A local Special Correspondent sent this in this morning and I thought it worth reprinting. Pity the media don’t REALLY analyze what is going on.
The article is on MyFox Tampa Bay, headlined: “Church of Scientology expresses opposition to proposed aquarium.”
Aside from the main message that the Church is opposed to plans to move the Clearwater Marine Aquarium downtown, there is this quote, “The objections to the project were coupled with a recent economic impact study conducted by Florida State University. It says the Church directly provides 4,300 jobs in the Clearwater area, with a direct economic impact of $432 million.”
First…can it really be said that 4,300 jobs are provided, when the jobs pay $50/week and the “employees” are unable to sink money back into the economy? The Church insists these employees are actually “volunteers”. These employees don’t pay rent to any landlords, don’t buy homes, have no effect on property values, don’t patronize local businesses; they have none of the economic value to the community that “employees” would normally have.
I would love to know how the FSU study concluded the Church had a direct economic impact of $432 million. Clearly the Church has an impact, but aside from buying buildings, and paying taxes, how is the impact quantified? I guess one would have to allow for the financial impact of the Scientologists who are only here because of Flag.
But my main interest in this story has to do with the real reasons the Church does not want the aquarium in Clearwater. The story says, “The Scientologists questioned the accuracy of a feasibility study presented by the CMA, they said the aquarium is not the best use of unique public property, and they objected to the project’s impacts on traffic and parking.”
But OSA FLB has given briefings to the Tampa Staff and the Clearwater community of Scientologists explaining that the reason to vote NO on the Aquarium is because Flag is not a “Div 6 Org” and it is a security problem to have so many WOGS walking by the Fort Harrison and Super Power building.
The Church has no use for such people. The general American public has no interest in Scientology and almost never walk into orgs these days wanting more information. Usually, new people only go into orgs to cause trouble. So a deluge of new non-Scientology people right next door to Flag provides no upside, and potentially much downside.
The Church wants to make sure that Clearwater continues to be the nice, quiet, “nobody around to bother us” town that it has become. The streets in downtown are vacant all hours of the day and night. You can’t keep a business open in downtown Clearwater. Even the Sea Org members have stopped wandering the streets. You hardly ever see the Sea Org members in Starbucks anymore because they no longer eat meals at the “Clearwater Bank” building on Fort Harrison Ave & Cleveland St. All meals are eaten in the Super Power building. So there is almost ZERO body traffic around downtown CW, even among the “employees”.
I think the Clearwater non-Scientology community needs to know that the Church of Scientology does not give a damn about the well-being of the town of Clearwater, or the businesses in Clearwater. The Church most certainly does not care about “proper use of public property” or “traffic and parking”.
Scientologists don’t NEED parking. The Church has private parking lots that are MORE THAN ADEQUATE for all local Scientologists taking services at Flag. The church does not have any care for traffic patterns. The local Scientology staff DO NOT DRIVE, and most public live only minutes from FLAG.
They only thing the Church of Scientology cares about in Clearwater is keeping pesky non-Scientologists away from its buildings. The more body traffic there is in and around the FLAG base, the easier it would be for Sea Org members to slip away unaccounted for (blow), and the more eyeballs there will be to witness any PR flaps.
Right now, if an SO member or public ran out of a building demanding to be left alone, there would be no one but Scientologists to witness it, and such an act would be explained away as “the person went Type 3″. Scientologist would swallow this explanation no questions asked.
But if a bunch of wogs were around, it would be quite a different story.
The more cars that drive around the base, the harder it will be for FLB security to monitor all the license places with the high-res super-zoom security cameras which are mounted on almost every roof corner and other key birds-eye locations.
Basically, the Clearwater community needs to know that the only reason the Church is opposing this measure, which would bring HUGE business and revenue to downtown Clearwater is because the Church doesn’t want any more of you DAMN non-Scientologists around!
From the Church’s point-of-view, you are just a liability. You’re just wogs. You don’t get Scientology. You’re not with us. You’re out-ethics. You do other practices. We don’t need you. We don’t want you.
You make our staff uncomfortable because they don’t know how to talk to you or relate to you. Also, seeing you out-and-about living your happy lives makes our younger staff wonder what their lives might be like if they too could live their lives the way they want to.
