We all did that (know some thing were BS and we just looked in another direction and carried on in our quest or super powers.)

I agree it would be great to have a podcast peopled with ex-Scientologists who were roped into VMing. My experience was fairly minimal, but I know there were Scientologists who leaned in and really wanted to help. Their good intentions and volunteer time would have been better spent with real organizations.
Another heinous PR action the cherch crowed about at a big videoed event was the time that they got their 800 number on the screen I think during 9-11 for people to call for I think counseling. The Public Relation person who authored that shady bit of marketing magic no doubt got a commendation chit for their Bright Idea.
I bet you could go into a Scientology Org today and pretend to be a new person and get routed to the video kiosks showing Scientology’s “Impact” on the world and hear the flat-out lies from years ago. Even though ex-Scientologists have told the truth in various places on the internet about what really went on with the Volunteer Ministers Program, outing the cherch’s lies, chances are they are still slinging the same claims.
Hey Alex Gibney, how about an expose on the cherch and their “largest Volunteer Minister organization on earth” claims. Yeah, they said that over and over again when I was in.
The sad thing is, I knew it was BS and I just looked in another direction and carried on in my quest for superpowers.

About that long.

I agree with Rose Mary. You should go on a Podcast and tell about how they lied by saying they were so good that the Red Cross came to them to join forces. What a lie. Also many lied and said they were so helpful at the 9/11 Ground Zero at the New York bombing of the Twin Towers, that they were the only outside group let into the Ground Zero to help people. That is a bald face lie too. Someone should publicly call them out for this.

How long is a piece of string?

And doesn’t anyone fundraising for the CofS, stand to make the 15% FSM commission? That’s the dirty secret that drives a lot of it, and maybe even keeps Scientology going to the extent that it still is, that there are people who profit off of it and even live off of it like that.

If commissions don’t apply to fundraising for VM activities, I’d like to see a clear delineation of just what they do and don’t apply to.

Thanks for the concern Beth. In truth I did secchecking on 2 sea orgers as an auditor, but it was auditing as a review action so i was good with it. Never had secchecking done on me.

A real seccheck is not auditing so i would decline to pick up the cans and would tell them that I needed to get my tape recorder from my car before they begin. Plus, at this point I ain’t nobody to them.

So you can rest easy for me.

Fortunately, all of this matters very little. Most regular folks, wogs, would be unable to tell who the VMs are. Let alone know that they are associated with this “church.” However, the cult’s reputation has taken a severe beating even with those who otherwise know very little about it; and it continues to. No amount of VM deployments and photo ops is likely to change that.

Ah, but the infernal blabberer said many things, quite a few of them much more revealing about the real intent of Scn and it’s brand of “help”. Would be a pity if someone compiled a whole list of quotes demonstrating his, and his organizations’ callous disregard for humanity combined with detailed facts about their style of “help” (touch assists, passing out water bottles another organization brought while getting pictures taken before they leave).

Sadly, I might say something about ulterior motivation, but I’ve seen far far too many religious groups do little better — angling for converts when they offer any ‘help’ with their “God sent me to help you” lines.

As a completely separate point, I find it vaguely amusing how very carefully they skirt away from any admission the increasing disasters and longer storm seasons are related to climate change.

Wow. You had actual experience with them. You should go on Mike and Leah’s podcast and talk about that. Or go on Aaron Smith Levins podcast also. This information you have should be out out there from you who has been there and done it. Thank you.