was giving my time and money. They sent someone to try to handle me a few months later and I didn't fall for it.
 

Dimwad

Patron
How did YOU leave the cult/"church" of Scientology? And why? What was the tipping point?

I was training at FLB and got routed to Qual and then Ethics for “handling”. The handling was successful – I realized I was not a scientologist and left the building for good. J Dimwad
 

exsomessenger

Patron Meritorious
I was out in NM trying to finish up the LRH house at that site. My 2D had been sent to RTC without notice do get a handling for NON-E stats. (She was the HCO SEC CST and could not get any new people into the org.) I had sent a few letters wishing her well, wishing her a happy Birthday etc. no responce.

I was then told to return to the main base in Lake Arrowhead. when I arrived I was escorted to the INT base and Happy vly. We were to start a Decks Program. No info as to why etc. RTC started sec checking daily. this went on for months, I still wrote lettes to my 2D with no return communication. Nothing bad just I love you and how are you? how was your birthday etc.

At this point I knew that the beloved policy that we all swore to follow was not being followed at all. At least that is what I believed at that time. I had been a messenger for the majority of my Sea Org tenure. I believed that I knew my policy and wrote up the outpoints. This was met with a RPF assignment. Durring that R-FACTOR. I (as per policy) asked to be placed on the Leaving Staff Routing Fourm. I was then routed to Shelly M for the " your now on the RPF's RPF R-Factor.

At that point the only reason that I stayed was because I had not seen my 2D for a half a year. That and the fact that I was under 24 watch. The first time I saw my 2d
I ran to her and we talked. both very happy to hear we were in good health etc. I asked her about all the letters that I had sent. She responded she had gotten nothing from me. She also said that she had been sending me letters. I had not recieved anything. We hugged and made a commitment to get through all of this. A few days later I got a KR from her. the long and short of it was that I had origanated communication to her. THis of course got me ethics and right back into the RP's RPF. Which I had worked my way out of.

A few nights later I decieded that I only had one choice. the next night I made my way out into the wog world.
 

Mest Lover

Not Sea Org Qualified
The day in course at CLO EUS when the course sup didn't say "Flag rep Chicago" during attendance and just called my name instead. The course sup was Robert Young from the Philadelphia org (I don't believe he was the "Robert Young" that others seemed to idolize). A person in the course room held up her hand at that point and he went and had a whispered conversation with her. I then realized they weren't going to send me back to Chicago.

After Dennis Daganaise, (A-treas aide) CLO EUS, told me that when I was done with the "Renos project" that I would be staff at CLO EUS I realized I was DONE! $30.00/week!!!?!!!!! What the fuck! That is not what I was told in Chicago. It took me over 2 years to get out at that point, but I spent every minute of it not taking in anything they told me I needed and every minute plotting my way out without them harassing me afterwards.
 

WildKat

Gold Meritorious Patron
For me, the last straw was the "Basics" tech-revisions.

Leading up to it was the realization, like AngeloV, that OT did not really confer any special ability in the physical universe. I kept asking "If the OT levels really make you much more able, why aren't we seeing OT-headed companies in the Fortune 500?"

The observable fact that there were plenty of non-Scientologists more able than any OT that I met was a lingering, festering outpoint.

The Basics was what finally did it for me, too. That and watching OT VIII's melt down in their elder years. I realized that there was always going to be an excuse for why the OT's weren't really OT. "She didn't have her Basics in, that's why she's a mess!"

It was always going to be the individual's fault, and the answer was always go see the reg, get on another course, and pour more money into the money pit.

I walked away shortly after the Basics announcement.
 

PTS

Elliott
To be a good $cientologist you must have utter disdain for wog law. This always disturbed me and when the criminal convictions of members in the Toronto Org were handed down in the 1990's I began to wake up. Their conduct before the courts and their attempts to manipulate Canada's justice system appalled me. They were and are nothing but a criminal organization hiding behind the veneer of religion. It took me some time to finally disconnect from the cult, but it was their crimes that got me started on the road out.

$cientology we do not need to ask what your crimes are, you have amply demonstrated them before the world.
 

Lone Star

Crusader
I kept noticing that many OTs, who were supposed to be at cause over Matter, Energy, Space, and Time, could barely walk and chew gum at the same time. :no: Not only that, these OTs who are supposed to be Masters of Communication were often the most difficult ones to converse with. And a few OTs were very reactive and mis-emotional on a regular basis. So much for the State of Clear. Don't even get me started on the OTs who were also very untrustworthy, often to their own fellow Scientologists as well as to the "wogs". All of that Greatest Good BS just means "do whatever is good for me and to hell with you".

The final straw was the BS story about the Basics. All those decades and Hubturd didn't notice that the transcriptionists altered the words of the great Source. LRH didn't believe in quality control? What a load of Horseshit! :duh:
 

Dean Blair

Silver Meritorious Patron
After having been a staff member and Sea Argh member for a very long time I started asking myself if all the bullshit I see going on in the Orgs is something I would like to see going on all over the world. No day off. No pay. No vacation. No future security for the golden years. No retirement. No children. My answer was "hell no". To me that would be like Hell.

I left Scientology in 1991 but sat on the fence and did no other actions. I guess I still considered myself a Scientologist but I didn't do any more courses or get any more auditing. In 2009 I Googled "Scientology"and began to read what others were saying and that's when I was blown for good.
 

Claire Swazey

Spokeshole, fence sitter
I used to really look up to OTs. I did see them acting incompetent or often irrational. I know what you guys mean.

I will say this, though, and maybe some will disagree, but it's just what I saw. I did see some very confident and competent and serene OTs. They did seem to have some spiritual awakening and knowledge. Some of them did. I did also notice that they still weren't at the state that the cult promised, yes. I always thought there was some enlightenment to be had but not what's advertised. YMMV. Then again, Hubbard claimed that one's mileage should not and would not vary. And he never admitted his own shortfalls in this wise.
 
Top