My oh my — trying to smear lipstick on the IAS pig.
Clearly, the number of new members is plummeting. So, as with all things scientology, the answer is money. In this case, cut the cost of the membership to try to get more.
But if the cost of admission of $500 is too high — these people are NOT going to be able to be scientologists. You cannot buy anything of significance in scientology for $500. So, they just want NUMBERS and they clearly believe that if they charge less they are going to get more membership sign ups and annual renewals.
But they are ignoring the most obvious truth: there are fewer and fewer new people coming into scientology. Anyone who has a TV or access to the internet these days is not being fooled by the “OCA” or “Free Stress Test” or any of the other recruitment methods scientology uses. And those who have more recently signed up for an annual membership are NOT renewing their memberships, so the numbers are sinking. It’s interesting they have not reduced the price of a lifetime membership. Those are bought by more dedicated scientologists who buy into the worldview. They are not going to be effected by price.
Of course, they try to present this as some sort of celebratory gesture. Haha…
I’m waiting for DM to run off to a ship in the middle of the ocean. Someone else did that didn’t they ?
It’s just a matter time when DM takes the $ and runs. The heat is on. I wonder if SM IS STILL ALIVE!
Great work. Shut them down!!!
Keep up the great work. Drive them into bankruptcy!
It’s a clearance sale for the “church” of scientology! What a scam. They are getting more desperate by the day, aren’t they? It’s rather funny.
Plus their lifetime memberships didn’t change though it’s still 5,000.. they make me sick, when are they going to close this damn place down really!!! How much more damn evidence do they need already!!!
Mike- how did you earn money in the Sea Org? Were you and others paid a salary?
For my wife and I Scientology was a double scam.
My wife paid $3,000 in 1988 for lifetime IAS membership.
The guy who took the donation was from England visiting Flag.
He blew Scientology with the money he collected from us and others.
How do I know? We called the IAS and tracked him by name. They said
he was no longer in the Church and they had no record of my wife’s
$3,000. They also said she was NOT a member of the IAS at all.
Put those lying folks from the head office on e-meters and ask them to tell the truth about whether or not DM has abused people…whether or not there is a ‘hole’…whether or not they insist that families be torn apart… Offer to use their own ‘tech’ against them…if it is good enough for all of their congregants, then why not to prove their points rather than just lie, lie, lie? They should have no problem at all using their ‘tech’ since it is perfect….right? People like Tommy Davis…he never lied right? Then lets put him on the old e-meter and prove it…should be no problem, right Tommy? Either the e-meter works as a polygraph or it doesn’t. We could start by asking DM to grab the cans and then ask where all the high level folks went to? One at a time… I mean the buck stops with him, right? He is the COB, right? Then he should have no problem explaining things and proving to the world that he is above board and beyond reproach…the ‘tech’ will clear him…no problem…right??? Like that sorry coward would ever agree to anything like that…easier to sit holed up in an office screaming that everyone is a liar except him. What a waste of human flesh.
The numbers will continue to decline faster than ever before because of the tireless efforts of so many who are so brave. Thanks for the heroic efforts by all! I am never in and just furious at what so many souls have been put through…lives wasted by a greedy cult while the government sits idly by doing nothing.
There is some upgrade work being done on the blog. It’s possible there may be short interruptions to the service. Don’t worry, all is good.
I am worried and it is not all good, I am reaching out for HELP
Well, you have to give more information than this. ALl anyone can do in response is say: Some details please?
I don’t want to belong to a religion where I have to pay ? a membership is ridiculous .
I would imagine a fair few scientologists would happily pay (even higher) membership fees if actual services were of minimal to no cost. No doubt some would even tithe. If orgs weren’t constantly chasing for money and ripping off the public just to keep the lights on, tech estimates might be more accurate, pcs wouldn’t worry about wasting their hours and running into debt, and there would be far greater trust in orgs and scientology as a whole.
But you get a discount. I forget how much. Probably 10%. That could save you tens of thousands of dollars man.
