PtolemyGlenn
Patron
It was early 1997, i was 17 going on 18. I had finished high school at the end of the year. I had not receoved the best results A`s and B`s but because i refused to do an assignment on Darwin`s evolution as i was and still am a Creationist my grade average plummeted.
I wasn`t phased as i wast sure what i waned to do in life. I enrolled in a Advertising and Marketing course, found a job and worked out an excerise plan to get fit to enlist in the army.
Ever since my mothers passingmy home life was not the best, it used to be loving and funny. My 8 other siblings had already left home, most were married with their own families. I started to put money aside to move out and share with two good friends, away from my dad and his horrible girlfriend.
A few days after my birthday i planned to head into the city to watch a movie with my gf and some other friends. I was extremly early so i window shopping when i came across a pretty blonde girl handing out a slip of paper with `Free Personality Test. We spoke for about 10 minutes, and she said she belonged to a church on Russell St.
As i was a Christian, i had no hesotation to look at other churches and thought it would be fun to do a personality test.(at this,point the girl did not correct my misconception that it wasnt a Christian church.
As we approached the building i said aloud "Scientology" she smiled amd asked if that was a problem.
I replied Is this a branch of Christian Science, and if it was, i was going.
She said it was not, and that her church was in the communoty to help people and it could,help me too if i was going through any issues.
I believed the pretty girl and went inside.
The building was not ppulent, it was cozy but really run down. There were maybe five people that i could see,amd most waived at me.The girl named Kellie disappeared and was replaced with a women named Mandy. Who sat me down and brought over the personality test.
Some of the questions were silly, and i said to Mandy some of them are loaded questions, she replied they were not, and the test would just define my personality. As i needed to pee, i raced through some questions as she would let me goto the toilet til i was done.(please i didnt havent a phone with google, so its not like i could have cheated.)
As she processed my test, a woman who i latter would know as Helen Basset chatted to me, and dorected to me to the books for sale. She said Dianetics was very helpful and it helped her alot.
Before we cpuld finish i was whisked away and asked if i wanted to watch a movie they had, which would give me some basic information. As Mandy was taking her sweet ass time with my test, i said sure, and this guy a little older than me, watched the film with me.
He was a staffer but his actions was like this was the first time he had seen it, i found it dull, and i was a little nerved to be alone with him in a dark room listening to the video. Which i lied and said it was insightful.
I was greeted by Silver, who seemed to run the group, i believe she was the ED.(i am forgetting alot f terms these days) a bright bubbly women, who asked if i enjoyed the movie.
She smiled and said if i found ot dull it was okay, as she understood. She asked how i heard about the place, and she cracked some jokes to put me at ease. A bit of small talk avout what i was doing and how i felt than she lainched into the personality test. There were a few above the lines and a few below, she brushed over the above lines and how they were good traits. (It kind of felt like reading your horoscppe as she was so spot on.
She explained in detail the below the line traits which shocked me, yes im introverted, but the anti social comments bothered me as i had always be a nice and friendly guy.
But she said that i needed help as i was bottling up alot of resentment and anti social behaviour and if they were not dealt with i would implode and other serious things would happen. And it wouldnt be long before my mr nice guy mask came off if i didnt get serious in changing my life for the better.
She suggested ourses i could do to help me improve and change. And said she couldnt have me wlk out without signing up, as it would weigh on her conscience that she didnt help me.
I explaoned the financoal situation and the fact my atheist father would not help financially as it revolved around religion. So i told her i would think about it, and come back when i had the money.
(Which in translation is, once im out the door your not hearing from me again.)
Obviously lnowing the routine amd hearing it before she kept me talking and suggested if i was serious about improving my life i could join staff and do the courses for free. All i had to do was volunteer my time at the org.
I said i would think about it, and she saw through those words and sais again, icant have you walking out that door lost. I said i was not lost as i was a christian and while i liked the courses i wanted to talk to my pastor.
Which she replied Scientology is compatible with all faiths, and the courses were about building up positive traits, self esteem etc.
She asked me to think about while she made me a cuppa.if was getting on an
d i did not want to miss my movie.i thought of doing a runner as i felt pressued but i stayed.
( at times i tend to cafe too much bout what people think, and i wanted people to like me, its a bad trait as i often get used and treated like a doormat.
As i waited for Silver to return a staff member, walked up and said dont join, you will regreat it, before they scurried off.
I continued with my conversation with Silver, she eased my fears and concerns, and i wanted to fix myself but i felt pressured. Finally after some wearing down i agreed to join staff in exchange for free courses and counselling, i was later to learn was called auditing.
Why did i do it? I was too weak to say no, waive goodbye and leave. I thought this is somethibg new, it may help and it also meant i was away from home for longer periods of the day.
So that night i became a staff me the church of Scientology.i never did see the movie i was af the church to 11pm, with the promise i had to return tomorrow for further chats, paper work, and other admin details.