We don’t want you asking for tours of our buildings. We always say no, and it’s awkward, so we’d rather you weren’t around to ask. Also, we realize our staff look goofy in their uniforms and the less people around to make them aware of this the better.
So PLEASE stay away from us. Don’t come in our buildings. Don’t come in our parks. Don’t try to eat in our restaurants, or walk into one of our hotels, or park in one of our lots. Go somewhere else, like St. Pete or Tampa.
Clearwater belongs to US.
This opposition is ludicrous — they had to invent some silly reasons like “parking” because they could not say “COB doesn’t want this to happen, so we have to do anything we can to stop it.” Believe me, nobody makes public statements like this that are going to impact “COB’s PR” with the City of Clearwater without express permission of Dear Leader.
Scientology. The religion for rich people who hide in their homes waiting to scream, “Get off my lawn”!. Like others here, I am glad that the article includes quotes from people who aren’t afraid to call it like they see it – that the Church wants to own downtown Clearwater and doesn’t want anything else but them down there.
Besides ending disconnection and fair game so that families and friends can be re-united, the re-taking of Clearwater is the biggest reason I want an end to the CoS. Downtown shouldn’t be a ghost town just so Kool Aid drinkers can feel comfortable. I hope that this aquarium is approved no matter what phoney, self-serving reasons the church can come up with. When is a tax-funded aquarium not just an aquarium? When it’s Clearwater and the city and citizens want to say, “Hey David Miscavige, this is our city too”.
FSU is a public institution. The study is very likely publicly available and at least partially funded by public funds. You should be able to call and get a copy.
I would definitely be interested in seeing that study since the only study on FSU’s Economic Development website which even mentions Clearwater is from 2002. There is nothing under recent projects that mentions anything to do with the aquarium. I have sent an email to the director to see if it hasn’t been posted on the website, but my guess is that this is another “acceptable truth” from the Church of Scientology to back their agenda. I would like to see what they claim is the study.
http://www.cefa.fsu.edu/content/download/47182/327651/file/florida_tourism03.pdf
The only reference I can see on the interwebs to the report is (shocker) in Freedom Magazine
http://www.freedommag.org/florida/building-a-great-city/editorial/the-tools-for-a-city-prosperity.html
I wonder if the report even exists
Well it wouldn’t be the best 1’st time they bought and paid for a study that benefits CoS. As Mike so nicely explains there’s no possible way they can be a economic benefit espesially these days. In fact this study backs the opposite claim aka the “churchs” position. It also cost them $130k.
http://tonyortega.org/2014/08/12/mark-bunker-clearwater-is-being-pressured-to-knuckle-under-to-scientology-again/
People blowing auditing or the org used to mean that something was really wrong, the person was very upset and something was missed. We considered it our responsibility to fix it and handle the person. Now there are so many staff and public wanting to blow, they have to keep the place on a lockdown and prisonlike. Earth to flag…..if the auditing wasn’t so shitty, you wouldn’t have that problem.
LOL, when they were stalking me trying to “recover” me (more than 30 years after I left) in the conversation where I finally got them to quit calling, I actually asked the top executive guy that I insisted on speaking to partly because I knew who he was “what part of leave me the fuck alone don’t you understand?” His response was that if I had left an auditing session, they would try to figure out what was wrong, and this was the same thing they were trying to do here.
I laughed out loud before I suggested that over 30 years was a long time to wait before they tried to figure out what had been messed up. That was a fun conversation. I hope the guy blew after we finished. I did my best.
The Tampa Bay Times now has an article – Church of Scientology resists Clearwater aquarium’s plans to move downtown
http://www.tampabay.com/news/localgovernment/church-of-scientology-resists-clearwater-aquariums-plans-to-move-downtown/2204311
And the Church of Scientology has responded to Clearwater officials:
“Scientology officials wouldn’t comment to the Times. However, in an email to Clearwater officials Wednesday, Harney, a Scientology spokeswoman, denied that the church is opposed to the aquarium’s relocation.
“We’re not pro- or anti- the aquarium,” Harney wrote. “We just have questions and are pointing out facts.””
“We’re not pro- or anti- the aquarium,” Harney wrote. “We just have questions and are pointing out facts.””
Caught with their hands in the cookie jar, they are now proclaiming they were just “checking to make sure everything was OK as I heard a noise, sounded like a mouse might have been in there.”
This is such a ridiculous comment. Now they called the County Commissioners liars.
