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The Tale of Discrepant

DISCLAIMER: This wall of text introduces me and describes why I protest. I'm not an ex. I was never abused. You'll find nothing exciting here.

I first encountered IRL anonymous sometime around February of '09 at Powell BART stress test raids. My first experience with the Scilons was unpleasant. Because of the fact that I was automatically grouped with anonymous for the mere clothes I was wearing. Also, it didn't help that two friends of mine spoke about L. Ron. Hubbard being a science fiction writer and OTIII material to the Scientologists manning the table. Well, I gave them a chance nonetheless to tell me their side of the story. And I questioned anonymous as well. Upon many questions and answers, I became thoroughly interested in the question in my mind of who was right and who was wrong. So I registered myself with the SF Org and became an IAS member. (I chuckled as I signed the agreement stating that I would never affiliate myself with any enemies of the church). I knew there was a very real possibility I would emerge as a protester. Likewise, I could also emerge as a Scientologist. I wanted to do something good. And through my observations, I would decide where my loyalty would be.

I arrived at the Co$ to take my personality test so that we could determine what courses would be appropriate for me. The two friends that were with me at the stress test table waited outside. During my personality test, I was interrogated by several members of the church. I was at a table, sitting with my side to the wall. Sarah sat in front of me. An older woman sat to my side. And Joe stood behind me. This seemed to be an intimidation tactic. I was asked if I was affiliated with anonymous, which I denied. This was the truth at the time, I was not affiliated. 4chan was the only anon I knew. Nothing about Chanology. I was then asked about my experiences in talking to anon at the Powell stress test raids.

"What are their plans?" "Where are they located?" "Who is sending them out to protest against us?"

I simply stated that all I knew was that they disagreed with the Co$ and protested against them. Nothing more. After an hour of chat, they finally allowed me to complete my test. As I checked off my answers, a staff member called one of my friends
standing outside through the telephone. The staff member mentioned to friend that friend had demonstrated interest in the church in the past (2 years prior) and wanted to know what friend thought of the experience. Friend immediately ended the call.

According to the results, I was doing pretty good. But my communication skills were the lowest and it was suggested that I take a communications course. Well, I was uneasy about paying for the class. I explained that I didn't have much money but that I would come back on my next paycheck to make my payment and sign up.

The woman I worked with told me,

"You know, people approach me and tell me that if they pay for our services..they'll have no money for food and they'll starve. But you know what? They pay me anyways because our technology is THAT good."

LRH tech isn't gonna feed a starving family. This comment immediately had me turned off. Well I declined to pay immediately (which took a tremendous amount of defiance on my part). I was also asked to open my wallet and search for any cash I might not realize I possessed. I assured her that I had nothing to spare. So I was told that I have to make an appointment to commit to. A dead set time and day to make my payment and sign up. I agreed to this showed up for my appointment where I paid $38 for the comm course.

I signed up for the IAS which was MANDATORY to take a course. I accepted..but requested that mail NOT be sent to my address. I was assured that this would be of no issue. I get spammed with IAS junk mail within the week. Though I was told that the course could be taken on my own time, I received far too much pressure to attend on a regular and time consuming basis. I explained to Carl (a supervisor for the churches services) that I have become too busy with personal life to take the class and to accept the $38 I paid as a donation.

Months pass by and I am regularly contacted by the church via email, RL mail, and phone about upcoming events, how my progress is going, etc, etc. I would occasionally stop by the Org and chat. There was growing concern that I had not signed up for any new courses or finished the comm course I was originally supposed to take. In one experience, I was questioned about the two friends that waited outside for me when I took my personality test. I was asked if they were critical of the church and I verified that they were. It was then explained to me that I should consider distancing myself from them. Negativity attracts more negativity. My experience would not be wholesome and enriching with their influence. I did not comply with this advice.

On another occasion, I was asked to participate in an event within the Org. I explained that I had plans to spend the weekend with some friends of mine. I was then instructed to reconsider who my real friends were. It was explained to me that if my friends couldn't understand that I needed to take the day off from them for a greater cause, then they weren't such good friends after all. I did not comply with this advice.