To be continued, i am using my phone and my hands are aching.
I wasn`t phased as i wast sure what i waned to do in life. I enrolled in a Advertising and Marketing course, found a job and worked out an excerise plan to get fit to enlist in the army.
Ever since my mothers passingmy home life was not the best, it used to be loving and funny. My 8 other siblings had already left home, most were married with their own families. I started to put money aside to move out and share with two good friends, away from my dad and his horrible girlfriend.
A few days after my birthday i planned to head into the city to watch a movie with my gf and some other friends. I was extremly early so i window shopping when i came across a pretty blonde girl handing out a slip of paper with `Free Personality Test. We spoke for about 10 minutes, and she said she belonged to a church on Russell St.
As i was a Christian, i had no hesotation to look at other churches and thought it would be fun to do a personality test.(at this,point the girl did not correct my misconception that it wasnt a Christian church.
As we approached the building i said aloud "Scientology" she smiled amd asked if that was a problem.
I replied Is this a branch of Christian Science, and if it was, i was going.
She said it was not, and that her church was in the communoty to help people and it could,help me too if i was going through any issues.
I believed the pretty girl and went inside.
The building was not ppulent, it was cozy but really run down. There were maybe five people that i could see,amd most waived at me.The girl named Kellie disappeared and was replaced with a women named Mandy. Who sat me down and brought over the personality test.
Some of the questions were silly, and i said to Mandy some of them are loaded questions, she replied they were not, and the test would just define my personality. As i needed to pee, i raced through some questions as she would let me goto the toilet til i was done.(please i didnt havent a phone with google, so its not like i could have cheated.)
As she processed my test, a woman who i latter would know as Helen Basset chatted to me, and dorected to me to the books for sale. She said Dianetics was very helpful and it helped her alot.
Before we cpuld finish i was whisked away and asked if i wanted to watch a movie they had, which would give me some basic information. As Mandy was taking her sweet ass time with my test, i said sure, and this guy a little older than me, watched the film with me.
He was a staffer but his actions was like this was the first time he had seen it, i found it dull, and i was a little nerved to be alone with him in a dark room listening to the video. Which i lied and said it was insightful.
I was greeted by Silver, who seemed to run the group, i believe she was the ED.(i am forgetting alot f terms these days) a bright bubbly women, who asked if i enjoyed the movie.
She smiled and said if i found ot dull it was okay, as she understood. She asked how i heard about the place, and she cracked some jokes to put me at ease. A bit of small talk avout what i was doing and how i felt than she lainched into the personality test. There were a few above the lines and a few below, she brushed over the above lines and how they were good traits. (It kind of felt like reading your horoscppe as she was so spot on.
She explained in detail the below the line traits which shocked me, yes im introverted, but the anti social comments bothered me as i had always be a nice and friendly guy.
But she said that i needed help as i was bottling up alot of resentment and anti social behaviour and if they were not dealt with i would implode and other serious things would happen. And it wouldnt be long before my mr nice guy mask came off if i didnt get serious in changing my life for the better.
She suggested ourses i could do to help me improve and change. And said she couldnt have me wlk out without signing up, as it would weigh on her conscience that she didnt help me.
I explaoned the financoal situation and the fact my atheist father would not help financially as it revolved around religion. So i told her i would think about it, and come back when i had the money.
(Which in translation is, once im out the door your not hearing from me again.)
Obviously lnowing the routine amd hearing it before she kept me talking and suggested if i was serious about improving my life i could join staff and do the courses for free. All i had to do was volunteer my time at the org.
I said i would think about it, and she saw through those words and sais again, icant have you walking out that door lost. I said i was not lost as i was a christian and while i liked the courses i wanted to talk to my pastor.
Which she replied Scientology is compatible with all faiths, and the courses were about building up positive traits, self esteem etc.
She asked me to think about while she made me a cuppa.if was getting on an
d i did not want to miss my movie.i thought of doing a runner as i felt pressued but i stayed.
( at times i tend to cafe too much bout what people think, and i wanted people to like me, its a bad trait as i often get used and treated like a doormat.
As i waited for Silver to return a staff member, walked up and said dont join, you will regreat it, before they scurried off.
I continued with my conversation with Silver, she eased my fears and concerns, and i wanted to fix myself but i felt pressured. Finally after some wearing down i agreed to join staff in exchange for free courses and counselling, i was later to learn was called auditing.
Why did i do it? I was too weak to say no, waive goodbye and leave. I thought this is somethibg new, it may help and it also meant i was away from home for longer periods of the day.
So that night i became a staff me the church of Scientology.i never did see the movie i was af the church to 11pm, with the promise i had to return tomorrow for further chats, paper work, and other admin details.
To be continued, i am using my phone and my hands are aching.