Looking for scientologists to interview

1) With the internet, scn has no secrets or mystery anymore. You can now easily find out what's on all the confidential upper levels of scn. This wasn't true 40 years ago when I was in scn. I'd never even heard of Xenu until I'd been out of scn for several years (but after seven years in, it didn't surprise me at all).
http://www.freezoneearth.org/Prometheus04/index.htm

I'd also add that scn's prices were less absurd then than they are now. And L. Ron Hubbard, though he was a con man and a liar, was at least interesting. He was intelligent (though not the great genius he made himself out to be), imaginative, and had a sense of humor. David Miscavige is nothing by comparison.

2) There was no sudden breaking point. I'd been on staff almost the whole time I was in, and I felt I couldn't keep working long hours for peanuts and little result. Once I got off staff, I began to see the scngsts more objectively and realized that they weren't the enlightened beings they made themselves out to be, that scn wasn't expanding their minds but actually contracting them and making them less intelligent, not more.

Soon after that I moved to another state and no longer had any contact with active scngsts. At that point I decided I wasn't one myself anymore. I considered paying off my freeloader debt anyway, as I thought it was the "ethical" thing to do, but eventually decided they'd gotten more than enough free labor out of me to cover it, and I didn't owe them anything.

3) I'd just moved to another state and didn't know anybody. The scngsts seemed like nice people and the intro lectures I heard and DMSMH (Dianetics, The Modern Science of Mental Health) seemed interesting. In the beginning they tell you you don't have to believe anything you don't want to, which was appealing. (Actually, this is a TRAP, as it allows you to skip over things you disagree with instead of thinking about them critically.)

I wasn't easily sold. I got two anti-scn books out of the library and actually discussed them with the scngsts (George Malko's Scn, The Now Religion and Paulette Cooper's The Scandal of Scn). I then thought the claims in Cooper's book were so extreme they must be exaggerated if not downright falsified. Malko's book was in the end also negative about scn, but milder. The scngsts discussed these with me calmly. They didn't say "It's all lies" or claim the authors were SP's. I was impressed by their apparent reasonableness.

Eventually I did the Comm Course. The drills on the course (TR's 0-4) actually did improve my ability to communicate, with a resulting great increase in self-confidence. This really was life-changing. At that point I considered myself a scientologist. About six months later I joined staff.

I consider the TR's from the Comm Course the most useful things in scn. I did them almost every day for seven years and they eventually became second nature. I still use them, though I'm not usually conscious of it.

 

1) Key reasons for decline in membership: As others have said the Internet has played a very key role. Now access to even older anti-Scientology warriors like Bent Corydon, Jon Atack, Arnie Lerma, Gerry Armstrong, Jesse Prince, etc... is readily available with a simple click of the mouse. In the past you'd have to hear of these people word of mouth and find their books in the store or library. And, ten years ago there was the Anonymous phenomenon. Wow! Ten years already. Anonymous played a huge role in raising awareness of the negative aspects of Scientology. And it goes without saying that these guys and gals were all about the Internet. They got riled up against Scientology primarily due to rage against Scientology's attempts to shut down any information about them on the Internet that they did not like.

2) My reason for leaving: They had their mind on my money and my money on their mind! (Snoop Dogg shout out) I just couldn't accept the fact that every time I turned around I was pressured to shell out incredible sums of money for courses, auditing, the IAS, CCHR, Building fund, future trips to FLAG, the Freewinds, AOLA, etc... It was never ending. But that was the build up. Finally I had enough while doing the TR's and Objectives course which I found to be tedious and excessively boring. One day while on course we broke for lunch. I never went back. The Org called me and asked me where I was. I basically said, "Well, I'm not there and I ain't a comin' back". Then I laughed.

3) What initially attracted me: Well, I'm going to have to save this for a later post.

 

Yes, Anonymous showed how to fight the cult (with lulz). It also showed how many people have been harmed by scientology and how many people are against it.

