Scientology recovery program

[Emma]

I see that The Clerk did it for me.

It took her long enough.

It's so hard to get good help nowadays....

God, I am so tempted to reset post counts.

 

[Dulloldfart]

God, I am so tempted to reset post counts.

Do you want to take votes on the matter?

Paul

 

[Good twin]

God, I am so tempted to reset post counts.

There could be an unfortunate computer glitch.

 

[donotwashbrain]

WHY Would You use the tech of Liar LHR NOW?

I hear ex's using the "tech" of LRH and then there is the FZ people. Apparently LRH lied alot so why does anyone believe the tech and want to use it? I really want to know.

 

[Lohan2008]

Ty Emma

thanks for posting Emma,

I would also like to say to people exploring your recovery to accept anger, shame, disappointment, feelings of stupidity as being "normal".

ie, it takes time for you to "process" your hurt emotions, the thing is to talk to others that you can trust and that way you can let go of your past and move on; don't waste your time being ANGRY.

Life is too short.

 

[TheSneakster]

not important

 

[Zinjifar]

There are no 'true' Scientologists except Ron, and, He's dead. Good riddance.

Zinj

 

[dchoiceisalwaysrs]

I hear ex's using the "tech" of LRH and then there is the FZ people. Apparently LRH lied alot so why does anyone believe the tech and want to use it? I really want to know.

Donotwashbrain

You might want to look at who was/were the source(s) of the tech of ???
Was the tech LRH's because he "claimed" it was his?

Wash away the PR

 

[Panda Termint]

This is the most often repeated complete noncomprehension of Scientology and Scientologists I have seen in this and any other forum or venue.

No true Scientologist believes one single bit of the very large body of theoretical principles and specific techniques what we collectively call "The Tech" merely because Ron Hubbard wrote it or said it in a lecture.

One is expected to apply each bit of theory or technique in Real Life(tm) to oneself and those around oneself and personally observe for oneself whether or not any given bit works as stated and produces the stated result.

Certainty that any given piece of The Tech works when applied as stated then comes from one's own direct experience and not Hubbard's say-so, so if what Ron Hubbard said or wrote about some Scientology principle or technique is actually wrong or false or incomplete, that will show up when it fails in attempted application.

One of the major reasons the majority of true Scientologists have left the C of $, is that the leadership and it's enforcement arm, the Sea Organization, have sought to enforce blind faith and belief upon all the membership in place of the "let me try that out and see if it works for myself" that results in genuine certainty.

I reckon Hubbard himself is largely to blame for that, as his Keeping Scientology Working, Technical Degrades and similar organizational policies pretty much compel Churchies to attack anyone who says some bit of Scientology "tech" doesn't work for them. The issuance of these policies constituted a direct attack on a Scientologist's Freedom of Thought and right to gain true Certainty, in my opinion and mark the exact point in time when the C of $ became a "cult" and cast aside their own definition of Scientology as an "applied religious philosophy".

As soon as any true Scientologist finds out that the C of $ is actively attempting to destroy their Freedom of Thought, as well as their Freedom of Speech, they leave it. Some of them end up here.

Michael "The Sneakster" Hobson
I am *not* anonymous.

I like this, Michael.

 

[uniquemand]

I hear ex's using the "tech" of LRH and then there is the FZ people. Apparently LRH lied alot so why does anyone believe the tech and want to use it? I really want to know.

Because it "worked" for them, or for someone they knew.

I witnessed total transformation in one individual after one intensive. Lifelong social awkwardness, difficulty in communicating with others dropped away, and she went from an introverted shell to a radiant, vivaciously happy woman who thrilled at her new freedom to be herself.

Of course, the Church used this to alloy her affinity to them, but that's another story.

While you may not believe it, and while Hubbard's claims were hyperbolic (an understatement), it's not hard for me to understand why people might feel that "the tech works", despite Hubbard's lies.

 

[Iknowtoomuch]

Another thread destroyed talking about the "tech".

 

[Alanzo]

Another thread destroyed talking about the "tech".