So typical of Miscavige “PR” — the superiority and “we can do whatever we want” gets exposed and then the lying backpedaling begins. But it won’t change the fact that they WILL pay a “retail consultant” to tell them what they want to hear, that this would be a REALLY bad move for the city to put the Aquarium there, and like the FSU Economic Impact study, they will hide behind it to explain why this is the best thing to do.
I am glad they are not buying this bullshit any more.
Perhaps the ‘paid top dollar for’ retail consultant could be asked at a public hearing just how they see the economic benefits of 2000 staff that cannot afford toothpaste helping out downtown Clearwater.
At least the aquarium would add life to the downtown area and help offset the ‘living dead’ current inhabitants. Even if the fish are paid slightly less that the cult I expect they eat better!
Coop, I think the fish are probably paid better — at least they get to see their family.
Xenu City – I love it!
“…If they can’t clear Clearwater…”
Yeah, they can’t even clear the damned Sea Org! Clearing the planet, my ass.
Miscavige doesn’t want them to see the blow-fish lest they get the wrong idea.
Rename it Xenu City and watch the exodus begin…
+1! Great Idea!
It is interesting that when we first moved to the base in CW Mayor Czares was opposed to Scientology. The GO used as one of the main attacks on him that he was deliberately keeping downtown CW depleted of activity due to his vested interests!!!
Towards early 2000 staff started to be indoctrinated with: ‘is out ethics to go to local storers, to talk with common citizens on the street and create external relationships’.
Many of us were shocked as, prior to that we used to go to One Stop Shoppe, go buy a coffee, and other common citizen errands. At that time we aligned such a handling with the then known ARC Triangle – it was obvious you cut comm, you become unreal and affinity will be non-existent.
We also used to talk about the new building, the Mecca or whatever the ideal title is; we did know that working and eating there will cut any and all possibility to even walk in the street. And now it is happening to those who dared to stay there. From Hacienda on a bus with security guards while you enter it and while you step out of it, ensuring you go straight into the building. Work, eat there and repeat the drill.
They claim Scn is ‘the ONLY means to regain your eternity, become better and blah, blah, blah. On the other hand the Flag Land Base closes the door to any public – talking about contrary facts.
The paranoia is spreading at all levels and the implosion is just a matter of a short time.
In the 2000’s when I did my EPF in preparation to joining the SO, I was told that we could not go anywhere to visit with wogs or with Scn public on our libs days or ever. We could only hang out with other SO members. They didn’t want us going into stores, and we were not to get into a car if offered a ride by a Scn public or wog. We couldn’t even see our dear friends on our libs day unless those friends were also in the SO at Flag. This didn’t sit right with me. I asked why not? The HCO guy told me because the SO is the group that puts ethics in on the planet and if we get friendly with outsiders, it ruins our “Ethics Presence” with them so then we wouldn’t be effective in handling their ethics if we were too chummy with them. I protested that this was an elitist attitude and was arrogant and condescending to the others. I cited that LRH was famous for rubbing elbows with the man in the street and for helping “mere wogs.” That didn’t go over too well with HCO at the time.
The HCO guy also told me that another reason not to go to public Scns houses for visiting on libs day was so that we didn’t go “PTS to the Middle Class” by wanting a nice house like they had and other MEST items.
I think that isn’t the real why. I think the real why is that if you saw how Non-SO live and that they eat good food, have creature comforts, get enough sleep, etc, that more SO staff would be blowing. The real reason is that they don’t want more to blow than already do in my humble opinion.
Wow that is mind boggling
With his overly lavish lifestyle, including his $3,000 a week meal allowance, his cars, his motorcycles, trips abroad on private jets, 10s of thousands of dollars in clothes, I think it’s safe to say DAVID MISCAVAGE will never become PTS to the middle class.
Ah! Now we get at least one of the real reasons for this micromanaging nonsense. Thanks Silvia (and Cindy) for posting that – the “‘is out ethics to go to local storers, to talk with common citizens on the street and create external relationships”. What absolute nonsense. I wonder whose idea was that? Someone with withholds?
If Flag’s tech was in then they shouldn’t be worrying about anything going on outside their front doors, (well, alright a revolution would be something to worry about), but in fact they should be welcoming more activity in their area. Seems like a ghost town is an appropriate environment for Flag, the once “Mecca of Technical Perfection” – makes the place look busy in comparison. Has no one ever read the World Out of Comm Eval and what it means? Or how about “Maintain Friendly Relations…” PL? This is micromanaging nonsense based on some fool’s weird ideas.