O/T…not sure if you’all read Graham’s account of the latest IAS ideal Morg opening but he includes a picture of DM and the dignitaries who were on the podium with him..maybe speakers or whatever….Anywhooo….DM is not wearing a wedding ring. Hmmmmm…oopsers!!
https://tonyortega.org/2017/10/23/despite-scientologys-efforts-a-bunker-reader-attended-saturdays-grand-opening/#more-43266
Teen,
I also noted that there were FAR fewer than the 666 attendees as reported by the cherch. s/
Dave,
Implosion Update:
Take heart in that other has-been feeble minded sects are losing their support base. For example, Maxine Waters is being challenged in SoCal. Her equally delusional base it bolting for the exits. Times are changing; pompadour plugs and face fillers will only forestall the inevitable for a short period of time.
Second time you’ve injected politics (specifically Trumpian Republican politics) onto a thread in less than a week. Please stop.
Mike, you’ve got an Edit feature now! Very cool – thank you!
Thanks to Nathan. And SSL (encrypted). ANd various other comfort measures.
Their desperation runs deep. An email is being sent out to South African Scios informing them of adjusted fees too – and they’re lower than the rates were in 2005. This is an excerpt of that email:
“The new membership fees are now set in local currency. In South Africa, Annual Membership is now ZAR 1,000 and Lifetime Membership ZAR 20,000”
The $ equivalent would be $72.98 for annual membership and $1459.64 for a lifetime membership.
It’s time for someone to organize a boycott against anything Tom Cruise is associated with. He’s a big, big part of the whole Scientology problem. A portion of any money you spend to see any movie he’s involved in, for example, ends up being donated to “the church”. Personally, my family has already made the decision to never watch anything again, ever, that he “stars” in. And BTW … Tom Cruise is no star — he’s an unhinged LUNATIC, and one who has a very strange, bizarre and , quite frankly — disturbing –relationship with David Miscavige.
Mr. Miscavige is a textbook psychopath. Viewed through that clinical lense his behavior is easy to understand. Other people are nothing more that things to be used as he sees fit to satisfy his desires. I would love to have the opportunity to study his particular psychopathology in a controlled and secure setting, such as a prison or mental ward.
Mr. Cruise is also himself a special, but qualitatively different, case: A nonmalignant narcissist who is suffering from a severe and elaborate delusional disorder. Worth 500 million dollars; he is nonetheless incapable of sustaining an intimate personal relationship with anyone. That includes David Miscavige, whom he wrongly assumes he has a friendship with. Their relationship is more akin to that a vampire and the victim he sucks blood from, or perhaps a common parasite like a tick attached to its host.
I won’t go so far as to speculate about Mr. Cruise and Mr. Miscavige’s bizarre relationship and what might go on behind closed doors, but you can certainly use your own imagination….
The main difference between the 2 is that Miscavige gets all the reports about the implosion of Scientology and Cruise gets none. Miscavige and Cruise’s “handlers” then feed Cruise lies about the great progress Scientology is making and how lucky he is to be a part of this. Today Cruise’s “fame capital” is being drained daily because off camera he is viewed as a hypnotized nut case.
Agreed Ahem!
Considering the church keeps detailed records of everyone and that they have a whole lot of liberty to lead you through (“up”) the bridge the way they want (at your expense), they’re just going to mark you down as a discount price member and get the $250 at a future date.
My IAS annual membership was free for staff members back in the day! That was still too expensive! ?
I was on staff and had to pay. Damn!
Snort!
I have 2 free lifetime memberships. Someone from IASA wanted me to pay for another one. I told them to get stuffed. If anyone wants one of them, you can have it.
There’s probably a disclaimer that they’re non-transferable. I wouldn’t doubt that’s in the small print.
I’ve said it many times – the sooner Scientology ceases to exist, the better off so many people will be. The very fact that L. Ron Hubbard wrote science fiction before starting his cult, was enough to keep me away from it.
Joshua, I agree with you; the sooner this cult is destroyed the better off so many people will be. L Ron Hubbard having written science fiction before starting his cult is really no big deal. The Church of England was founded by Henry VIII, who had 6 wives, two of whom he put to death for his own convenience. Not exactly what one would call an “ecclesiastical” type, yet the Anglican religion is still very much alive. I believe it survived because it stopped all the suppressive nonsense, i.e. persecuting people, burning them at the stake for heresy, etc. – that sort of thing. Same with the Roman Catholic Church. This religion has had a number of Popes back in the day who were sociopaths. They evolved, they let go of all the cruelty and became inclusive and helpful. Today, no one cares that the Church of England’s Founder was an extremely flawed character, nor is anyone particularly fixated on those way-far-out-ethics Catholic popes of yore….hardly anyone would give a damn what the Scientology beliefs were if they would just stop their modern style persecution and punishment of people they consider heretics. Just my 2 cents.