It is Emma's original post that is most important. Here it is again:

I joined the Sea Org in 1976 and resigned in 1979. I mostly worked in
the Los Angeles Child Care Org. My time in the EPF was largely spent
helping to renovate the newly purchased Cedars of Lebanon hospital
complex in Hollywood.

When I was a SO member, I did not feel underpaid or exploited.

More than 25 years after leaving, I still do not consider myself fully
recovered but have made a lot of progress.

After researching Scientology and cults I developed a recovery program
for myself. Posted here is the current version of it. (It has gone
through a lot of revisions and may well change in the future.)

I'm not sharing it here with the intent that other former church of
Scientology members should imitate it. I feel each person needs to
personally select their own recovery goals and recovery steps.

The publication most beneficial to recovering from church of
Scientology membership that I am aware of is "Captive Hearts, Captive
Minds," by Madeleine Landau Tobias and Janja Lalich (1994). Reading
the descriptions by recovering cult members gave me more confidence
that I can recover too and practical suggestions on how to make it
happen. (Only one of that book's personal recovery descriptions is by a
former CofS member - Hana Whitfield - the other ones were written
by members of other cults.)

Here are the 14 elements of the current program. The steps were not
executed in numerical order (finish one, then do the next) but were
often simultaneously worked on.


1. Compare the condition of your life now with how you were doing
before your involvement with Scientology. Break it down into
categories. Use Hubbard's eight dynamics if that appeals to you or
use other categories such as health, job satisfaction, relationships,
material and financial abundance, etc. Also note whether you seem to
have lost any abilities that you had prior to becoming involved with
Scientology.


2. Describe what you would consider to be a full recovery from your
experiences with the church of Scientology. Here is the recovery goal
I chose:

To equal and surpass my pre-Scientology levels of prosperity and
contentment


3. Do your best to disconnect from the church of Scientology and any
other oppressive groups or individuals that you may still be connected
to.


4. Learn the truth about L. Ron Hubbard and his church. Compare any
PR lies you learned while in Scientology with the facts.


5. Study the characteristics of cults and cult leaders. Compare the
church of Scientology with other cults.


6. Accelerate your recovery by studying descriptions of how other
former cult members were able to heal their lives.


7. Fully release yourself from the compulsion to agree with or obey
Hubbard. Be able to comfortably revise and ignore LRH policy and tech.


8. Effectively use Scientology concepts to enhance your personal
success.


9. Repair any of your personal relationships damaged by your exposure
to Scientology.


10. Write a detailed description of your experiences in Scientology
and share it with other people.


11. Reinstate having a very enjoyable daily routine that includes
being able to successfully meet your financial and economic needs.
(This is an ability I had before becoming involved with Scientology but
not during the 25 years following my 1979 departure from the Sea Org.)


12. Maintain a personal collection of any Scientology concepts that
still appeal to you (without giving financial support to the church of
Scientology). To help reduce the expense of this, xerox material from
libraries and shop around for used books. Continue your education in
Dianetics, Scientology and their offshoots if you are interested in
doing so.


13. Identify how you were susceptible to being recruited and deceived
by the church of Scientology.


14. Do what you consider to be your fair share to help other former
members of Scientology recover.

= = = = = = =


Additional Comments - Lawsuits

A few former members of the church of Scientology have collected cash
settlements from the CofS as compensation for the abuse they suffered.

I decided not to make the collection of a cash settlement from the CofS
one of my recovery goals, even though I believe Hubbard and his church
clearly committed fraud. My decision was based partly on the nature of
the U.S. legal system, which gives unfair advantages to those who are
wealthy over those who are not. Also, I personally do not feel that
justice is one of the main purposes of the US legal system. In my
opinion, other purposes are more dominant; for example, maximizing
income for lawyers.

Fraud

If the activities and background of Hubbard and his church had been
truthfully represented to me, I would not have spent large sums of
money on auditing or provided three years of labor for a salary
averaging about $12 per week.


What I was told or read: Hubbard did not receive the income generated
by his "churches".

Reality: Hubbard controlled Scientology finances. Money was funneled
into offshore accounts controlled by him.


What I was told or read: CofS is an ethical humanitarian group.