I grew annoyed with constant phone calls and began ignoring the SF org. The scilons seemed to suspect I was ignoring their calls. So they had members contact me through their personal cell numbers within minutes after the ignored call. Now that's just inappropriate. They have nothing important to contact me about. And if I'm ignoring them, that's my right. Don't try and throw your minions at me with their personal cell numbers to invite me to $200 Dianetics seminars! In fact, after I declined to attend the $200 seminar I was contacted again and told that there must have been a mistake because the seminar would be free. This feels like desperation to get me back in the org. Well the calls become more and more frequent. I get to the point where I don't accept unknown numbers unless they leave a voicemail for me to screen.

So this was all starting to get a little too much for my liking. I've already observed many characteristics of the organization that I did not like at this point. I was ready to enter the church and cancel my membership. Not to mention, I was curious as to how they would react to that. Upon entering the Org I explained my intentions. A man at the reception desk told me he couldn't help me and that I had to talk to Carl. Carl wasn't around, so I had to talk to Gabe, a new supervisor. Gabe said Carl would take care of me in the next 5 min. I spent an hour talking to Gabe with no sign of Carl after that. Then Gabe tells me that I have to go to the reception to have my membership canceled. He wasted an hour of my time when he couldn't even cancel me in the first place. So I go back down to reception where a fellow began to assist me. He mentions the computer is down and says he'll have to login to another computer. While he's going about the login process of the other computer he's also attempting to dissuade me from canceling. Half an hour later after much babble, he finally lets me go. After having talked to Gabe and the receptionist for an hour and a half, they finally went about the 5 min. process of making a note in the system not to call me or mail me anymore. However, I was not removed from the mailing list. Nor did the calls stop.

So I didn't stay in the org long enough to really see anything more than my initial impressions. The initial impressions were not to my liking though. I performed further research on the subject of Scientology and read many stories of former Scientologists that were now speaking out. ESMB was one of my primary sources for this amongst other sites. I began to visit WWP rather frequently as well. This was when I caught wind of the May 16th, 2009 CCHR Protest in San Francisco. I decided that I would join Anonymous for my first protest on this date. And I did so with confidence and no regret.

Still, the mail and the phone calls had not ceased. Despite my declaration that I am not interested in participating with the Org or interested in being posted on events. I was frustrated with this. I then decided to announce my alignment with Anonymous in the best way an anon could.

I entered the Org and asked to use the restroom. I was invited in and I made my way to the restroom. An event was taking place. A large group of Scientologists were being told "Everyone! You did it!". The group replies with enthusiasm. "Now pat each other on the back!" Everyone starts to pat each other. "Now stomp your feet like you mean it!" Everyone begins to stomp their feet against the ground. I then enter the restroom. Inside, I place a Guy Fawkes mask on my face. I step outside the restroom to be greeted with a loud and simultaneous gasp from the group. A woman immediately greets me and tells me I need to leave. She places her hand on my back and gently leads me out of the Org. Outside, I remove my mask and looked at her. With a smile I say, "I'm sorry but that was just too good to resist." She instructs me to never enter the Org again and follows me a couple blocks away as I leave.

A week later, I attended the October global protest with SF anons. A police officer arrived on the scene and asked me to enter the Org with him. I comply. The officer explains that he is responding to a report that I somehow sneaked into the Org. Donned a Guy Fawkes mask. And began to harass church members and disrupt services by screaming aloud profanities and obscenities. The officer asked for my side of the story and I gave it to him. He then explained that I was completely within my rights and did nothing wrong. He asked for confirmation of my story from one of the Scientologists. The man said he cannot confirm it because he did not see it himself. The officer asked for the appearance of someone who did witness it. The man explains that she is not in right now. The officer notes the surveillance cameras in and out of the building and inquires if video evidence could be provided. The man says the cameras are down and thus are unable to produce evidence from surveillance. After some Q&A with the staff members (in the presence of the officer) were complete, I left the building and continued my protest outside.

tl;dr
I am not a former Scientologist. I joined the CoS to make my own decision on the truth. I didn't witness any form of physical or verbal abuse. I also didn't stay enrolled for long. Between my experience in the Org and the many emotionally profound stories on the internet and news coverage, I decided protesting was the right thing to do.

This is what made me who I am today. This is why I protest. My name is Sean Estrella. You may call me Discrepant.
 

AnonyMary

Formerly Fooled - Finally Free
:thumbsup: Discrepant

So you protest with the other anons and critics at SF Org now?


Mary
 
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FoTi

Crusader
Thanks for your story Discrepant and welcome to ESMB. Glad to have you here.