That’s a remarkable comment Aqua. Puts thing in perspective about some of our historical notions. Wonder how Scioland will be viewed in 100 years if we haven’t blown each other up by then.
Thank you Aqua…Pithy and to the point. (sorry, is that redundant?) Anyway, I value your insight and it thoroughly supports the feelings of many on this blog: ‘I don’t care what you believe…unless that belief is used as a reason to hurt people.’
Until and unless the psychological, physical and financial cruelty is left behind, the CoS will soon cease to exist in any form.
Thanks Yawn and Buckeye.
That’s it! I just paid $250 to get my bike fixed, so I think I can now afford the IAS. I’m in. Do I get to clobber anyone?
Hgc, you get to clobber everyone you don’t like! Have at it!
More foot bullets from Miscavige… to all those in recent years who paid the $500, how does that make them feel seeing newcomers being charged $250.
If you bought a new sofa office desk for $500 and saw the exact same desk selling for $500 a few months later, how would you feel?
Idiots.
(sofa office desk???… yeesh. Mike we need an edit tool, please.)
I figured it was just a multiple choice…if you just bought a new sofa – office desk …
Of course, you could have just hit on something. I’d love a sofa office desk! Sounds way more comfortable than the chair I sit in now.
Why is it that it is always the Runt of the
litter must forever attempt to be the Big
Dog! Witness Adolph
Hitler, Sadam Hussain
Kim jung Un and now
Davie Misscarriage of
the failing cult of lientology!
Tim,
Short pecker syndrome.
Jim and Tim, respectfully, this may be a workable generality about men of short physical stature overcompensating, but I just want to put it out there that I’ve had the privilege of having known 2 very short men, short of physical height, but, oh, such big men in other ways – one of them was my uncle( on my mother’s side, all tiny Italians). The other man was someone with whom I did business for many years. Both of them – well, let me put it this way; no one who knew them thought of them as small men. Big brained, big hearted; nobody’s fools, self made, successful men but with much understanding, tolerance, kindness – they took care of you, of everyone, in a way. Its hard to explain, but in a converstation with either of them, you felt “taken care of”. I don’t mean “taken care of” in the sense of a man being protective of a woman, although they were that too! They were men of action, but they listened to people and cared about people. Hard to explain. Physically short bodies, giant MEN.
I’m so glad to hear membership prices are coming down. That will really flood them with new members like “You’re not Serious? Brian” below!
Now that the membership is in local currency I wonder what that really means. Do they just mean the equivalent of 250 USD in local spondoolacks? How many cowries would I have to shell out?
Come to think of it I would bid 250 Indonesian rupiah in Djakarta for one (just for the certificate) but suspect the price might be at the international exchange rate of 3.4 million IDR which is a lot for a rice farmer living on the slopes of one of those volcanoes full of interplanetary body parts.
Staff have to pay this? That could be months and months of pay! Poor suckers!
Could this be an easy out for a staff member to get out? I know there’s never an easy way for staff to leave but I like to imagine someone pissed off enough about not getting paid/conditions/morale telling the IAS reg “no”. When threatened with dismissal and not being allowed to work there he/she remorsefully accepts walking papers.
Like it would ever happen!
Not sure if this will post or not.
For some reason, I have been thrown off this blog. I am not sure if I posted something that offended anyone, but my apologies if that is the case.
I hope that I can return, but in the meantime I am enjoying reading the comments that other people have posted.
Looking forward to seeing “Aftermath” show tomorrow night.
Huh?
I have had problems with the site for about a week. First I couldn’t get here, then there was no way to reply or post. Hick ups it would seem that are being worked out.
I got a novel idea. Why doesn’t the IAS use Scientology to fix itself?
Come on, show us how well it works.