Reality: Scientology's Guardian's Office harassed critics and
former members (Paulette Cooper, for example) under Hubbard's direct
orders. Church members ran an illegal spy operation against the IRS
with Hubbard supervising the operation.


What I was told or read: Personal information that a Scientologist
reveals during auditing sessions is confidential.

Reality: Hubbard ordered staff members to examine PC folders to obtain
information that could be used for blackmail.


What I was told or read: Various lies about Hubbard's background as
given in Scientology books that I studied in the 1970's.

Reality: "The evidence portrays a man who has been virtually a
pathological liar when it comes to his history, background, and
achievements." (Judge Paul Breckenridge, in his 1984 decision on
Church of Scientology of California v. Gerald Armstrong)

 

[CornPie]

How to PROACTIVELY AVOID being "recruited and deceived" into CofS in the FIRST PLACE

13. Identify how you were susceptible to being recruited and deceived by the church of Scientology. << I've thought about this for half my life.

I'd like to see the collective experience of ESMB members, on this issue -- How to PROACTIVELY AVOID being "recruited and deceived" into CofS in the FIRST PLACE.

I started to create a thread, but maybe it should be a topic, it should be somebody's life's work. I'm not qualified to provide input, because frankly I don't know the answer to this one myself.

It's already too late for most ESMB members, but where better to gather this information, to AVOID it happening to others?

 

[Intelligence]

I Don't Know Yet,....Yet?

I don't know if I'll ever recover completely? But I am recovering slowly; and that's all that matters to me for now. To me, it's almost like a "grieving" process. It's difficult to explain, but I have hope

 

[Lynn Fountain Campbell]

... it's almost like a "grieving" process...

Yes. That's exactly what it's like.

<3
Lynn

 

[La La Lou Lou]

This is a good thread. I thought I was done with thinking about this subject, but there are still steps to do. Thanks for the steps. I certainly won't use scientology to get me out, though a properly done doubt formula years ago would have saved me a lot of hassle. Strangely enough I think that formula may be the only bit of tech of any value, shame it's always applied to make you stay.

 

[uniquemand]

over Macho Grande?

No, I'm afraid I'll never get over Macho Grande.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjBdFPyxuak

 

[Intelligence]

Yes. That's exactly what it's like.

<3
Lynn

I like your quote: ".....No matter how far down the wrong road you've gone, it's never too late to turn back....."

I finished writing a book after I left Narconon, (still in Edit), and the first page quote: ".....David Love beat more than the recession.....and for the first time ever, I’m going to tell you a little about what can be done. It doesn’t matter how little money you have or how far down you’ve drifted, you can....."

".....And the most important thing about this book is the dream part....this is not a dream, it’s real, it’s tangible and it can be....."
==========================================================

I think the 'grieving" is good! At least I can see and feel what is true and know what was a lie. I now have goals, aspirations, love, and a sense of peace.

 

[Petey C]

Great thread, and great advice, JerryF. I was in about the same time as you, and since then muddled through to the point I am now where it's all so long ago. I think it was Emma who said she'd had enough of the Scientology/non-Scientology/ex-Scn label, and I agree. I now sometimes say I used to be in Scientology, but I don't usually refer to myself or think of myself as being a non-Scientologist any more.

For me, the important things were being able to see and learn again; mending relationships with my friends and family, and taking heart from their ability to forgive; understanding and accepting I was an ignorant, bullheaded, judgmental fool; knowing I could change (and changing); regaining hope and optimism tempered with a bit of cynicism!

Good luck to you, my friend.


Petey

 

[The Great Zorg]

Good stuff

Thanks, Emma for posting this. I’m the guy who wrote it and posted anonymously at alt.religion.scientology. Since writing it I modified it by adding a couple of items. The first point is obvious, but bears including. People can try to do too much on their own.
1. Provide yourself with strong support networks.
2. What did you most enjoy about being a member of the church of Scientology? What can you do to ethically put similar satisfactions into your life?
I posted a summary of my Scn background in the My Story section.
http://forum.exscn.net/showthread.php?p=3999#post3999
Jerry

Not good stuff... great stuff! Great read!