Kicked The Cult In 2012. Still Decompressing And Finding MY Way.

[Miss Ellie]

Welcome... I have been out since 1976 officially and in my heart never in. This place has helped me and can be a lot of fun. I like the fact.that no one takes themselves very seriously. I am glad you joined the family.

 

[Enthetan]

Welcome!

 

[JustSheila]

Welcome, VooDoo!

 

[Voodoo]

Yes, I know that hitting the reply button automatically inserts the text of the post you're replying to. Where I keep messing it up, is in trying to edit the quotes so that only a select portion appears. When I do that, my cursor gets stuck inside the quotation box.

I obviously need to RTFM (read the fucking manual)

If you want to quote someone's post, instead of writing 'quoting xxx', you could try clicking the 'Reply' link at the bottom right hand corner of the post you want to refer to.

 

[strativarius]

Yes, I know that hitting the reply button automatically inserts the text of the post you're replying to. Where I keep messing it up, is in trying to edit the quotes so that only a select portion appears. When I do that, my cursor gets stuck inside the quotation box.

I obviously need to RTFM (read the fucking manual)

LOL. Yes, there's that hurdle to overcome as well. What you do in that situation is click the icon that is at the top right-hand-side of the box. The words 'Use BB Code Editor' will appear when your mouse is over it. Once you are in that mode, just type a character or two and then revert back to 'Rich Text' (bottom left of your text area) if you want to.

HTH.

 

[Dulloldfart]

Yes, I know that hitting the reply button automatically inserts the text of the post you're replying to. Where I keep messing it up, is in trying to edit the quotes so that only a select portion appears. When I do that, my cursor gets stuck inside the quotation box.

I obviously need to RTFM (read the fucking manual)

Welcome, Voodoo.

[edited, redundant]

Paul

 

[Operating DB]

Yes, you're right, we all know what you meant, but scienospeak is one of the things we are glad to be rid of IMO. My personal view is that 95% of scientology is a crock of shit (newspaper tek for cleaning windows was very helpful though, and the number of attractive young ladies that gravitated towards the org I worked in was a major plus point too, but apart from that ...).

If you have derived some long-term benefits from it, good for you, I never did.

The only time I would intentionally use scio speak is in a joking and degrading manner just for laughs.

A prime example is HelluvaHoax's post #15 on this thread.

 

[Operating DB]

Welcome, Voodoo!

No, this won't make you a pariah here. (If so, I'd have been brow-beaten out of here by now!)
I, too, had some gains from scn back in the day, but those days passed, and the and the shit storm just grew and grew.

When someone went on an extended rant about how totally useless ALL scn was/is I have, on a couple occasions, briefly, let me emphasize: BRIEFLY told about how this little piece had a beneficial effect for me, personally. I don't try to contradict the posters assessment of their experience. That's theirs and that's fine. I'm quite judicial about what I'll say and then drop it. I don't engage in flame wars about it.

I just passed my ten-year anniversary being on this message board and it's been the best thing for me, upon leaving scn.

So, once again, WELCOME!

Jack

Damn! Where has the time gone? I missed my 10th anniversary of being on here last August. Interesting to note that I've been on here longer than the 9 years, 2 months, and 22 days I wasted in the cult. And the experience of ESMB doesn't compare to the cult. Well yes, it does compare: evil vs good.

 

[Voodoo]

Has anyone mentioned that "We love stories!" ?

If you feel up to it, we'd love to hear your story(ies). Keeping in mind OSA likes to lurk and suss out who is who and if you are trying to stay under their radar, be extra careful about details that could possibly be used to ID you!

Cheers

Jack

Ah yes....stories. Anyone who's lived inside the Scn bubble has some, me included. I'll share mine in due time, but I've got to be a bit circumspect in the telling, as we all know that our favorite cult intelligence bureau is always watching.

Here's a short one:

I was fresh off the Comm Course in '73 when I volunteered to help out on a project at the newly purchased Manor Hotel. The place was old, dirty, dilapidated, and a little bit spooky. As I recall, the work area I was assigned to was in the basement. It was dark, dank and dusty.

From what I remember, I was tasked with calling various kinds of contractors to bid on needed repairs to the property. I would make the appointment, then turn them over to the SO person in charge.

Anyhow, one day I'm busy making calls when a Sea Org member in full dress uniform walks in. He had a visible aura of command and authority about him which immediately filled the space. I had no idea who he was, but he struck me as someone who was way up the totem pole. I may have been a complete greenhorn, but I was aware enough to deduce that this guy had rank, and was not to be trifled with.