What’s that? It is using Scientology! Oh…
ODE TO C.O.S. AND C.O.B.
The best Tech lessons in life aren’t free
You gotta pay for it with BIG money so
Now give me money, (That’s what I want)
That’s what I want
(That’s what I want)
That’s what I want, (That’s what I want), yeah!
(That’s what I want)
You’re O.T. levels gives me a thrill
You keep taking O.T. instructions to pay my bills
Now give me money, (That’s what I want)
That’s what I want
(That’s what I want)
That’s what I want, (That’s what I want), oh, yeah!
(That’s what I want)
Money buys me everything it’s true
Those empty buildings will never be filled .but..
Now give me money, (That’s what I want)
That’s what I want
Excellent! Ness.
I was purchased a life time membership for $1500 when someone was heavily regged and bought all of the existing staff a membership or the org was pressured to buy memberships for all of the staff – I can’t remember which. I think the annual membership was $300. Staff weren’t excused from this, even though HASI memberships were just a one-time nominal fee and many had these memberships. $5,000 is a substantial amount and could be better spent on a couple of season tickets to a favorite baseball team. “What a load of rubbish!” (my go-to protest chant from here on out). (See Tony O’s blog today.)
My IAS Lifetime Membership, as well as many others at Santa Barbara Org, were paid for out of IAS donations that had been milked out of a mega IAS donor back when the IAS was formed. Many years later, when I was posted in the IAS, I had a short stint managing the Membership Officers of several CofS Orgs, including Celebrity Center. I also had access to the full membership list worldwide, which couldn’t have been more than 40,000 back in the mid 90s-early 2000s. Note: included in that number were the free-6 month memberships. However, that figure doesn’t account for the “donated” memberships for countless people who never asked to be members. Specifically, the Public Exec Sec at Celebrity Center Int was found to be padding her IAS membership stats by getting the members who had donated well beyond Lifetime membership to “debit” their IAS accounts for annual memberships for various and sundry people who hadn’t paid for theirs, without even consulting the person receiving it! This was done for nearly all the Buddhists who were visiting the Flag Land Base years ago and if I remember correctly, it was also done for the Nation of Islam people who were dipping their toes into the CofS. Without question, the Treasury and Membership Departments at IAS Administrations had to be aware of this. Apparently they let it slide. With the price drop, these desperate staff are going to have a hay day getting and keeping their IAS membership stats up. My take, they will do whatever they have to do to keep David Miscavige happy so he doesn’t make their lives even more miserable than they already are. But no matter, DM will continue to make up whatever figure he wants without any backing whatsoever, i.e. “Millions of Members all over the world”.
Hi Kay,
A few days ago, someone at the Bunker posted an interview you recently did. Just wanted to say i really enjoyed listening to it and wish you all the best with your book. It killed me to hear you break down when you talked about he death of Karen’s son and how the cult kept her away from his funeral and didn’t even tell her he had passed.
No matter how many times I hear that story, it breaks my heart again and again. They truly are disgusting in every way.
This is indeed a good sign and precurser to the inevitable. Pretty soon we’ll be seeing “Everything Must Go” liquidation sale posters. Sweet….so sweet…
Teen, you just gave me an idea: could this drastic, half-price slash on annual memberships be a marketing ploy to rope in some of the better-off NOI Members?
Teen, I’m reading this again and cracking up: “Everything Must Go!” I’m picturing a storefront window piled with E-meters, The Basics, Congresses…”Black Friday Sales Extended Thru Sunday”.. “Purple E-Meters Limited Supply Cash Only”…OMG 🙂
Since, according to official cult stats, membership world-wide numbers in the millions, and this letter was designed to reach “all Scientologists” with this “important news,” then at a per-piece U.S postage rate of $.50, reaching just two million of the cult’s members would cost the cult a million dollars just to mail it out!
Hmmm, that doesn’t sound right! Perhaps the cult got a huge bulk rate discount for their massive mailing or, Xenu forbid, notified the majority of those happy $cilons of the Good News through email.
