I want to wish everyone a wonderful day of peace, happiness and goodwill. Whether you are Christian or not, everyone can share in the holiday spirit. I hope each of you has the opportunity to spend a day with family and friends (especially children - for whom this is a magical day of excitement) as we will be. The only sour note note to be heard among the caroling is the fact that many readers here are cut off from some family members and friends because of the cruel scientology practice of disconnection. My wish is that you can enjoy and be thankful for what you DO have today and try … [Read more...]
Dave Richards
Dave Richards was one of a kind, and a giant among friends. Tony Ortega did a post about him on Thursday thanks to Dave's great friend Ron Miscavige Snr. I could not process the grief and bring myself to write anything coherent, so I am a couple of days late. But the delay only represents the shattering of my world when I heard the news of his passing. The only small saving grace was that he died peacefully in his sleep. But that made it even more shocking as there was no warning. I met Dave on the Apollo in 1973. He was one of the really good ones. He was the Dissem Aide … [Read more...]
Regraded Being
Disconnection — Scientology’s Spin
Scientology has long attempted to defend the sordid abuses of disconnection by proclaiming it is a "personal choice" and an "individual right." Tad Reeves, a devout scientologist and OSA frontman is active on social media attempting to promote and also defend scientology from "attacks." He has a blog, and frankly, he seems like a decent guy caught in the distorted world of scientology-think. What is most interesting is that he goes into such detail about the subject of disconnection. His utterances on this subject are certainly coordinated/cleared with OSA before he posts them. This is the … [Read more...]
Quailynn & Paul McDaniel — Check Mate
Check Mate Recovering from Scientology has been no easy task. However my husband and I did it, together. What broke me from the church initially was this: I was on the ship to do OTVIII, I had cleared every hurdle placed infront of me. As most of you know they are many and extremely difficult -- tailored to break you in every possible way. I was on the ship in Cartagena, Columbia. They had taken my passport and the staff had locked me in a room in a room for three days and had me read my husbands confidential confessionals detailing why he was a horrible human worthy of betrayal. This was an … [Read more...]
More Scientology Lies about Disconnection
This is right from the scientology.org website under their "Frequently Asked Questions" answer on "What Is Disconnection?" There is no policy in Scientology that requires Church members to disconnect from anyone, let alone family and friends who simply have different beliefs. To the contrary, the moral code of Scientology mandates that Scientologists respect the religious beliefs of others. The Church encourages excellent family relationships, Scientologists or not, and family relations routinely improve with Scientology because the Scientologist learns how to increase communication and … [Read more...]
Newspeak: Disconnection
These are infamous slogans from 1984. George Orwell's classic has hit the bestseller lists again in recent weeks. Orwell's dystopian society includes remarkable similarities to life inside the scientology bubble. It was one of the first books I read as I was waking up to the realities of life in the Sea Org. His 1984 bubble, like scientology, has a language of its own - Newspeak. It includes this: Blackwhite, which denotes the Newspeak user’s ability to believe that black is white, to know that black is white, and to forget that one has ever believed the contrary. Yet has two … [Read more...]
Scientology Aftermath Episode 2 Aftermath
The show has aired, my laundry has been hung out for all to see, and now it's on to Episode 3. As always, I am interested in your views - including criticisms and things you think might be better explained or covered (and I will try not to respond to everything with "it's in a later episode.") I also suspect there are quite a number of new people who are coming to this blog for the first time. To all of you, welcome. I thought you might find it instructive to be directed to some earlier postings I have done that may help explain some things if you just watched the show … [Read more...]
Scientology The Aftermath Episode 2
Tonight's show focuses on me and addresses the subject of Fair Game. There is a short teaser for the show on the A&E Facebook page. Tony Ortega has a review of the episode on his blog today. Obviously there is a huge amount of territory to cover and it's SO difficult trying to figure out what to include and what to explain and how. You don't really understand this until you try to do it. And it is especially difficult to have perspective on a program that focuses on you. Obviously there are many things I have spoken about during the filming of this series that won't ever see airtime. … [Read more...]
Scientology The Aftermath
The first show has aired. Phew. 7 more to come. I am interested to hear what you thought -- including criticisms or things you felt could or should have been explained more/better or treated differently. The perspective of others is valuable feedback. I am genuinely curious, not just looking for ego stroking. … [Read more...]