Steven
My name is Chris, and I was a Scientologist
I've been out for nearly 6 months now, but was still getting a ton of Scientology mail until about a month ago.
At first, I kept a Sharpie by my front door and, as soon as I grabbed the mail, I'd write "Rejected: Return to Sender" on every piece of Scn mail and send it back. It seemed like the flow of mail slowed a bit, but it may have been a coincidence. Eventually, the mail carrier circled the "Nonprofit" designation on the mail piece and indicated I couldn't "Return to Sender."
Damn.
My next step was to start pulling prepaid envelopes from Scn mailings, filling them with Scn junk mail and sending them back. But still, the flow of mail didn't stop.
One day, I got a letter from someone at the IAS (if memory serves). On a whim, I flipped their letter over, wrote a letter of my own on the back, and sent it in. There was something supremely cathartic about the experience, and I decided shortly thereafter that I was going to respond to EVERY piece of mail I received from Scientology, even on days I receive 5+. I may have started with only pieces that had return postage included, but I quickly determined to handwrite a letter in response to everything, including postcards, using my own postage.
What a healing experience it's been!
My first letters were light... they may not have forced a declare, but I determined to escalate my response with each mailing. I am always kind by normal human standards, although by Scn standards, I'm sure I'm being monumentally suppressive.
My favorite go-to line in the letters is something like this: "Scientology was like running on a hamster wheel. You feel like you're making forward progress, and everyone else running on the wheel tells you you're making progress, but in reality, you're going nowhere. The good news is that you can step off the wheel at any time without routing out, and there's a big, beautiful world out there to explore!"
At times, I write things like: "You can't purchase real freedom, and no one is going to hold your hand and tell you the exact steps to it, but despite the challenge, you can find peace out here." But my favorite line of all time was: "You might want to declare me and get this over with. One of these days someone who's doubting Scientology is going to get one of these letters!" I was pretty damn annoyed that day!
I probably should have snapped a picture of the letters, as each is unique and handwritten, but I haven't done so.
I'm pretty sure they've declared me by now. The IAS, the local org, and most other orgs have stopped sending me mail, although Bridge appears to be a final holdout. I suppose it takes a bit for all the mailing lists to be updated. My last letter went out a couple days ago in response to a Christmas card signed by Kelyn Hubbard (any relation to LRH?). I should have made a copy. It was mostly a three page parable, likening the freedom Scientology offers to the freedom of being locked in a prison. Sure, you have "Total Freedom" within the constraints of the prison walls, but there's a nearly infinite world out there to explore. The freedom available to us out in the world isn't easy to come by--there's no one to hold our hand and lead us--but if we persist, real spiritual progress is possible, and NO ONE can take it away from us.
I doubt my letters will make a difference, but I'm writing them for myself anyway. You never know. Maybe one will plant a seed that'll sprout when someone has had enough.
At first, I kept a Sharpie by my front door and, as soon as I grabbed the mail, I'd write "Rejected: Return to Sender" on every piece of Scn mail and send it back. It seemed like the flow of mail slowed a bit, but it may have been a coincidence. Eventually, the mail carrier circled the "Nonprofit" designation on the mail piece and indicated I couldn't "Return to Sender."
Damn.
My next step was to start pulling prepaid envelopes from Scn mailings, filling them with Scn junk mail and sending them back. But still, the flow of mail didn't stop.
One day, I got a letter from someone at the IAS (if memory serves). On a whim, I flipped their letter over, wrote a letter of my own on the back, and sent it in. There was something supremely cathartic about the experience, and I decided shortly thereafter that I was going to respond to EVERY piece of mail I received from Scientology, even on days I receive 5+. I may have started with only pieces that had return postage included, but I quickly determined to handwrite a letter in response to everything, including postcards, using my own postage.
What a healing experience it's been!
My first letters were light... they may not have forced a declare, but I determined to escalate my response with each mailing. I am always kind by normal human standards, although by Scn standards, I'm sure I'm being monumentally suppressive.
My favorite go-to line in the letters is something like this: "Scientology was like running on a hamster wheel. You feel like you're making forward progress, and everyone else running on the wheel tells you you're making progress, but in reality, you're going nowhere. The good news is that you can step off the wheel at any time without routing out, and there's a big, beautiful world out there to explore!"
At times, I write things like: "You can't purchase real freedom, and no one is going to hold your hand and tell you the exact steps to it, but despite the challenge, you can find peace out here." But my favorite line of all time was: "You might want to declare me and get this over with. One of these days someone who's doubting Scientology is going to get one of these letters!" I was pretty damn annoyed that day!
I probably should have snapped a picture of the letters, as each is unique and handwritten, but I haven't done so.
I'm pretty sure they've declared me by now. The IAS, the local org, and most other orgs have stopped sending me mail, although Bridge appears to be a final holdout. I suppose it takes a bit for all the mailing lists to be updated. My last letter went out a couple days ago in response to a Christmas card signed by Kelyn Hubbard (any relation to LRH?). I should have made a copy. It was mostly a three page parable, likening the freedom Scientology offers to the freedom of being locked in a prison. Sure, you have "Total Freedom" within the constraints of the prison walls, but there's a nearly infinite world out there to explore. The freedom available to us out in the world isn't easy to come by--there's no one to hold our hand and lead us--but if we persist, real spiritual progress is possible, and NO ONE can take it away from us.
I doubt my letters will make a difference, but I'm writing them for myself anyway. You never know. Maybe one will plant a seed that'll sprout when someone has had enough.
