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Blurry childhood memories

Wasthisme?

New Member
Hi all! My first time posting.

Short story: I have a few very distinct childhood memories that lead me to believe my mother was involved actively in Scientology and raised me according to those principles for a period of time. Most of my memories during this time are very vague / blurry, probably because it was definitely not a positive experience for me.

My earliest memory related to her possible participation occurred right around the time of my parents separation / ultimate divorce. It would have been early 80's, best guess 1983-84. I remember someone coming to our home on a regular basis with the Dianetics book. I was not allowed downstairs during these visits, but remember being curious and thinking something seemed weird. In fact, my 10yo curiosity led me to sneak downstairs to hide and listen. Not much made sense. I do remember hearing something about levels? Who knows? Of course, I got caught hiding and listening, my mother was furious, and I was grounded for a month!

There also were small meetings in Pottsvillle, PA. Others also brought children, but we were not allowed to leave the designated children area in the basement until an adult came to get us.

The only other significant memory was of a conference in the Poconos that I believe was Scientologists. I think it was at Camelback? My younger sister and I were separated from the adults and sent to rooms off the main conference area. At some point at the end of that day, we were taken back to main area to rejoin our mother and her friend (same person who made these individual visits to our home).

Right now I am just trying to make sense of these odd memories, as it would explain a great deal about the drastic change in "parenting" that occurred.

If anyone has any knowledge of Scientology groups, activities, etc in Pottsville PA around 1983-84 or a possible conference in the Poconos around same time, I would greatly appreciate it.

My narcissistic mother's coined response to this and any other question she doesn't like : "I don't know what you are talking about" or "I don't remember any of this."
 

This is NOT OK !!!!

Gold Meritorious Patron
There was an active Mission in Ithica, NY in the 60s-70s, so they may have ventured over your way.

Stick around, you'll be amazed at the amount of information that comes out of the woodwork here.
 

TheOriginalBigBlue

Gold Meritorious Patron
Scientology parents usually do Touch Assists and Contact Assists on their children. A Touch Assist is where you touch a person with your finger and say "Feel my finger..."Thank you". A Contact Assist is where you have the person imitate the moment of injury by carefully falling down again the same way or repeatedly touching the object that hurt them where they were injured, etc.

They also do Locationals, "Look at that tree...Thank you", etc.
 

dchoiceisalwaysrs

Gold Meritorious Patron
Welcome Blurry,

Maybe you could buy a Dianetics book somewhere for a nickel and start reading it a the dinner table and see what happens. If no result you can throw the book in the fireplace and burn it like a Yuletide log for a warm and Merry Christmas which I hope you and your loved ones have. 'this the season to be jolly.
 

Enthetan

Master of Disaster
1983-84 is a time when a bunch of people split off from "official" Scientology and formed their own "splinter groups". It might be something like that which your mom was involved in. "Official" Scientology went after these groups with lawsuits and harassment, which might be a reason why somebody doesn't want to talk about it.

If your mom was involved in real Scientology, then you should have memories of going to one of the organizations, whether in NYC or Philadelphia. Scientology was always pressuring remote groups to send people to the "orgs", if only for events.
 

Enthetan

Master of Disaster
If anyone has any knowledge of Scientology groups, activities, etc in Pottsville PA around 1983-84 or a possible conference in the Poconos around same time, I would greatly appreciate it.

Thinking about this some more, 1982 was the year of the infamous Mission Holders Conference mass-expulsion, followed in March 1983 by the expulsion of David Mayo. The time period 1983-84 was when a whole bunch of people split off from Scientology and became independent, and were busily contacting Scientologists to convince them to join the schism.

It was a time of extreme paranoia on the part of Scientology management. No meeting of Scientologists in the Poconos, Pottsville, or anywhere else not under the direct oversight of an official Org, would have been tolerated. If the event was in the Poconos and had to do with Scientology, then it was a meeting of a "splinter group", and not an officially-sanctioned Scientology event.
 

Ogsonofgroo

Crusader
:welcome: to ESMB Blurry!
Not to fret the small stuff mon, childhood memories are as varied as the people they belong to, happy/sad/horrid/snippets etc.~ what-ever, you've grown up and moved along and, unless things were profoundly bad and you need, really need, to deal with them, then let it pass with grace (or some such) and continue your life. Just a wee Oggy thought on such things.
Nice to have you aboard, enjoy your visits here, there are many good people here, be patient, read-read-read, and don't be too shy either. I hope you get some answers that will satisfy your inquiries, I've no doubt you will eventually.