Or, alternately, perhaps the number of English-speaking cultists who’ve let their yearly membership lapse and are now being specifically targeted to get this fab cult offer is more like 247 😉
One of the big lies in Scientology is that “it’s not about the money”. “IAS memberships give you the benefits that help you progress in Scientology” The concept of Scientology as being laid out in straight line, where one would progress upwards is an intentional misrepresentation. In fact it is a huge and overly complex labyrinth that one curiously wanders into and eventually finds out that in order to find the promised exit “Total Freedom” one encounters a credit card swiping machine and a smiling registrar barring ones progress through the circular winding and often confusing path that actually goes deeper and deeper into the labyrinth. Not outwards. And of course behind the scenes the architects of the labyrinth are busy redesigning the twisted pathway based on how much potential REVENUE they can obtain from each person. The fact that this organization commits fraud as a part of it’s daily business model ensures that it’s distinction as one of western civilizations most diabolically effective predatory cults is well deserved. The *Church* of Scientology cannot be trusted to do ANYTHING except screw up your head and then charge you astounding fees in an effort to “undo the damage”. And if you complain about it they declare you a Suppressive in order to hide their real crimes against you and others who went before you. Finding your own way out of the Scientology Labyrinth on your own self-determinsm is a High Crime. Only in Scientology where they pitch total freedom from “other-determinsm” will they attack you for being anything other than “other determined”. As I continue to process what happened to me and to others, and the very high costs both financially and in terms of lost life opportunities, it becomes clear that speaking out has made a world of difference in terms of their size and scope. It does not bother me in the least that people may pursue Scientology teachings outside of this criminal organization because the organization itself and it’s influence is the driving force. I have faith in good people to disregard those aspects of Hubbards writings which lead to disaster injustice and suffering. I believe that every person who decided to become a Scientologist in the first place did so based on decent impulses. Every one of those decent people LEFT Scientology BECAUSE THEY ARE DECENT PEOPLE. Scientology’s efforts to characterize ex-members as anything else is entirely dishonest and confirms what we all know now to be true. Every single hate-smear website devoted to a former member speaking out against indecency is a clear self indictment of the organization. I am truly grateful to each and every one of you who are committed to exposing them. It’s what decent people do. Thank you Mike for allowing my commentary over the years. It has been cathartic and a big part of my personal journey back to reason and clarity.
Very welcome Doug 🙂
I keep coming back to Leah talking to her Mom, who actually finished OT VIII. After hundreds of thousands of dollars, decades of dedication, they are told.
INSERT MONTY PYTHON VOICE HERE.
Well Fuck me running, you didn’t get the joke? You were fine as you were.
(Please Python fans forgive me for that but it seemed to fit.)
Oh wow! I love this, Doug. The labyrinth is a perfect description and highly effective visual of how this cult really works. So glad you are free and healing…hugs!
Great post, Doug. The only thing the IAS ever gave me was a fairly constant pain in the ass.
Spot on, Dog!
Wow, it’s very telling that they’re cutting membership rates for people who are new, or those who have just been paying year-to-year. I guess one question is, how many people who aren’t brand new, pay $500 every year rather than coming up with the $5,000 for a lifetime membership?
It has to have long been the case that many lifetime members are no longer active, interested, or have even been declared (raising an interesting question, of whether the IAS takes those people off the rolls, or continues to count them). If they’re struggling with annual memberships, presumably they have more lifetime members than ever who would drop their memberships if they weren’t already paid for. Come to think of it, I wonder if the IAS even has some people writing in to resign lifetime memberships, after Aftermath?
It occurs to me, with Scientology’s aging demographic, they’re probably at the point where a lot of lifetime members are dying off (some if not many would be kept on the rolls, if only because Scientology wouldn’t get notification about people who had drifted away, or who had ceased to be active). Net IAS membership is likely actually declining, perhaps part of the reason for their desperation.
p.s. Those new to Scientology watching might want to know that in yet another Orwellian twist, IAS membership is nominally voluntary (and probably represented as such to the IRS), but effectively enforced as a universal requirement that no one is allowed to get out of.
“Those who have more recently signed up for an annual membership are NOT renewing their memberships”
Evidence of this statement please.
If you want to seem credible in your attack on Scientology offer evidence.