Ever since, journalists knew there was an audience and exes found the strength to tell their stories. (I'm not saying that before Anonymous there was none of that.)

http://whyweprotest.wikia.com/wiki/Chronology_of_publications_on_Scientology

 

1) Fraud. Deceit. Underhandedness. Unethical conduct. Evil. Insanity. Worship of $$$.

2) ARC-X

3) Scientologists' enthusiasm.

 

http://scientology.wikia.com/wiki/ARC_break

 

So, George baby . . . what are you doing to help the young lady, or anyone else?

 

I can do your interview ...but HERE only... I am UTR hiding so I don't lose my family.

What people believe to be the key reasons for the decline in membership?

Because Scientology does not work. Because Scientology and Scientologists LIE. Because it is an authoritarian cult that destroys your life.

- Peoples personal reasons for leaving- what was the breaking point? I was raised in Scientology - did not do drugs or drink....I was clean as can be. I was separated from my spouse for many years and I went out 2-D. I lost the love of my life. I witnessed a lot of criminal activity in the Organzation - I was ethics officer for many years.


- What initially attracted you to Scientology ? I knew nothing else. My parents are ex Sea Org and the manipulation, fraud and deceit tech trapped us all in this cult called Scientology for many years. It has ruined so many people.

They are still in and I am out but pretending to be in so I don't lose them.

I hate Scientology but no one "in" knows it. I can beat the meter.

 

I was thinking again last night about what really attracted me to Scientology.

I had a friend (ex-boss and ex-boyfriend) who had stopped by to visit me one day and told me he was getting auditing in Scientology and wanted me to come do it and said he'd pay for it. I was working and going to school and I wasn't interested and didn't pay any attention to what he said....he kept raving about how great it was.

Shortly after that he invited me to lunch. This was a man who had chronic asthma and was always short of breath and using his inhaler. Over lunch he kept talking about how fantastic auditing was and I noticed that he wasn't wheezing or using his inhaler and didn't seem to have any signs of asthma. He said it was from the auditing. That kind of impressed me.

Then he invited me to a Scientology event at the Paladium in Hollywood. It was an all day event.....went from morning to very late at night. I met him for breakfast and we then went to the event. When I sat down in the event, there was an Advance Magazine in a seat nearby and I picked it up and started reading the OT Success Stories in the Magazine. I really liked that. I also noticed while I was there that the children were treated different.....more like adults, more freedom and less domination from the parents.....more like I would liked to have been treated as a child.....I liked that too. Another thing that I noticed was......normally I couldn't stand crowds for very long, but in this group....I was there thru the whole event and never felt uncomfortable being there...never got tired....just felt great the whole time I was there.....that grabbed my attention.....these people were different and I liked it. My then boyfriend also showed up at this event (he had been hiding from me that he was involved in Scientology)...Hmmmm. The following Saturday I asked my boyfriend to take me where you get Scientology. He took me to Celebrity Center and I walked in and said...."Where do I start"?

I saw a number of things that I liked very much and nothing negative about it at that time, so it was easy to get sucked in.

 

Does refraining from mucking up peoples minds, (and charging them for it) with an enhanced form of scientology count?

 

Thanks for all your replies! I was also wondering how long you were part of Scientology and what made you stay for so long/ why you didn't leave sooner?

 

1) In for about 7 years.

2) You want to reach "Clear" and "OT," which are described in rapturous terms by L. Ron Hubbard, and by those who have attained those states. You're always having "wins," which everyone is always sharing. People who complete any training or auditing write "success stories" which are posted for all to see, and these people are applauded (literally). Your wins are always being "validated." The idea that we are winning, winning, winning, moving up the "Bridge," taking over the planet, is constantly reinforced.

If you're on staff or in Sea Org, you sign a contract. If you leave without completing it, you will owe them for any training or auditing you received while under contract. This sum must be paid back before you can continue "up the Bridge."