After entering the room, he stops, turns to me with a piercing glare, and asks, "Where is the I/C?" Now, I had just finished the Comm Course, so I knew a thing or two about projecting intention through communication, but this guy had it turned all the way up to 11. My mouth began responding to him before I could even formulate a proper response. I'd experienced strong communications from authority figures many times in life, but this was a whole new level. If he'd told me to stand on my head, I'm sure I would have instantly complied. Fortunately, the I/C ran into the room before the 'boss man' could ask me a second time.

Boss Man sees the I/C (in charge) and begins barking questions at him. The I/C is visibly cowed, and begins answering Boss Man to the best of his ability. As far as I was aware, everything on the project was running smoothly, but Boss Man seemed exceedingly perturbed, as though things were off the rails. Within seconds, he had the I/C pinned against the wall, and was giving him the worst tongue lashing I'd ever witnessed. From where I sat just a few feet away, it actually looked like the I/C was glued to the wall with his feet off the ground. Honestly, I'd never witnessed the level of psychic violence that Boss Man dished out in that brief moment.

After Boss Man had left the area and everyone's heartbeats had returned to normal, I got up the courage to ask the I/C, "Who was that?" He looks at me, and with a mix of fear, reverence, and awe, says, "That was Mr Alex Sibersky."

 

[Leland]

Good for you. I only wish I'd wised up then. Would have saved me a ton of psychic damage I received from my last church auditing in 2005. If I didn't know better, I'd have thought they were deliberately trying to drive me insane. I wound up blown and severely red-tagged for months.

I've since had some great repair auditing in the Indie field to handle it.

I think you are right....the Cult was trying to deliberately drive you insane....

So that you can "share their thoughts...."

 

[Voodoo]

what's the inner peace you got? Care to enlighten us rebels?

Will this be a success story? Without any logic or proof, or just words of rhetoric?

Friend, I'm not sure there's any answer I could give that would satisfy your request, but I'll try.

Before I did the Clear step I always had some degree of mental chatter going on in my head. After Clear I never had that again. My mind is quiet, unless I intentionally create some 'noise' in there.

Before Clear I was an incessant worrier. After Clear, not so much. By that, I mean that I don't habitually worry over the small stuff in life. Actually, I don't reflexively worry over the big stuff, either. I tend to face problems and crises with more of an analytical, problem solving approach nowadays. Before, I'd be down inside my head chasing my tail.

Before Clear I had a hard time seeing others' points of view. I had a compulsive need to be right in every conversation, and couldn't fathom how anyone could disagree with me. After Clear I became much more empathetic, and could see the validity of others' viewpoints. It's actually a great relief to have regained the ability to be wrong.

Before Clear I was quiet, shy, and often kept to myself. Sometimes, depending on the circumstance, I could break out of my shell, but it took effort, and was uncomfortable. After Clear that changed 180 degrees. I became very chatty and outgoing - almost to a fault, but it wasn't compulsive. I found that I could reach or withdraw in social situations at will, depending on my interest.

Before Clear my personal ethics were a bit loose and squishy. My honesty and integrity were situational and very selective. I would lie, cheat, or steal without thinking - almost instinctively. After Clear that all changed. Whatever was compelling me to be that way, just vanished. I don't recall even inspecting that area. It wasn't something I consciously chose to do. I just quit being such a louse in that regard.

So there you go. That's my experience with Clear. I can't prove to you or anyone else that I honestly achieved those gains. There isn't any scientific study that could verify any of this for outside observers. It's entirely subjective, and can't be sensed or measured by anyone but me, myself, and I.

Being new here, I don't want to ruffle anyone's feathers, nor do I want to upset the group dynamic in any way. If posts like this one are unwanted, I'll quit talking about my positive experiences with Scn tech.

Thanks,
Voodoo

 

[Voodoo]

Help tip @Voodoo.

You don't need to apologise, getting used to a new environment is always tricky at first. You'll soon get the hang of it.

If you want to quote someone's post, instead of writing 'quoting xxx', you could try clicking the 'Reply' link at the bottom right hand corner of the post you want to refer to. That should make life easier (unless your name happens to be FAIRNINGTON of course). HTH.

I just figured out what I was doing that screwed up the quotation window. You have to begin composing your reply before editing the text in the quotation box.

If you reverse the order, you can't get the cursor out of the quotation box.

 

[Voodoo]

Welcome... I have been out since 1976 officially and in my heart never in. This place has helped me and can be a lot of fun. I like the fact.that no one takes themselves very seriously. I am glad you joined the family.

Thank you for the kind welcome. I promise to keep my manners in, and wipe my feet before coming in the house

 

[strativarius]

I just figured out what I was doing that screwed up the quotation window. You have to begin composing your reply before editing the text in the quotation box.

If you reverse the order, [bcolor=#ffff00]you can't get the cursor out of the quotation box[/bcolor].

That's an interesting observation @Voodoo. One can always get the cursor out of the box of death using the method I wrote about above in post #25.