Your intro to Scientology sounds par for the course, alright. That was just the beginning....imagine what it would have been like if you had continued. :ohmy:

Glad you're with Anonymous now. :thumbsup:
 
Hi Discrepant,

that's a nice write up of how the COS takes people off the street and tries to take control of them as soon as poss.
 
:thumbsup: Discrepant

So you protest with the other anons and critics at SF Org now?


Mary

Yes, I've been working on a revitalization project to get the community surrounding SF active again. Our "cell" died out due to lack of interest some months ago but now there are fresh faces along with a few older ones and we are all getting back on track. :)
 

Lurker5

Gold Meritorious Patron
Yes, the mailings and phone calls have ended since I aligned myself with Anonymous.

Wow, maybe I should try that, to end the endless mail. I stopped answering my phone long ago, and my answering machine burned out. Yea. It just rings and rings now. I love wasting their time, but hate the constant 'mail' harrassment.

And THANK YOU Discrepant. THANK YOU ANON
:blowkiss::guyfawkes::protest:
 

Ackerland

Patron with Honors
What you did was a game with the fire. It could have been alot worse, but they fucked up giving you that "big initial win" that would have gotten you hooked. Glad you came out o.k. :)
 

dchoiceisalwaysrs

Gold Meritorious Patron
What they kicked you out for believing in another religion? oh wait, anonymous just believes in freedom of speech forget about the fraudulent attempts at religion.

Did the IAS send you your membership card?

Interesting how the slander became a footbullet with the police officer.

Does the Co$ refund course fees to anonymous?

the lulz, your adventure gives real colourful meaning to "we are in your bases"

Oh and welcome Discrepant.:thumbsup:
 

looker

Patron Meritorious
Welcome and thanks for the great story Descrepant:)

From your story, Its really gotten bad. High pressure for new "Raw Meat". No wonder recruits of the "thinking people" is Down.

When I got in, in 1969, in Kingsley Wimbush's new Mission they only had 4-5 staff and low pressure but lots of love bombing. The com course was $10 and 3 nights a week at the start.

I think all the staff had normal day jobs so the night course schedule would sometimes change days but there was all day course on Saturdays.

There were maybe 6 students on Saturday all full of hope and wanting to change the world. Lots of fun. and a sense of high, hippie like dedication. But, if it wasn't fun it wasn't Scientology.

I used to float in and out for years. On course for a while then off doing crazy stuff with my wog friends for months. Then I'd come back and visit maybe take a small course or do life repair then float away again to hang with my WOG friend's band . No heavy Ethics or constant calling. You had to want to be there. (but, in all honesty around 1973 the pressure started)

Boy! now, it sure has flip flopped! Now, if its not a suppressive 1984 mind f**king Gulag, its not Scientology. Sheesh:omg:

Thanks again for your story. Glad you didn't get swallowed by the whale.:happydance:

Looker
 

Out-Ethics

Patron Meritorious
Welcome Discrepant. You made the right choice in not becoming a Scientologist. You would have ended up either giving them all your hard earn money or joined staff. The mass mailings, the interview, the hard selling and constant phone calls is the exactly how the Co$ operates whether you are new or been around.

Thanks for sharing your story!:)
 
Thank You

Thanks for the warm welcoming. I almost forgot what it was like to post without trolls trying to get to me. lol. Also, I've heard a few references to the CoS in '84. What exactly is the significance of this?
 

looker

Patron Meritorious
1984

I think what most folks refer to is the Book by George Orwell 1984. It was released as a movie somewhere in the late 1970s its almost 2 hrs long But I would highly recommend taking the time to watch it. It was a cult classic.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5464625623984168940#

It has to do with the nation being brainwashed and the intelligent people with high IQ being unpopular. Everyone was expected to rat on their friends for thoughts and opinions that are against the wishes of Big Brother. Big Brother is the government in the future. Big Brother has cameras and spies all over. People are to respect worship and obey Big Brother. Big Brother is benevolent and takes care of us. Cults Like Scientology and the Moonies, Jim Jones's Peoples Temple, have similarities to the movie.

The other reference to 1984 and Scientology may be the emergence of David Miscavage into the favored circle of Scientology management as Ron Hubbard was backing away from control of the church. Ron Hubbard's backing away from the control of the church was to distance himself from association of the raids by his wife Mary Sue on the IRS buildings. in I think 1979.

Ron abandon his wife and let her take the full responsibility for the raid and let her rot in jail for 8 years. Please Google Operation Snow White for more details.

hope this helps

Looker
 
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