The other scngsts are your friends. The longer you're in scn, the fewer non-scn friends you have, because non-scngsts don't share the same "reality" with you, and may even be antagonistic to scn. If they are antagonistic, you may be REQUIRED to cut off your relationship with them, as this is an obstacle to your progress up the Bridge. For someone who's been in scn for many years, other scngsts may be the only people they know. And if you left you'd a) be letting your friends down, and b) have to start all over again in a world which now seems unfamiliar and possibly hostile.

 

In the Internet age it's possible to research the $cientology cult. When you do it's not a pretty picture, their crimes are there online to see. If you read enough you see the patterns of abuse and criminality of $cientology. The $cn. cult likes to believe the public (wogs) are super-dumb and exist only to fund the cult and provide warm bodies to do the cult's bidding. People now are better informed about the true toxic criminal nature of $cientology.

My reason was I realized they robbed me blind. When I wanted my money back the Asst. Chaplain (Chaplain, lol) of A.S.H.O. tried to get me to "End Cycle". That is $cientology cult speak for kill yourself. Deadmen tell no tales... and don't ask for refunds.

I liked the idea of systematized knowledge that could be used in life. Hubbard did a good job of cobbling together a lot of past data into a nice package but the "higher" you go in the cult the less useful it is (many would argue it's usefulness at all) and actually becomes unhealthy and dangerous.

The insane nature of $cientology can be difficult to understand if you've never been involved with the cult; being as outrageous as it is. Why people fall for it, why people stay in, etc. Many reasons. This website if you dig in and read has a PhD. in educational value.

 

I'll answer your questions in the order you asked.

1. I believe the decline in membership is because of a few reasons. One being early members who spoke out saying one way or another no "clears", no "OT's.

2. That is difficult to explain as there is no common denominator, but eventually one comes to understand that there are no "clears" or OT's.

3. Going "clear" and then "OT".

I don't know if you know, but the Church of Scientology still promotes going "clear" and then "OT". Mike Rinder blog keeps an update on the current COS promo for going "clear" and then "OT".

Now, other religions promote a belief in a god. Scientology does not, it promotes going "clear" and then "OT". There is a difference.

Now, go and ask actual still in members the same questions, but I would ask them in the reverse order. I would be interested in the answers from still in members.

 

Wait, what? Scientology membership is declining?!

OMG WTF BBQ?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!???!??!!??!!!!!!!1111!!!eleven111!!!

https://medium.com/how-many-scientologists-are-there-really

 

Briefly — there are incorrect; flawed; or Spectacular Claims from any of a range of ideas; viewpoints; issues; and consequences so who says active is or has been declining? Not that I doubt it it is that we have various riff-rafe wafting in the halls with MJ Smoke still in the clothes intermixed with professionals or semi-professionals who wised up or others who have left for reasons of familial-bonding ♦ This — their worst flaw — is precedented in an earlier era when Gung Ho was the atmosphere & Hitchhiking in Kansas could get you time in Penitentiary — which is still can I am sure but we never knew if LRH took his lead from internally self-directed motif or if it was ( the author that wrote about childhood male-male rape )

I had no Breaking Point like many might assume as it was a careful; conscious; contemplated; adjunct to a longer participation = in contrast to your solely be on secrecy or oppression thesis I contend it IS exactly that which is — in part — only one of the reasons and there are a catalog of them

They are better discussed here rather than doing 1:1 Interviews then carefully selecting individuals for further interview

My personal favorite by far is Chuck Beatty ◘ There are no substantial basis for blanket assertion that the population { public in the lingo } are anywhere near Downsat as such things as this current plethora of critics actually drives their best marketing public into the door to find out what it is all about ••• you may PM me as soon as Moderator gives me regular permissions and I will respond with my views; notions; precepts; and true legal Identity on the condition that any published materials use my screen-name as Nicholas is my actual middle name on legal documents • I have a legal-services & PO Box so any documents you want that a normal person can read and understand will be authorized promptly and mailed back

OSA is an intriguing study ~ actually would make a good film