Forget the clams. Scientology looks like a chamaleon, changing colors as needed.
Let’s see, are we a religion for what we need to achieve here or a business?
Greta
Need to add a third category ………….EXTORTION RACKET.
Excellent article.
Interesting debate between $cn and an athiest.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26t4P8ySnFM#t=836
Ahhh the reason for orgs… don’t you just love these guys. They claim to able to Clear the planet but the very place where the best of $cientology resides doesn’t want people in their area. If they can’t clear Clearwater then the water won’t be clear enough to see the fish anyway (got to be pun in there somewhere?).
The last thing Flag needs is happy holidaying people going about their lives in their vicinity. Sort of reminiscent of the missions of the 80s – can’t have those pesky people having a good time with and around $cientology – shut ’em down! and so it is with local business too.
As an aside, noticed Kate Ceberano got a neutral if not good review by A Current Affair in Australia last night. They spoke of her getting the highest award in the Church – the Freedom medal. But when asked about the damage the church has done to peoples lives the arrogant Kate just replied off the cuff – well, don’t the Catholics and other religions have people that complain too. The unbelievable blind insolence of that girl. But she did add she’s not really a spokesperson for the Cof$ – yeah right!
The consistent anti-social behaviour of the Cof$ and its members is bewildering.
“They claim to able to Clear the planet but the very place where the best of $cientology resides doesn’t want people in their area.”
This is because Clearing the Planet™ is a front and the remaining members are extras to lend it some credibility.
Addendum:
Mark Bunker, AKA, Wise Beard Man, was a principal in the Lisa McPherson war. Mark is, as I believe, the last public survivor of the Lisa McPherson war. Mark’s site: http://www.xenutv.com/blog/
Special Correspondents you’re look’n good;
Get’n the facts on Slappy’s ‘hood.
Your good works are make’n us happy
And ain’t it great it’s piss’n–off Slappy.
So, go Correspondents, stay in your mode.
I want to see Slappy’s brain explode!
OK… No one remembers the Lisa McPherson Trust? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lisa_McPherson_Trust
The year was 1999. Scientology became even more psychotic than it ever was because the Lisa McPherson Trust appeared in Scientology’s neighborhood, originally, to demand that the death of Lisa Mcpherson at the hands of Scientology (really, at the tiny hands of David Miscavige)) be investigated as a criminal matter.
There was WAR!
Scientology is deathly afraid of becoming visible to the public at large. …too many questions. Clearwater could become their undoing from too many public in their fiefdom.
I agree Astro, that Scn, especially in Clearwater, is deathly afraid of becoming visible. It’s antipathetic to the bubble itself. The constant hype and false reports create the pretty picture and having real, happy people around will mess all that up. The radical church is swimming in missed withhold phenomena, btw, so the aquarium is perfect.
They do help the economy. A lot of Guy Fawkes nasks are sold.
LOL!
“The local Scientology staff DO NOT DRIVE.” That’s sad. As far as I can see their OT Powerz don’t do much for them beyond allowing them to change traffic lights and miraculously produce parking spaces, and now you tell me they don’t even drive!
Since one of the hallmark OT powers is producing parkingspaces, this complaint makes no sense.
Since all the confidential garbage is available with a quick Google, the security risk could only be that the human slaves might be prompted to escape.
And wouldn’t that be great! I know they made their own beds, but, their masters are all psychotic, cruel & dysfunctional. They’re like an occupying army….
Thanks for that analysis Mike. I wasn’t understanding why they would be opposed to that aquarium but it makes much more sense now.
As for Scn stimulating the economy, Ha! In the older days, any time someone came to Flag for services, they always went to Stein Mart to shop while waiting to see next person on the Routing Form. All the woman shopped there and most of the customer base at Stein Mart was out of town Scn’s. Well with the dropping numbers at Flag, less public there, Stein Mart went out of business. So there was no successful stimulating of the economy from even the public Scns there.
Would be interesting to see a map-overlay for Clearwater showing what buildings or land is owned by the Church of Scientology (I would imagine that it is big in this respect)
A comparison of what shops and businesses did and do exist in the area before and after Scientology took it over would show the actual impact of Scientology – aside from any feasibility study.
