InitiateDoubt
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I got "involved" in Scientology though my ex-fianceé.
I never called myself a Scientologist, though I had a few services and gave them a few hundred dollars in the process.
Scientology, nevertheless, played a huge roll in my life for a few years. I have also had several jobs working for Scientologists (so as to get me dependent on them and as a way of getting me closer and closer until I eventually joined officially.) Working for these people made me feel a closer connection and understanding of the church. I also knew some absolutely wonderful people in the church, as well as, obviously, the person I was in love with.
In the end my ex disconnected from me ("oddly" enough, this was about one week after deciding he would route off of staff at the end of his contract to be with me). I was simply too big of a threat to the church. (I cannot tell you how many times I made my ex question his beliefs/Scientology. It was never intentional, it just happened.) I was very open-minded, stressed the importance of seeing two sides in every story, and had a few problems with the money that was involved in Scientology. I suppose the final straw was me letting it out that I was solid in my decision to never officially become a Scientologist. The church never contacted me again.. even though there were services I was receiving that had never been completed. I still get junk mail, however.
My ex was also on staff. For around a year, I watched it destroy him, yet I let myself be blind to everything. I ignored all of my instincts and pretended that I could learn to accept the church. Pretended his situation would get better with time. But it didn't. And it didn't matter if I accepted them; they couldn't accept me. It's just as well though. I suppose it's better for me not to be trapped by it anymore (because despite how little I was involved, it still had a hold on me). But I saw and learned things that seem like they could only happen in movies. I was hardly in it at all, and I still saw, firsthand, people getting destroyed. Scientology is very real to me.. and very unreal. It's something that you can't really believe is happening, despite what your own eyes have shown you.
My main concern is how I watched the stongest, most confident and able spirit I have ever known (if he told me he could do the impossible, I would've believed him) get destroyed and confused (indecisive and unable to do anything he set out to do.. also, he was miserable, confused, etc) by getting closer and closer to the Church (ie joining staff).. I suppose I could say I wouldn't care about Scientology, but it played a huge role in my life, whether I am willing to admit it or not, so why not admit it? I can't deny what's real anymore.
Also, I would like to add that many of the ideas in the church are very interesting and acceptable to me as far as beliefs, but I believe that the methods of teaching them incorporate underlying themes of suggestion that are still dangerous whether you consider upper management or not because they put subliminal messages into your mind (ie slightly altered LRH dictionary definitions; teaching people to be dependent on certain things, etc). However, I agree with some of their ideas and theories and think they make a lot of sense, but most of these are things I believed before ever hearing of Scientology.
I never called myself a Scientologist, though I had a few services and gave them a few hundred dollars in the process.
Scientology, nevertheless, played a huge roll in my life for a few years. I have also had several jobs working for Scientologists (so as to get me dependent on them and as a way of getting me closer and closer until I eventually joined officially.) Working for these people made me feel a closer connection and understanding of the church. I also knew some absolutely wonderful people in the church, as well as, obviously, the person I was in love with.
In the end my ex disconnected from me ("oddly" enough, this was about one week after deciding he would route off of staff at the end of his contract to be with me). I was simply too big of a threat to the church. (I cannot tell you how many times I made my ex question his beliefs/Scientology. It was never intentional, it just happened.) I was very open-minded, stressed the importance of seeing two sides in every story, and had a few problems with the money that was involved in Scientology. I suppose the final straw was me letting it out that I was solid in my decision to never officially become a Scientologist. The church never contacted me again.. even though there were services I was receiving that had never been completed. I still get junk mail, however.
My ex was also on staff. For around a year, I watched it destroy him, yet I let myself be blind to everything. I ignored all of my instincts and pretended that I could learn to accept the church. Pretended his situation would get better with time. But it didn't. And it didn't matter if I accepted them; they couldn't accept me. It's just as well though. I suppose it's better for me not to be trapped by it anymore (because despite how little I was involved, it still had a hold on me). But I saw and learned things that seem like they could only happen in movies. I was hardly in it at all, and I still saw, firsthand, people getting destroyed. Scientology is very real to me.. and very unreal. It's something that you can't really believe is happening, despite what your own eyes have shown you.
My main concern is how I watched the stongest, most confident and able spirit I have ever known (if he told me he could do the impossible, I would've believed him) get destroyed and confused (indecisive and unable to do anything he set out to do.. also, he was miserable, confused, etc) by getting closer and closer to the Church (ie joining staff).. I suppose I could say I wouldn't care about Scientology, but it played a huge role in my life, whether I am willing to admit it or not, so why not admit it? I can't deny what's real anymore.
Also, I would like to add that many of the ideas in the church are very interesting and acceptable to me as far as beliefs, but I believe that the methods of teaching them incorporate underlying themes of suggestion that are still dangerous whether you consider upper management or not because they put subliminal messages into your mind (ie slightly altered LRH dictionary definitions; teaching people to be dependent on certain things, etc). However, I agree with some of their ideas and theories and think they make a lot of sense, but most of these are things I believed before ever hearing of Scientology.