Haha. Evidence: they cut the price. Scientology does not cut the price on ANYTHING unless it is a total panic — in this case that the number of members of the IAS is NOT increasing. And they don’t even deduct the people who left. The annual members are the ONLY variable in the total IAS membership. The increase in the IAS membership comes ONLY from new annual and new lifetime members. Anyone who was an annual member who does not resign is LOST. For this level of panic where they actually cut prices it is unlikely just to be NEW members as they would simply hammer the orgs to “get new members” as the “solution” to that problem.
I don’t feel a concern about my credibility.
It doesn’t take a genius to connect all the dots. For some, it is still difficult to reason. Thanks, Mike, for reasoning so publically.
But, Mike, they only cut the cost on annual memberships. A Lifetime Membership is still $5,000.00 and those are the ones that the truly dedicated buy. I imagine that the costs for the other statuses have remained the same as well.
Hey it works for Macy’s and Sears, why not $cientology… big sale this weekend only… get your annual membership at this low, low price – membership prices will go up in 2018! Don’t wait, act now!
If you’re (God forbid) someone new and you’re not quite sure you can afford to buy in…this could be just the break you were looking for. And now, sigh, you can become one of this elite group of special people.
Desperate times call for desperate measures. Get what you can $cn, before the whole thing comes tumbling down.
And as for Mike’s credibility…he’s got boat loads of it!
Good point. And I wasn’t questioning Mike’s credibility. Just to let you know.
“They cut the price”. Mike is right. Economics 101.
Can’t sell something? Make it cheaper.
Zing! Another troll bites the dust :).
And, as Mike pointed out, and as the Valley Girls would say,, fer sherr, this price slash is not targeted at NEW public. Of course, this is an act of utter desperation to recover those who did not renew and are now “crying poverty”. Ha ha ha!
I REALLY wouldn’t want to be an IAS registrar right now. Nor at any time, for that matter, but can you just imagine the pressure on them? IN-TENSE, baby.
Don’t forget, “like, gag me with a spoon. Or, “Bag that face.”
Right, OSD. Valley Girl lingo is fun. Especially “like” which I think has metasticized throughout the US.
In the Northeast, where I like mostly live, so many people are like, always saying the word “like”, too. I mean, like, what’s that, you know? Its like, all the time 🙂
Like, fer sure, y’know?
IP, Mike has provided a very informed logical inference here.
Direct evidence would require accurate, objectively verifiable information from the cult, which they’re very reluctant to provide concerning any of the claims they make.
So, for those of us who’re interested in keeping track of the cult’s key stats, we’re left to come to our best estimates and tentative conclusions through other means.
Since the cult’s practice of omitting and falsifying their stats is of very long-standing, it might be best to focus on the cult’s lack of credibility here. That is, if driving the final garlic-tipped, silver stake through the dark heart of this undead beast of a killer cult is of concern for you as an “interested party”.
Hi Interested Party,
Your statement seems very paradoxical to me, “If you want to seem credible in your attack on Scientology offer evidence.”
What more evidence is necessary than ask a whole stack of Ex Scientologists what Scientology did to them?
A credible stance would be for proof the IAS does good in the world. For a start, let’s see some transparency by making public their financial records of donations and expenditure for some of the good causes they say they support. Surely being associated with the largest privately own relief force on earth, expanding and safeguarding the only technology that will save mankind evidenced by their publically admitted stance on anti-drugs would be enough moral incentive that they would have nothing to hide and would welcome outside assistance and open alliances to further their goals for a better world.
Scientology has adequately demonstrated they viciously attack anyone who questions them. The credibility side of the ledger sits squarely on them to prove they are credible, not the other way around.
Sorry, but I fail to see any issue with Mike’s credibility. He knows exactly how $cientology & the IAS operates.
Int Party, the ONLY credibility problem here is YOU trying to pass yourself off as sane.
There just isn’t ANY evidence…
Laughter, Wynski!
Now, now…………..
Evidence? How about logic…people who’ve just renewed don’t need to renew right now…lower price or not?
IP,
The phrase “Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence” was popularized by Carl Sagan. In this case there is nothing extraordinary about Mike’s logical conclusion. Since any evidence is closely held by the scienos and OSA we will let you go fetch that info. 5….4….3….
Can we call the IAS “membership dues” and the fallacious statuses which they bestow, simply what it is: A TAX!