Good thing is that the authorities to decide upon this issue have access to the friendly Google search engine and may well read and follow this blog entry (if they haven’t received a helpful hint already).
What’s the “best use of this public property” in Scientology’s view? Another soulless and un-visited “test center”?
The study seems to exist, and even rosier picture is painted in this earlier report:
http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/story/26551437/2014/09/16/city-and-church-find-common-goal-in-downtown-development
Is mark bunker still in Clearwater? He could do something with this..
Maybe someone can clarify this $432 million figure…is this annually? Is this money the church pumps into the local/state economy?
If it is annual, that amounts to $8.3 million per week. I find it difficult that the church would cut loose that kind of cash. Nor, is it real that their GI is even close to that figure.
It has been often said that Scn/Scnists exist in a bubble – hell, they should just build one! A giant dome to enclose their tiny world. It would be like an amusement park, minus the fun.
That was very interesting Mike. It also brought up a point that never having worked for them I have never really understood.
Your comment that if there was more body traffic it would be easier for a Sea Org member to walk away undetected. Why do they have to slip away undetected at all? Can’t they simply walk away anytime they want to? If someone tries to stop them can’t they get the Police involved? I have read many stories of staff members being held against their will and I do not doubt the credibility of the stories but never understood how the church can get away with kidnapping.
Brainwashing and coercion. They do occasionally get caught out, but it is difficult for authorities to gain sufficient evidence for charges to stick, especially with those in the bubble so tight-lipped. And Scientology has very deep pockets and tame lawyers to frustrate the justice system
Here’s one situation that was exposed in Australia, but no-one charged AFAIK. Last I read this woman had still not recovered.
http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2013/s3698162.htm
Even when people escape, they still have the indoctrination in their heads. Even Mark Headley (Blown for Good) did not want to explain his situation to the police who stopped him on his motorcycle when he was escaping. It was a Scientologist at INT questioning the police about their traffic stop of Headley, that clued in the cop to what was happening.
Doug Sprinkle, welcome to,the rabbit hole. Read “Blown for Good” for starters. You don’t leave Sea 9rg or Scientology, you escape. Then they make it a point to track you down and haunt you forevermore. I wish that was a joke.
I think I will read the book.
Occupied Clearwater: A once wonderful little Florida town on the gulf coast. Now occupied by the forces of darkness who in the mid 70s came into this city under false pretense. Gosh, sounds like a screen play to me.
Mike I am wondering: Is that David (koresh)?
I bet the staff wouldn’t mind a Dollar Store within a short
walk from the land base. Actually there is probably enough
space in the SP building to put a small Dollar Store.
Also I think PETA should be made aware of the COS’s dislike
of animals and their desire to stop a facility that is beneficial to
our local marine life for the sake of made up problems in traffic
and parking. Really?….non scientology people can’t figure those
problems out?????
Plus the church is probably pissed off that a Scientology actor was
not in any of the movies made about the dolphin with no tail.
It seems odd really…..if I were never a member of the church
and see that article, I would think…..why in the world would they care about
traffic, parking etc…..hell downtown Clearwater would probably love to have
traffic and parking problems from business generated by such a facility.
Those of us in this and other blogs see it and just seem to know there is something
entirely different in that headline than meets the eye.
Good point except for the part about PETA. PETA is no friend to aquariums:
http://www.peta.org/issues/animals-in-entertainment/zoos-pseudo-sanctuaries/aquariums-marine-parks/
Aquariums restimulate engrams all over the whole track.
Stop it! My gills are hurting already.
I wonder if there will be a large clam exhibit at said aquarium?
Well…Hubbard did say that we were all clams at some point in time on some primordial beach, so, yeah, why wouldn’t people coming to Flag go and visit their relatives. What a happy reunion that would be. Then afterwards, they can go to a nice Italian restaurant and have linguine with clams…
Clams at the aquarium, whales at the FH and clubbed seals at the SP building. Quite a menagerie.
Think of all the sec check money and re-re-auditing that will be required for all who visit the Aquarium. The clams smell money but they don’t want anyone to see the RPF in the parking garage. Little Davy’s head must have been so conflicted when he had to make that call. Money or RPF? Well, the RPF won. Little North Korea for the win!
Indeed. On course at Flag and visiting the Aquarium? You must have crimes!
