I have been quite overwhelmed by the messages, calls, emails, pms and comments from so many people in response to the posting about the death of my mother. There is not enough time in the day to respond to each individually, and if I have not responded to you personally, it is not because I didnt appreciate your kind words, support and friendship. I just haven't been able to get to everything today. This episode has reminded me just how many friends I have. And despite how it may sometimes seem, the good in this world far outweighs the bad. There are so many decent, caring, loving people -- … [Read more...]
Disconnection And My Mother
My mother, Barbara, disconnected from me after I spoke out about Miscavige's abuses to the Tampa Bay Times. Prior to that, even though I had escaped from the Sea Org (not as the church now likes to claim "that I was removed from all positions of authority") she maintained a mother/son relationship with me, corresponding back and forth about things that had nothing to do with Scientology. Her dogs, garden, grandchildren and great grandchildren, the weather, anything but Scientology. She told me I was her firstborn and that would always trump anything else, no matter what … [Read more...]
Dance With Leah
Tonight is the first show of the new season of Dancing With The Stars. Of course, the biggest news of the new season is the inclusion of Leah Remini after her headline making break with the church over disconnection, the disappearance of Shelly Miscavige, and the lies that were told to her. The most recent headlines have centered around her comment on the Ellen show that she "lost a lot of friends" as a result of her brave public departure. It's time to show her how many friends she has made. You can vote after the show airs tonight. It broadcasts on ABC (in the US) at 8pm. Watch the show … [Read more...]
Another Disconnection Tragedy
So many responses to yesterday's post about disconnection. Gayle Smith just posted a comment that I feel deserves not to be overlooked. I am making it it's own post. Disconnection What I can say about it? It feels like so little because mere words fail me to convey the significance of its damage. I’ve come close to the edge more than once because of it. I’ve been spun in by it. I’ve come close to giving everything up because of it. What if you disconnected from your own son and never got to say “I love you” again? What if you discover that the reason a loved one left the Church of Sciento … [Read more...]
Disconnection And Segregation
I have in the past analogized Scientology Disconnection to the evils of Segregation overtly practiced in the US until the mid 60's. It bears repeating and seems especially appropriate on this, the 50th anniversary of the "March on Washington" and Dr. Martin Luther King's famous "I have a dream" speech. I believe that if the church was no longer able to control its followers through the threat of disconnection, there would be virtually nobody remaining loyal to David Miscavige and his Empire of Vampires. While Tommy Davis famously, and other church representatives not so famously, have … [Read more...]
Food For Thought
This was sent to me for publication by a personal friend. I have not published anything quite like this on my blog before -- it is a declaration by someone who doesn't give his name (though anyone who knows him knows who he is and a lot of others will be able to figure it out). I think it is good food for thought. And I especially like his views of what a real friend is. I too know Dave and Sindy Fagen. Dave's write up of his story is probably the calmest, most intelligent and devastating indictment of the current state of the "church of scientology" that has yet been published. Read it … [Read more...]
Scientology Spokespuppet Footbullets
Karin Pinocchio Pouw -- the woman behind the curtain that is the name affixed to the public statements of the man behind the woman behind the curtain, David Miscavige -- has stepped in it once again. Responding to reporter Dana Kennedy in a piece published this morning in the Hollywood Reporter, Pouw/Miscavige once again assert that disconnection does not exist, it is merely a "personal choice." Here is a passage from the article: Karin Pouw, a spokesperson for the Church of Scientology, tellsTHR that there is no such policy of disconnection. "While none of this is a comment about … [Read more...]
Latest From The Disconnection Bubble
Here is the latest from the "Facebook Police". Clearly there is an effort to make themselves look "kinder and gentler" and couch the demand to disconnect as a "choice".... But anyone who receivers such a message knows what this means. Disconnect (unfriend) or you will be reported for consorting with the enemy and your name will be on the list for unfriending next. "Dr. Bill," a sockpuppet KoolAid drinker of the first order, makes it known to his friends and associates that he reports to Kathy True, Donatella Kevenaar and Julian Swartz. He once proclaimed: "If you get information on an … [Read more...]
Shelly Miscavige Why She Stays
Tony Ortega continues on a roll of excellent reporting on the Leah Remini story, and again this morning has another very worthwhile piece. Whatever you may think of his personal views of Scientology (which after all, he IS entitled to), you have to admire his courage, his persistence and the network of sources he has built up over many years who feel he is a safe and reliable outlet for their information. He also writes clearly and well and takes the time to explain and include information to make understandable what can often be an impossibly arcane and confusing subject to the … [Read more...]
The Church Responds to Leah Remini Stories With Arrogant Hypocrisy
The sh*tstorm surrounding Leah Remini's departure from the church has brought out the best in Scientology media relations. This one obviously called for the Big Guns.... The entirety of the response to stories now running in major (and minor) media around the world reporting on Miscavige abusing people, the church being engaged in "thought" reform through sec checks/Truth Rundown, breaking up families with disconnection and the disappearance of Miscavige's wife Shelly (among other things) is: "The Church respects the privacy of parishioners and has no comment about any individual Church … [Read more...]