If it is, then I’m guilty of Scientology tax evasion.
Mike. What is the status of Priscilla Pressley,is she in or out ? I hear conflicting data.
Tony O covers it well on his blog today.
Thank you.
BTW Mike, what happened with your blog? it was out of service for almost all weekend
You know, I wasn’t going to become a Scientologist because of the oppressiveness, the silencing of dissent, the harassment of critics, and the insane pressure from the regges to constantly give all my money to them, but when I learned they cut the price of IAS membership I signed right up!
Brian Hnatiak you’re not serious are you?
Nanny — surely you’re not serious are you?
Brian, do you have a shrink that you can talk to? Unless, of course, this is just a joke. If it is a joke, it’s a damn good one!
Nanny and Surfer Dude, I’m an ex-mormon & enjoy watching Leah & Mike’s expose. One thing I’ve learned from introspection and observation is that people who can’t discern are often the target.
Then we learn to discern and often have to vet everyting, (not a bad thing at all, but definitely a good thin) including humor. lulz
Does anyone have a scientology meme twitter page?
I’d join that.
When I was in the midst of untangling from mormonism I found an ex-mormon forum with a meme page that was very cathartic. The forum died out a few years ago and unfortunately the memes are gone with it.
All the best to you folks,
from Donna
Hey Donna, there’s always postmo. Post Momon. People who have left the Mormon Church. You may want to check it out. All the best!
🙂 Brian H.
Hi ya Brian, I’m selling a used emeter, in great condition & only 30k reads old. You interested?
Hell yes I am! Only 30,000 reads? It’s practically brand new!
Hey, Yawn, would that make it “gently used”?
Charging people $250.00 to get into the “group” so they will be allowed to pay for every little thing they do translates into “letting people into the group at large.”?
The stupidity is STAGGERING.
p.s. But then again El Con did said that a new scamologists joining is with the group or dies.
I wondered by the IAS site and noticed they are giving a free six month membership. I may setup a special e-mail just to see what will happens as they only ask for an e-mail address.
Here is the link: https://www.iasmembership.org/application/introapplication.html
Sorry, I meant to type ‘wandered by’ instead of ‘wondered by’!
I wondered by once. But then I forgot what I was wondering about.
Funny stuff Mark. If we could get scamology’s India paid FB posters we could do a real number..
Mark, they’ll know its you, just by the process of elimination. You’re their only hit 🙂
The cult cutting in half the IAS membership dues indicates trouble. Terrible trouble. I mean, this isn’t a cult that parts with money easily.
Must be like having a root canal without anaesthetic for them. Money is “my precious,” (said in The Lord of Rings character, Gullom’s voice) to Scientology.
LOL! Yes, it must be killing them, Yawn!
You’re a wuss, I Yawn. I have root canals without anaesthetic. Man up!
I’m amazed they haven’t set up a raffle or a lottery system to “win” membership discounts. Maybe even an auction, like IAS memberships on eBay. Remember, if it’s not fun it’s not Scientology! Plus a lucky door prise at events, you win a 50% discount off an already discounted membership but the door costs $2k.
I was once offered a LIFETIME membership for $500 at a fundraiser. This was the price for anyone at the fundraiser. It was at a downstat Class 5 org in terms of membership and recruitment. Sad thing, I couldn’t even afford that at the time, nor could others in the fundraiser. You’re absolutely right, it’s all about making the numbers ‘go right’. “Just make it ‘go right’, and it’s a win” #GoRight
If my memory serves me correctly, upon buying the first couple of courses, one had to buy an annual membership. After that, one was not given the option to re-up with another annual. The only option given and pushed was a lifetime membership. Can anyone else concur?
As far as I remember I was sent to the ias reg after the first life improvement course. I bought year membership sometime around purif completion. No some people who doesn’t have 5 grands on a table, bought year membership 2 or 3 years in a row. That were usually old ladies and gentlemen’s.
I first read this as “after the first life imprisonment course.” LOL.
Not sure why you’re laughing, KKat, it’s just a matter of time before they come out with that course: Life Imprisonment Course. When people take this course, they’re never heard from again.
Now that’s a course I EP’d with Scientology Inc! Never a day goes past without some sort of scienological flutter in the head, or is that a hangover? I can never tell which is which!