Restimulation issues aside, Mike highlights some intriguing problems here for the Co$. Sadly, there is an undeniable, chronicled & irrefutable misery that the Co$ has inflicted upon its members with some having paid with their life. This can never be rectified but its abuses can be stopped. The Church is not feared anymore, it has quite literally has become laughing stock of the internet and Wogs in general, a curiosity & even a source of entertainment. Think about what’s at stake here….1000’s of happy people, daily visiting an attraction on Flags’ door step. Taking photos, asking for building tours, interacting with Sea Org, hell maybe even trying to book a room just for the lulz. And worst of all, taking up car parks.
I think it’s called “other fish to fry”…sorry, couldn’t resist.
scientology likes to brag about how much property tax they pay to clearwater as if they are the ones doing a favor rather than receiving one.
the fact is they don’t pay tax on all the property they own there, a lot of it is exempt.
so if the church would sell all their clearwater holdings, tax revenue would increase substantially because the new owners would be paying full rate on ALL properties. it’s scientology that is getting the tax benefit, not clearwater.
the next time they crow about all they taxes they pay at another town meeting, someone should stand up and contrast that with the value of all the property they don’t pay tax on and how much clearwater loses in taxes because they GIVE scientology a discount.
not mention the economy that full and active buildings that attract people would bring vs the post neutron bomb look of current downtown clearwater.
David Miscavige should Declare all the fish in the Aquarium SP’s.
Then the CW city government and anyone who buy a ticket to the
aquarium will be right where D.M. wants them.
Perhaps part of the reason for their objection to a real aquarium in downtown Clearwater is that too many people inside their own bubble might notice the similarity between the fish swimming around in circles and their own dreary dilemma. Just might key some of them in too much.
Good one Les 🙂
Greta
There is of course also “other fish to fry”.
I really, really hope the non scientology citizens of CW and the government of CW will stand up to these bullies.
Anyone have a comm line to The Wise Old One (Mark Bunker?) He lives in CW now and he could let the city council know what Mike so clearly and succinctly laid out above. You hit the nail on the head on this one Mike. Let’s get word to Mark and see if he can get the truth to the locals.
Wise Beard Man…not sure how he’d feel about being called Wise Old One (probably fine as he seems very laid back)….good idea though…Mark B is not shy about speaking to the City Council….. Mike, you could go with him…just make sure to do it on a Thursday before 2.
Oh can you imagine the enturbulation that would create?!
The Cult is afraid of being found out and the City is afraid of being sued. Everyone is operating out of fear. Nice place to hang out if you have a good book and some fresh popcorn!
Was there really a FSU impact study done? Or did they just make that up like the radio station in one of their videos?
The FSU ‘study’ was funded by people who are in cahoots with the clampire. Others have laughed at the numbers and they have been debunked very well. The only real impact CO$ has in Clearwater is the payment of taxes on hotel rooms and restaurant bills. The clams have to pay taxes on non-church related stuff like their hotels and restaurants. The conclusions of the FSU ‘study’ were that the city had to play nice with the CO$ because they were the economic engine that drove downtown. I call bullshit on that one.
I think Mike and the Special Correspondent nailed the story very well. The clams don’t want us wogs walking around ‘their’ downtown. It is just so easy to ‘enturbulate’ any clam. Besides, no $cientologist can go to the Aquarium, they might see a clam and have to be audited to remove the clam engram. Scroll down the main page at xenu dot net and look at the nice animated clam and read up on that engram.
If FSU did in fact conduct such a study and arrived at that conclusion …….. it certainly goes a long way toward destroying their credibility.
Job applicant: “And I have a degree in economics from FSU”
Business Owner: “We are not hiring today thank you”.
http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/story/27147629/2014/10/28/church-of-scientology-expresses-opposition-to-proposed-aquarium
I wish the knowledge from this thread today could be somehow faced.
I remember when I first came to Flag as FSO staff, in Dec 1975, we got paid $17.20 a week, and pay’s now up to 45 a week, but back then we always even bused to the laundromats (vans) and did our meager spending just freely walking to whichever local cheap business we could use.
It’s a communal showcase operation, Scientology there in Clearwater.
They need to give their staffs time and let people leave more easily.
I’ve thought the Sea Org has to have a quick method like an honorable discharge, added to the Sea Org member’s staff career options.
