Ah, you’d think, but L. Ron Hubbard had a policy or stipulation, or simply just an explanation written into the “Handbook” that made no sense, but they covered for literally any accusation, question, or little shred of doubt someone might have. That being said, Hubbard could not have his new “religion” compared to a “Pyramid Scheme” (obviously he was well aware that this was all Scientology was, as was his design), so he wrote in a “process” of how commissions would be paid to members who would bring new people into the “church” that he was sure would prevent everyone from this comparison. So the rule in Scientology has always been that if a member brings a brand new person into the “church”, that member gets a 10% commission based on what that new person signs up for and buys. However, that’s the only commission that the original, recruiting member EVER gets as a result of them bringing that new member in. If this new member then brings another new person into the “church”, the original member who started this recruitment-line gets absolutely nothing…Thus IT CAN’T BE A PYRAMID SCHEME!!! That old psychopath thought of everything when he invented his new “religion”, didn’t he? No, seriously, Hubbard thought of everything. Literally everything.

Even after years of educating myself about Scientology, I often still become absolutely astonished of the minute details Hubbard wrote into every single one of the policies, processes, procedures, rules, regulations, and simply the way he built the general structure of the “religion”, specifically how Hubbard left not one stone unturned when he was concentrating on how to always protect himself, always defend himself and Scientology in general, and how to address literally any question that may be asked PUBLICLY about the “church”. To sum it up, Hubbard was an absolute master of covering his ass.

Amway has nothing on Scientology.

Amway (business cult) would be fairly close, I think. But still not above Scientology.

You employed that term quite correctly, Maria B, But, even if you hadn’t, no one here would have mistaken such an error for disrespect, Your friendly tone and supportive words always communicate very clearly your empathy. Thanks for being here and caring.

Rule of thumb I read:
– When referring to the building in Washington, D.C. used by the United States Congress, it should be spelled “Capitol” (with an “o” and a capitalized “C”).

– When referring to a building occupied by a state legislature, lower cased “capitol” (still with an “o”) is by definition the correct use (though some style guidelines may make an exception to the lowercase rule).

– On the other hand, “Capital” with an “a” has many different meanings. For public interest news, the most common usage is when referring to the city or town that is the official seat of government in a country or state. For instance, Washington, D.C. is the nation’s capital.

Sorry, i wanted to say that it will be great to have an educative episode about the IAS money so people can also be aware

Sure JBX

And even the IAS will never sent a financial report of their activities made with your help as other tax excempt groups claiming to be covered under they church status, the fact is that its a money laundering just to bring money to Mr Miscavige in an offshore paradise.

When you are inside and realize that you will expend at least 200 grand in services a 10% discount over the years if you pay 5000 and also get a status sounds good, but once you are part of the list they push you up to at least patron level and that means 50000 invested and a never ending begging for more money, they also push to al your family members get the status.

It will be great to have an IAS tactics

After watching the videos made by hundreds of ex-scientologists documenting not only the amounts of money they “donated” (more like “were harassed into handing over”) to the “church”, but also the unrelenting methods that the “Reg’s” use to very literally force the members to “donate” to the “church”, I’m absolutely sure that Scientologists would be the highest. And I’m not yet even considering the money the members pay for courses, for auditing sessions, for books, for their memberships, to go to events a mandatory 5 times a year, to travel to other cities like Clearwater for mandatory events and courses, I can’t even remember all of the mandatory money-grabbing right now. It’s quite literally endless. And relentless.