:cheers:

Ogs
 

Demented Hubbatd

Patron with Honors
Hi all! My first time posting.

Short story: I have a few very distinct childhood memories that lead me to believe my mother was involved actively in Scientology and raised me according to those principles for a period of time. Most of my memories during this time are very vague / blurry, probably because it was definitely not a positive experience for me.

My earliest memory related to her possible participation occurred right around the time of my parents separation / ultimate divorce. It would have been early 80's, best guess 1983-84. I remember someone coming to our home on a regular basis with the Dianetics book. I was not allowed downstairs during these visits, but remember being curious and thinking something seemed weird. In fact, my 10yo curiosity led me to sneak downstairs to hide and listen. Not much made sense. I do remember hearing something about levels? Who knows? Of course, I got caught hiding and listening, my mother was furious, and I was grounded for a month!

There also were small meetings in Pottsvillle, PA. Others also brought children, but we were not allowed to leave the designated children area in the basement until an adult came to get us.

The only other significant memory was of a conference in the Poconos that I believe was Scientologists. I think it was at Camelback? My younger sister and I were separated from the adults and sent to rooms off the main conference area. At some point at the end of that day, we were taken back to main area to rejoin our mother and her friend (same person who made these individual visits to our home).

Right now I am just trying to make sense of these odd memories, as it would explain a great deal about the drastic change in "parenting" that occurred.

If anyone has any knowledge of Scientology groups, activities, etc in Pottsville PA around 1983-84 or a possible conference in the Poconos around same time, I would greatly appreciate it.

My narcissistic mother's coined response to this and any other question she doesn't like : "I don't know what you are talking about" or "I don't remember any of this."
Usually, Scientology parents introduce their children to the cult at a young age, starting from 6; at least, this is what I have read. It seems strange that your mother was hiding her interest in Scientology from you and your sister. The Scientology folk raise their children the way they are taught by the cult, so any change in parenting would include early introduction to the shitty Scientology doctrine.
 

dchoiceisalwaysrs

Gold Meritorious Patron
Thinking about this some more, 1982 was the year of the infamous Mission Holders Conference mass-expulsion, followed in March 1983 by the expulsion of David Mayo. The time period 1983-84 was when a whole bunch of people split off from Scientology and became independent, and were busily contacting Scientologists to convince them to join the schism.

It was a time of extreme paranoia on the part of Scientology management. No meeting of Scientologists in the Poconos, Pottsville, or anywhere else not under the direct oversight of an official Org, would have been tolerated. If the event was in the Poconos and had to do with Scientology, then it was a meeting of a "splinter group", and not an officially-sanctioned Scientology event.

SO ED 2192 INT of January 1983 listed 607 individuals as declared, so yes a especially crazy time in scn.
 

Wasthisme?

New Member
:welcome: to ESMB Blurry!
Not to fret the small stuff mon, childhood memories are as varied as the people they belong to, happy/sad/horrid/snippets etc.~ what-ever, you've grown up and moved along and, unless things were profoundly bad and you need, really need, to deal with them, then let it pass with grace (or some such) and continue your life. Just a wee Oggy thought on such things.
Nice to have you aboard, enjoy your visits here, there are many good people here, be patient, read-read-read, and don't be too shy either. I hope you get some answers that will satisfy your inquiries, I've no doubt you will eventually.

:cheers:

Ogs
Thank you!!! Just trying to put some pieces of the puzzle together that may be helpful as I am raising my sons. She is continuously and aggressively attempting to interfere with my parenting. I have made peace with my experience. I refuse to allow her to alienate my children.
 

Wasthisme?

New Member
1983-84 is a time when a bunch of people split off from "official" Scientology and formed their own "splinter groups". It might be something like that which your mom was involved in. "Official" Scientology went after these groups with lawsuits and harassment, which might be a reason why somebody doesn't want to talk about it.

If your mom was involved in real Scientology, then you should have memories of going to one of the organizations, whether in NYC or Philadelphia. Scientology was always pressuring remote groups to send people to the "orgs", if only for events.
This makes much more sense
 
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