 

[Voodoo]

Welcome!

Thanks a bunch, Enthetan. I've been talking with ex's, Indies, and never-ins since 2012, but felt reticent to join up here because I'm not 100% anti-Scn.

Seems like there are so many different camps out here, its tough to figure out where you belong. I'm not left wing or right wing vis a vis Scientology. I guess I'm some flavor of moderate?

Damn, I hate being pigeon-holed.

I left the church because of the crimes, human rights abuses, tech and policy departures, runaway fundraising, heavy handed ethics and justice, rampant lies, mistreatment of staff and public, insane misallocation of precious resources, and a thousand other outpoints that never made sense until I read Debbie Cook's email.

Her email opened my eyes enough that I ripped off my self-imposed blinders and began reading everything I could find about the cult. In no time, I had enough solid information to finally put the puzzle pieces together. Within 48 hours of first reading Debbie's email, I was done. I wrote up my resignation letter and got it published on two very prominent sites run by Scn critics.

In that letter I made it very clear that I was resigning from a group that I no longer recognized - not the philosophy itself, which still contains value to me.

Unfortunately, the whole subject is often lumped together - as if there's no difference between the organization, the written works, the practice, the culture, the buildings, the parishioners, etc. Obviously, it's not all the same thing. Someone (like me) can despise the organization while still having empathy and even love for the parishioners still trapped inside the bubble. I think it's important to differentiate which Scientology we're talking about.

Anywho, I hope my point of view doesn't rankle any feelings here. I'm just being straight honest about who I am and what I've experienced.

Thanks again for the kind welcome.

 

[strativarius]

<snip>

Being new here, I don't want to ruffle anyone's feathers, nor do I want to upset the group dynamic in any way. If posts like this one are unwanted, I'll quit talking about my positive experiences with Scn tech.

Thanks,
Voodoo

There are no restrictions as to what anyone can say on this message board really @Voodoo apart from the rules about ad hominem attacks on individuals other than LRH & DM.

What baffles me is that we know the clearing course materials have no basis in fact or reality and are simply the figment of a second-rate science-fiction writers' vivid imagination, but then someone like yourself comes along and says they made great 'gains' from it. If you say you did, well then you did, but that doesn't make it any the less perplexing to me.

Another poster here Terril park says he made spectacular 'gains' from running OTII (more of the same space-opera gobbledegook). Wonders will never cease!

 

[Voodoo]

Welcome, VooDoo!

Thank you, Sheila! Glad to be here!

 

[Enthetan]

Seems like there are so many different camps out here, its tough to figure out where you belong. I'm not left wing or right wing vis a vis Scientology. I guess I'm some flavor of moderate?

Damn, I hate being pigeon-holed.

I left the church because of the crimes, human rights abuses, tech and policy departures, runaway fundraising, heavy handed ethics and justice, rampant lies, mistreatment of staff and public, insane misallocation of precious resources, and a thousand other outpoints that never made sense until I read Debbie Cook's email.

Her email opened my eyes enough that I ripped off my self-imposed blinders and began reading everything I could find about the cult. In no time, I had enough solid information to finally put the puzzle pieces together. Within 48 hours of first reading Debbie's email, I was done. I wrote up my resignation letter and got it published on two very prominent sites run by Scn critics.

In that letter I made it very clear that I was resigning from a group that I no longer recognized - not the philosophy itself, which still contains value to me.

Unfortunately, the whole subject is often lumped together - as if there's no difference between the organization, the written works, the practice, the culture, the buildings, the parishioners, etc. Obviously, it's not all the same thing. Someone (like me) can despise the organization while still having empathy and even love for the parishioners still trapped inside the bubble. I think it's important to differentiate which Scientology we're talking about.

Anywho, I hope my point of view doesn't rankle any feelings here. I'm just being straight honest about who I am and what I've experienced.

Thanks again for the kind welcome.

We have all types here. We have Indies who still think the Tech is great, and were just unhappy with the organization's totalitarianism. We have people here who now believe it was all a total scam and the tech is completely worthless.

(we also have all sorts of political persuasions. Those discussions are restricted to the members-only politics forum)

 

[Voodoo]

...click the icon that is at the top right-hand-side of the box. The words 'Use BB Code Editor' will appear when your mouse is over it. Once you are in that mode, just type a character or two and then revert back to 'Rich Text' (bottom left of your text area) if you want to.

Ah.... You know, I accidentally hit that button last night and noted that it returns you to the rich text editor. Didn't realize I could use that to escape the quotation box.

Thanks, mate!

 

[Voodoo]

Welcome, Voodoo.

[edited, redundant]

Paul

Thanks for the welcome, Paul. You can be as redundant as you like. I enjoy reading your posts.