I haven’t been able to tell an EP from a hangover for years now.
I had been in scn 20 years and only ever had an annual membership. It was only when I routed onto OT6 at Flag that everyone fell over laughing at my membership status that I finally indulged in acquiring a lifetime membership. Then I left…
That must have been a long time ago as these days they require you to be a Patron do have demonstrated adequate “contribution” to be “allowed” onto Solo NOTs.
It’s true what you say, Mike but there have been a few people who were able to get away with not paying for the $40,000 ‘Patron’ and being allowed to do Six and Seven. These were people whom the org knew to be in for a long time, had a long history of production in the COS, and were pretty low income for making it up to the upper OT Levels. Personally, I only know of two people who got away with this and they had pretty much told the IAS and their MAA’s that they wouldn’t be able to do the level if they had to pay that money and since the org knows every piece of info about everyone, they got a pass.
History:
Around the mid 2000’s the IAS and Flag came up with a scheme to force everyone on or going on OTVI and VII to hold a Patron membership for $40,000. If you weren’t able to pay right away and were already in the pipeline, you would have to sign a promissory note that you would pay it. Every six months the payment would be checked and reinforced by the Ethics Dept when you returned to Flag for your six months check during your Ethics interview with your MAA, until the $40,000 was paid in full.
It was all a lie that in order to do OTVII and VII, you had to have Patron status. Besides, doing OT levels or any processing has nothing to do with the level of your IAS membership except that you get ‘discounted rates’ for all services being an IAS member. Also, I’m pretty sure that at some point you would have to be at minimum a Lifetime member to do advanced services but don’t know for sure. It would be considered weird if you weren’t. Regardless, you would have been pressured by the reges or your MAA to become one or just as a way to get out of ethics trouble.
Here’s a question: Did LRH require membership in the HASI as a prerequisite for receiving services?
Alcoboy, not that I know of. It certainly wasn’t required at Flag or the two missions I was at.
They could make membership free and it still wouldn’t help. Thank you Mike for all you do.
In Russia it will make sense, 500$ can be your monthly rent, 250 is not so big, so yes I think it will bring them couple of dozens people.
When I lived in St Petersburg Russia my studio apartment was $1000/month. It was not downtown either but way out in Komendantskiy Prospekt . Life is VERY hard financially there. Seriously doubt anyone would be willing to cough up a membership fee even at the reduced rate.
Carol Bragin apparently doesn’t understand, not joining the IA$, or $cientology, is free. And the money not spent in those areas can be put to use for things that actually matter. Like paying the utility bills, or taking the family to dinner on a fun night out.
Oh my.
Scientology was dead when I was in over a decade ago before Hurricane Leah and other brave souls like you Mike – DID SOMETHING ABOUT IT!
Thank you, by the way! 🙂 You guys are epically awesome!
Carol Braggin IAS Regg ???? Hmmmmmm…… I wonder if she/ was married to the Meritorious
Scam and Con Artist Extradionaire Ted Braggin?
I wonder if Teddy Braggin is in the hole…. licking bathroom floors…..
for his horrendous and heinous crimes against Scientology:
“A Scientologist who becomes disabled and unable to bankrupt and financially RUIN any new members for the best interest of COB, his wardrobe, his personal chefs, his fleet of fancy cars and motorcycles and his billion dollar war chest to pay off sleazy attorneys and private investigators to harass anyone who exposes Scientology’s / David Miscavige’s CRIMES”?
Between June 2011 and May 2015 Kristi Wachter’s site with Scientology Completions added 3,625 names.
If they only did one course and got mentioned in any of the magazines Kristi got sent, they were added.
That is 77 new names every month.
http://www.forum.exscn.net/threads/estimates-for-new-members-and-total-membership.44306/
Kristi’s site: https://www.truthaboutscientology.com/
Yes, I saw that list. Not at all representative of new scamologissts. I saw the list. Many were OLD scamologists. Majority were one off Div 6 crap.
In 10 minutes found at least 5 people who are already out.
Yes, and you wouldn’t know the other 3,600 that are now out because they didn’t stay beyond the one Div 6 course.
The cult is leaking members like a sieve.