If you want a real eye-opener on the harassment techniques used by the “Reg’s” in order to get donations, meet their daily (or seemingly hourly) quotas, to enable themselves to go to events and on trips (I’m sure these Sea Org members who do meet their quotas never get the prizes and rewards they are promised anyway), and any number of other excuses they come up with to constantly throw at members, I suggest you go on YouTube and watch Steve Mango’s video discussing his entire experience in Scientology, from the day he became curious about it to the day he left. It’s a 2+ hour long video, but Steve does something I’ve not seen any other ex-member do: he describes every moment he was asked for money, and every little swindle, harassment, and out-right lie he was challenged with, and every desperate “Reg” he had to deal with, as well as every technique they used on him to get his money. I’ve truly never seen anything like what Steve describes: Constant begging by “Reg’s” for money every single time he ever walked in or through or out of The Celebrity Center or any other Scientology building, being followed to and from his car every day, having to run out of side doors or crawl out of windows to avoid them, telephone calls from “Reg’s” at all hours of the night and early morning, being signed-up for every credit card available all at one time, calling his newly maxed-out credit cards and begging for limit increases (and often getting them because the “church” has members who work as underwriters at every major credit card company and bank in the country), being asked into an office and having the door locked behind him so he could not leave, then being told, not asked, told that he needed to donate the entire amounts of actual cash in all of his bank accounts right at that moment for the good of Scientology and his “eternity”, I cannot do his story justice. I do remember being particularly nauseated when Steve told the story about being locked in an office and being told that he had to donate every cent of actual cash he had to his name to the “church” for no particular reason (they had already maxed-out every one of the credit cards they got him, and were denied on their final requests for increases). Steve describes at first thinking it was a joke, that this upper-level Sea Org member or head of the “Reg’s” couldn’t be serious, but he very quickly realized that he was deathly serious. So Steve finally took a firm stand and told this whacko that he absolutely could not donate every cent he had in his checking and savings accounts, he had no available credit on any of his credit cards, and had just donated $5,000 while attending what he thought was a free “appreciation” dinner at the most expensive restaurant inside the Celebrity Center (another occasion where he and the other members being “appreciated” were locked inside the restaurant as soon as dinner was over). Steve then describes how this guy would not unlock the door until he agreed to hand over literally ALL the money he had in the world, and then describes desperately trying to reason with this guy, explaining to him “If I empty my checking account for you right now, I’ll have absolutely ZERO MONEY. No cash, no credit. How can I possibly do this? I can’t. I have no gas in my car right now, and I won’t be able to get any when I leave, so I won’t be able to even get home tonight. I was planning on going grocery shopping tonight too because I have absolutely no food in my apartment. If I do this I won’t be able to eat. And my rent is due, and if I don’t pay it tomorrow I’ll evicted. So if I do what you’re asking me to do, I’ll have no car to drive to get home, to work, or back here tomorrow and I’ll not be able to eat until my next paycheck which is weeks away. And I’ll be evicted and be homeless, and have nowhere to put my possessions, and not be able to get a new apartment because I won’t have money for the security deposit. I’ll literally be homeless with no car and no food. So obviously I can’t give you any money right now, let alone my entire checking account”…Now listening to Steve Mango describe his very rational explanation to this Sea Org guy of why he can’t comply with his absolutely insane request was heartbreaking enough. But it was the Sea Org member’s response which made me nauseated, confused, and as angry as I’ve been since I started researching this “church”. This Sea Org member’s reply to Steve was “Steve, Steve, come on now, you’re worrying about logistics. Just unimportant logistics. These are all just little details that mean nothing at all in the grand scheme of things. This is what you have to do for the good of the “church”, it’s your duty. You’re a Scientologist. It’s your year Steve. This is the year you’re going to “go clear” Steve. You’re a Scientologist Steve, and it’s a privilege for you to be a parishioner in our “church”. And this is your year Steve! So don’t you see Steve, you have to do this right now Steve, for the “church” and for your eternity Steve! Forget about little details and logistics Steve, they don’t matter, you should know that by now Steve, you should know what’s important by now…Now let’s get your checking account donated right now, and get you on your way to “going clear”!!!”

Steve Mango’s description of this particular ordeal disturbed me greatly, so much so that I became overwhelmed by this notion that I needed to do something about this damn cult, that right that moment I had to do something to stop Miscavige from ruining life after life after life, then followed by an overwhelming feeling of helplessness.

Seriously though, watch Steve Mango’s videos if you haven’t already, starting with the 2+ hour long one, as there is not been a more comprehensive, detailed description of what every ordinary, average, public Scientologist goes through on a daily basis, SIMPLY TO REMAIN A “MEMBER IN GOOD-STANDING” WITH THE “CHURCH”.

Dear “Dead” – I was never really “in” – okay I did some lower level stuff but never considered myself a true believer, and never drank the LRH kool-aid. But I have quite a number of friends, and extended family who are still in to varying degrees and its incredibly tough to think those relationships could be on the line. I still think it took bravery for you to step forward. It’s funny, though, I bet the celebs who remain in even though they clearly know the negative aspects are believing they are “the brave ones” for staying loyal….. yikes.

“The excuse of ignorance is gone.”

WAYC, in all sincerity, I would REALLY like to believe that but in my own case I was in for 25 years, 23 of which were passed in ignorance of the abuses being perpetrated by Scienotogy.

This was NOT because I was incurious or uncaring.

When the string I pulled began giving me the truth I was astounded, but I kept pulling it (that string) because puzzles and mysteries have always fascinated me, and the data I was receiving (and sorting thru for the purpose of distinguishing fact from opionio) was like getting pieces that were fitting in, one by one, to a very large and complicated puzzle.

But for so many years, being only a public and never staff or Sea Org, I knew virtually nothing about the actual activities and policies being carried out by the cherch. I would read the Green Vols; I thought they were what the cherch was running on.

That said, my trust that things were being run per the Green Vols did not prevent me AT ALL from verifying when I saw that thread sticking out. By this time, Ideal Morgues were being rammed down our throats and I was amazed and disturbed that “my church” was operating “off policy”.

Yes, its true; in the beginning I thought that the fundraisers, the indefatigable demands for money, for a new building for us (when the halls were echoing with the sounds of silence) was an MU on the part of the staff and as such, a severe off policy action that needed to be addressed!

Yes, I was that naive. Or just plain dum and clueless.

So, again, I would like to believe that only I could have been that naive/clueless and did I mention dumb? but I suspect that there may still be others, still ins, like I was.

At least, I fervently hope so 🙂

Just kidding. Actually, I fervently hope its you that is right. One of my better qualities is the willingness to acknowledge, once I see it plainly, that I’ve been a total ass.

I.P., I called you out as an insane criminal a while ago. True to form you are!