Sea Org lifer rules need reform so blowing isn’t the only sane option.
So many fundamental reforms to do, and because Scientology’s not got the brains to undo their shackles, they will continue being a cult and the city will suffer Scientology’s lack of policy change ability.
Do “cleanout” amnesty like letting all Sea Org members leave without any Freeloader Bills or penalties periodically, like every 3 years or 5 years would be another way to stop this fear of staff blowing, which now is the only tacit silent understood sanest method to get out.
“Do “cleanout” amnesty like letting all Sea Org members leave without any Freeloader Bills or penalties periodically, like every 3 years or 5 years would be another way to stop this fear of staff blowing, which now is the only tacit silent understood sanest method to get out.”
Chuck, WTF are you smoking these days? “Cleanout amnesty”???
How about freedom to leave whenever and wherever with NO CONDITIONS? How about freedom to leave whenever and wherever with $1000 per year served in ones pocket?
You still have the Scientology mindset wherein you acknowledge that SO are essentially slaves. The Thirteenth Amendment to the US Constitution abolished slavery.
I would say move all sea org reserves, real estate, DM’s private fortune, IAS funds and whatever other money they have into a trust. Repay all refund requests from this trust fund and than use the remainder for a pension fund for long term technical sea org staff. Arrest and prosecute all Vultures and abusers and put them in jail.
That sounds like justice to me.
” Chuck, WTF are you smoking these days? “Cleanout amnesty”???”
LOL !!!!! Astro, I had the same thought when I read Chucks post this morning. I definately want some of whatever he’s smokin! Either that or he is getting ready to launch a rerun of Pollyanna.
I get easily triggered into thinking Scientology has some legitimate legs to stand on and that solutions for them are worth considering.
Best to just dissect and expose them..
I think Chuck was just making a suggestion as to how one could gradually and without great internal upheaval or radical change, move toward a more ideal scene internally in the Church. We all know that under the current regime such would not be considered but nevertheless his idea was fine and who knows, the idea might “filter through” sooner or later.
Jokers and degraders are not only evil, they are also psychotic, but if $cientology is a lifeboat, how come the crew can’t sign OFF from their muddy water?
I was thinking that more foot traffic would benefit the church but then realized that would apply more to a mission or class V church. This article does make it clear that more foot traffic would not only not be a benefit but would be a positive liability. Also when I read Chuck Beatty’s suggestion about cleanout amnesties it struck me (like the hot kiss at the end of a wet fist) that there haven’t been any amnesties in a long time. Remember they used to be declared in honor of landmark advances. I guess there hasn’t been any landmark advances lately.
Having been out since early 1987, I can’t be sure of this, but is it possible the economic impact of $432 million stems from the sale of cigarettes and the occasional bottle of booze?
Don’t forget the largest single line item of money pumped into the local economy — hiring PI’s, security personnel, bomb-sniffer dogs and off duty CWPD.
At least the dogs only have to sniff bombs.
mike you explained perfectly clear,the real story. Having been in retail my whole life in many tourist towns across the country,clearwater downtown is in said shape.if the city just talks to merchants they will know clearwater is dead.
What merchants? The last couple of times I drove through, there were mostly empty storefronts and buildings.
Perfectly explained. The emphasis is on, “we don’t want you here”. Basically, if you don’t believe the DM party line and Flag’s OSA can’t control you, you are a security risk.
Plus, the staff will have to be nice to you and actually (gag) TALK to you and, as you say MIke, that is too gruesome for the staff to confront.
I witnessed a similar problem with the staff in Los Angeles. I was kind of a known face around the base and I was walking in the Jon’s supermarket mini mall and saw a couple of SO girls walking toward me. As they were passing me, I waved and said hello in a very friendly manner.
Not only did they not greet me in the same manner, they actually turned their heads and looked away from me.
I thought, wow, these girls may have been told that everyone who wants to talk to them is dangerous to them or something like that. So much for acking people’s comm at the very least.
When I went back to the org, I mentioned it to the MAA but I doubt it was ever addressed. I probably got written up for “being critical” of an SO member.
This was back in the 90’s.
Wow Indie. If they would do this when you were in good standing, I shudder to think what they would do to you if you were declared. Truly they live in a bubble. Or better yet a mirrored bubble so that they can’t even look outward and see others. They only see their own reflection.